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THE CHOIR The Cultural Association “Coro Polifonico Femminile Tonara” was
named after the village of
Tonara, which sits among the
Gennargentu Mountains in the centre of Sardinia, Italy. The choir was founded in January 1998
and is composed of about 25 women coming from different professional fields
and sharing the same passion for music and for singing. Ms Giovanna Demurtas
(diploma in Choral music, Opera and Choir Conducting) has been the chief
conductor since its creation. She has always pursued the growth of knowledge
and experience as a primary aim, despite the difficulties and challenges met in the way. The choir studied Holy Polyphony but
has in its repertoire pieces of national and international tradition.
Recently it has specialized in local folk polyphonic tradition. The singers work hard with enthusiasm,
love and strong will, qualities they show during the meetings with other choirs. In 2003 the choir recorded the first
CD, called Amores e Turmentos,
containing local songs and lyrics in Sardinian language – among them some
poems written by the famous local poet Peppino Mereu and set to music by Ms
Demurtas herself. The choir has promoted and organized
several cultural meetings and festivals, such as the First International
Choral Meeting (Easter 2005). It
has also taken part in Regional, National and International festivals; it has recently taken part in
the Celebrazione Mariana, during the Third European Day of University
Students in Vatican. The Choir has always showed interest
and willingness to participate in any meeting in favour of peace and solidarity. THE CHOIR CONDUCTOR
The choir conductor, Ms Giovanna Demurtas,
obtained a Diploma in Choral Music an Choir Conduction at the Conservatoire
“P. Palestrina” of Cagliari (teacher: Maestro Antonio Costa). She obtained a Diploma in Opera at the
Conservatoire “L. Canepa” of Sassari, (Professor Paola Puggioni) where she is now attending the course of Didactics of Music. She actually teaches Theory, Solfeggio
and Choral Singing at the Civic Schools of Music of Oristano, Macomer and
Nuoro. She directs the Coro Polifonico Femminile di Tonara and the Polifonica Logudorese of Bonorva. She set to music the following poems by
Peppino Mereu for the Tonara
Choir: “Su minestrone”, “A Genesio Lamberti”, “Turmentos”, “Ninna Nanna”. She composed the music for the “Sanctus” in Sardinian language and for
the holy piece “Manos a chelu”
(lyrics by the Serenella Piras and Rossella Dominici - singers).
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