Who are the Friends of the European Choral Association?
The Friends of the European Choral Association support the aims and work of the European Choral Association. We are a community of individuals, and of choirs, and other legal bodies who wish to support the work of the European Choral Association through our membership and through fundraising activities.
The Friends incorporate the Noël Minet Fund, which specifically supports young musicians who would like to come to the events of the European Choral Association.
Why do we have the Friends of the European Choral Association?
In 2021 the European Choral Association decided to change their membership structure to be an umbrella organisation for other associations. However, since the European Choral Association has a long tradition of having a membership of individuals and choirs that are personally close to the association and/or would like to support its work, there is a great importance in keeping this connection open.
Now, individuals and choirs are invited to become a Friend of the European Choral Association!
The Friends of the European Choral Association are a separate organisation, however there is a strong connection: The board of the Friends reserves spots for board members of the European Choral Association, and vice versa on the board of the European Choral Association there is also one spot reserved for a representative of the Friends. In this way individuals and choirs are officially represented in the board and can influence and contribute to the strategies of European Choral Association.
The Friends have been in existence since 2013 with its first purpose being to support the European Choral Association financially with fundraising activities.
Support the work of ECA
Network with likeminded
Get membership advantages
Benefits
Benefits for you and the European Choral Association
As a Friend of the European Choral Association you will benefit from the advantages for indirect members of the association. This means that you will be invited to events reserved for members and indirect members, such as the annual Membership Weekend, and that you will profit from reduced participation fees at events under the label of the European Choral Association. If you join the Friends as a choir, two choir members will benefit from the reduced participation fees.
As a Friend of the European Choral Association you will play an important role in supporting the work of the European Choral Association. Also, you are able to help the association to be more financially independent, since the income of the Friends can be kept as a reserve fund. An option that the European Choral Association itself cannot have.
Become a Friend
The membership fees of the Friends of the European Choral Association are:
- Individual members: 50,00 € per year
- Choirs and other legal bodies: 100,00 € per year
Application form for individuals (natural persons) 
Application form for legal bodies (organisations / legal entities / choir)
Donate to the Friends
- Becoming a Friend
- Donating to the Friends yourself
- Organising a fundraising activity with your choir or your organisation for the Friends
With your donations the Friends will
- Increase the Noël Minet Fund in order to be able to support more young musicians through scholarships in the future
- Offer additional scholarships for activities under the label of the European Choral Association (e.g. travel grants for World Youth Choir singers)
- Support the European Choral Association when needed
For donations you can:
- Transfer the amount with the keyword “donation” to the following bank account:
IBAN: DE 0237 0501 9819 2985 8932
BIC: COLSDE33
- Make a payment through PayPal:
*Details will soon be added
Noël Minet Fund Scholarship
The Noël Minet Fund scholarship, administered by the Friends, offers funding to applicants under 30 with limited economic resources to participate to our cooperation events or to events held under our label.
Applicants must fill in an application form with:
- Reasons for applying
- Information if they have applied for or will receive other funds
- Total budget with participation fees, travel, accommodation, meals and scores
- Plans on how to share the new knowledge and experience with their local community afterwards
- CV
- 2 recommendations
Learn more about the scholarship here.
Statutes, Elections and General Assemblies
2021 Statutes
Download the Statutes below, available both in English and in German.
ONLINE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023
In 2023, the Association’s General Assembly will take place on October 23rd, 18.30 CET.
ONLINE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2022 preceded by ONLINE ELECTIONS – CALL FOR CANDIDATES
On November 2nd, 17.00 CET will take place online the first general assembly according to the new statutes, preceded by online elections.
At this General Assembly, the members will be able to elect new board members.
Find further information on the document below:
Board
Current Board
Daphne Wassink (President)
Flannery Ryan (Vicepresident)
Afred Jürgens (Treasurer)
Susanna Kantelinen
Henrike Schauerte
Jean-Claude Wilkens
Previous Board
Daphne Wassink (President)
Flannery Ryan (Vicepresident)
Afred Jürgens (Treasurer)
Reijo Kekkonnen
FAQ
I was previously an individual member, family member or member choir of the European Choral Association. What do I need to do to become a member of the Friends?
We are looking forward to having you as a Friend! Please fill out the following online form: https://bit.ly/Friends-registration-individuals
I was already a member of the Friends before 2022 and would like to continue my support. Is there any action required from my side?
Thank you so much for your continued support! Yes, in order to build up our membership base within the new system, we need to re-register all members. Please fill out the following form: https://bit.ly/Friends-registration-individuals
My choir wants to go to an event organised by the European Choral Association, but we all would like to get the reduced prices. What can we do?
We’re happy that you want to join one of the events of the European Choral Association. The easiest way for your full choir to get the reduction is to become a member of your regional/national choir association as long as this organisation is a member of the European Choral Association. You can find a full list of all members of the association here.
Of course your choir members are also always welcome to support the work of the Friends and the European Choral Association directly by becoming individual members of the Friends.
I don’t want to join an association, but I still want to support the Friends of the European Choral Association. What do I do?
Donations or fundraising activities that will benefit the Friends of the European Choral Association are of course welcome. See our sub-point “Donate to the Friends” for more information.
Can I use the logo of the European Choral Association if I am a member of the Friends?
You can use the logo of the Friends and write “I am / we are a ” in front of it. This logo includes the logo of the European Choral Association. You can also add it in textform writing “I am / We are members of the Friends of the European Choral Association” or “I am/ we are a Friend of the European Choral Association”. To avoid confusion you cannot, however, use the logo of the European Choral Association alone.
Contact the Friends
Contact us: info@friendsofeca.org
Follow the 
Friends of the European Choral Association on Facebook!