Tine Fris-Ronsfeld (DNK) is an internationally sought-after singer, arranger, composer, author, publisher, and choir director. For over 20 years, she has worked with ensembles such as VoA – Voices of Aarhus, POSTYR, Lyt, Syng Selected, and Vocal Line. Tine arranges and composes for leading pop and jazz choirs worldwide. As a workshop leader, coach, guest conductor, and juror, she is active at international festivals, universities, and master classes in Europe, the US, and Asia, and regularly publishes award-winning choral arrangements and specialist books ("Icebreakers", "Warming-Ups"). She designs the artistic program for the Aarhus Vocal Festival and is committed to vocal music, community building, and educational innovation.

Greg Jasperse (USA) is Director of Vocal Jazz at Western Michigan University, where he leads the award-winning ensemble Gold Company. A member of Vertical Voices, he has performed with Adele, Bobby McFerrin, Dianne Reeves, and Imogen Heap. Greg’s voice can be heard on numerous film soundtracks including Jurassic World, Star Trek, and Disney’s Sofia the First. His works are performed globally by ensembles like Chanticleer and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Greg frequently conducts honor choirs across North America and is a proud graduate of the University of Miami and Western Michigan University.

Laura Jēkabsone (LVA) is a Latvian composer, singer, choir director, and founder of Latvian Voices, with whom she has won international competitions and launched a dedicated a cappella festival. A graduate of the Jāzeps Vītols Academy, she has trained with The King’s Singers, The Real Group, and others, and won the Amarcord arranging competition in 2011. Laura gives masterclasses worldwide and, since 2020, has led an a cappella arranging workshop. Her compositions are performed by leading choirs such as the Latvian State Choir, The Real Group, and Stellenbosch University Choir, spreading Latvian musical culture across the globe.

Jon Smith (GBR) is a vocalist, arranger, lecturer, and former tenor of the five-time Grammy-winning group The Swingles, with whom he toured the globe and appeared at the 2024 BBC Proms. He teaches at BIMM Bristol, co-founded Next Level Mentorship, and coaches vocal ensembles internationally. Jon is also a versatile session singer, featured on soundtracks like Wonka, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the GRAMMY-winning Barbie soundtrack. His award-winning arrangements are heard on BOCA, Voices Only, and SKY 1’s Sing: Ultimate A Cappella.

Clare Wheeler (GBR) is a director, composer, educator, and performer with a rare mix of depth and versatility. She toured for over a decade with the five-time Grammy-winning group The Swingles, performing at iconic venues like La Scala and the Royal Albert Hall, and collaborating with artists including Jamie Cullum and Labrinth. As Head of Jazz Voice at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Clare leads ensembles, teaches jazz singing and improvisation, and spearheads major artistic collaborations. She is an in-demand guest director worldwide, known for blending jazz, classical, and contemporary styles into moving musical experiences.

CODA Vocals (GBR) is a 14-member ensemble founded by former members of award-winning a cappella groups from British universities that is redefining contemporary vocal performance. With the aim of combining their vocal artistry with innovative arrangements, CODA Vocals presents a diverse repertoire featuring musical styles from around the world. The singers, in their early to mid-twenties, come from different regions of the UK and share a common passion for a cappella singing. They explore the effect of music on emotions, with the audience at the center of their work. After their formation in early 2025, their work to date culminated in a sold-out debut concert at the Phoenix Arts Club in Soho.

CODA Vocals are the winners of the Tobi Hug Scholarship 2026.

Noice (Heidelberg) brings rousing contemporary pop with expressive arrangements and complex harmonies to festivals, open-air stages, and concerts throughout Germany – five voices, beatboxing, and pure harmonies. Founded in 2023 by Marie, Anika, Saskia, and Finn, who met in a student choir, the band was completed by Max on bass. Together, they developed their unique Noice sound, which combines reinterpretations of well-known songs with fresh original compositions and thrills audiences with a varied mix of soulful ballads, creative pop pieces, and energetic hits. Their repertoire ranges from musical songs and classics to current chart hits and lesser-known gems from the world of music.

Poema (Berlin) is a mixed a cappella ensemble from Berlin that has been performing mainly self-arranged songs in various languages and styles since October 2023. The eight singers studied music education or rhythmics at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) and bring musical versatility, ensemble spirit, and creative musicality to their voices and the ensemble. Poema is characterized by finely tuned harmonies, rhythmic diversity, and emotional expressiveness, which can be heard in their arrangements and performances. With a repertoire that combines a wide variety of genres and languages, the ensemble is always searching for new sonic possibilities and compelling joint interpretations.

Spectrum Vocal Band (BGR) is a five-member a cappella group that has been thrilling audiences since 2012 with its distinctive style combining traditional Bulgarian music, jazz, and contemporary pop. The ensemble combines its own compositions and arrangements with impressive harmonies, haunting rhythms, and lively vocal colors. Spectrum has performed at major festivals in Bulgaria, Serbia, Germany, and Luxembourg, undertook its first Canadian tour in 2023, and has worked with renowned artists such as Theodosii Spassov, Eva Quartet, and Hristina Beleva. In 2018, the group opened for Manhattan Transfer, released their debut album Cross Point in 2019, followed by Singerprints in 2021, which was nominated for CARA Awards and won the “Crystal Lyre.” Spectrum stands for energetic, creative a cappella performances—using only their voices.

JazzVoices Zurich (CHE) is a project-oriented vocal ensemble consisting of around twenty experienced singers from Switzerland and Germany. With a high degree of independence, the members work out their parts themselves in advance and concentrate intensively during rehearsals on precise sound balance, groove, timing, timbre, and expressive interpretation. The repertoire includes challenging, moving, and rhythmically driven vocal music from jazz, pop, and contemporary a cappella styles. The current program, “Moments Between,” highlights the magic that arises between the notes, between the performers, and in the exchange with the audience. The ensemble is led by Matthias Werder and Michael Kleiser.

Pop-Up (Detmold) is a 30-member vocal ensemble from the Detmold University of Music that performs rousing interpretations of jazz standards, pop songs, gospel, songwriter titles, and even folk music. The members study school music, singing, sound engineering, and music education. Pop-Up loves rhythm, vocal soundscapes, colorful harmonies, and always seeks musical collaboration: the focus is on exciting arrangements and stylistic openness for good music. Founded by Anne Kohler in 2010, the ensemble performs internationally, including at VocCologne, the Aarhus Vocal Festival, and as the backing choir for the Rolling Stones in front of 50,000 spectators. Pop-Up won first prizes in Marktoberdorf (2017), at the German Choir Competition (2018) and the German Choir Festival in Nuremberg (2025), was celebrated at the “VoiceUp” festival in Istanbul in 2023, and has released five CDs.

popCHORköln (Cologne) is an energetic ensemble of around sixty experienced singers, united by their passion for modern, moving choral music. Under the direction of Niklas Genschel, the choir is constantly evolving; its eight-part arrangements shape its characteristic, colorful sound. popCHORköln is dedicated to challenging pieces, plays with timbres, and shows how versatile and contemporary choral music can sound. Regular coaching sessions with renowned lecturers strengthen the artistic work. At the beginning of November 2025, the choir was once again awarded the title of Master Choir of the North Rhine-Westphalia Choir Association for three years. Awards for music videos and appearances in media productions – including ARD Kultur, ZDF Magazin Royale, and Tatort – underscore its creative range.

SoulFood Delight (Munich) was formed in 2015 when a group of ambitious a cappella singers came together for the first time under the disco ball of a Munich club at the invitation of the ensemble's current director, Patrick Prestel. This spontaneous meeting grew into a well-rehearsed ensemble that stands for energetic pop a cappella music with groove, heart, and infectious enthusiasm. Whether on concert stages, at competitions, or at festivals, SoulFood Delight captivates audiences with rousing arrangements and passionate ensemble spirit. The repertoire ranges from songs by Justin Timberlake to Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift to Coldplay, combining diverse soundscapes into an authentic, powerful sound. SoulFood Delight concerts are and remain fire for the soul.

Terrablue Voices (Norway) is a rhythmic vocal ensemble from Vestfold consisting of seventeen singers. Founded in 2016 by Kristina Olsen Gidefeldt, the ensemble combines its own arrangements with improvisational freedom. A central element is their work with vocal painting, a sign language that enables spontaneous musical expression. The arrangements, developed specifically for the group, range from four- to eight-part a cappella movements; each member sings with their own microphone, complemented by beatboxing. Coaching sessions with Tobi Hug and Anders Edenroth, among others, provided important artistic inspiration. In 2025, the debut album Nordic Sounds was released, exploring the group's Nordic identity with interpretations of Aurora, Highasakite, and Maria Mena, as well as original songs such as “Breathing.”