A Message from the Chairman

My first contact with the Choir was in May 1986. At the time, it was still called “The Choir of the European Communities”. The then-President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, accompanied by the President of the European Parliament and the President of the European Council of Ministers, was officially inaugurating the 12-star European flag.

To mark the occasion, the Choirs of the European Communities were asked to sing the European anthem, “Ode to Joy”, from Beethoven's 9th Symphony, on the esplanade of the Berlaymont building. This took place on a weekday and in the open air, so in order to gather as many singers as possible, a request for reinforcements had been launched among the officials of the European institutions.
As a young official at the European Commission and already a member of a choir, I was accepted to take part in this historic event. Shortly afterwards, I auditioned for the choir and was accepted.

Thus, I've been a chorister with the European Union Choir for over 35 years. I've sung in over 300 concerts. With the Choir, we've celebrated several European events: German reunification in October 1990; the launch of the Single Market in 1992; EU enlargement to include Austria in 1995; EU enlargement to include ten new member states at the end of April 2004; and the commemoration of the First World War (1914-1918).

I was lucky enough to sing in the anniversary concerts for the Choir's 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th anniversaries. 

In 2010, I was asked to contribute to the smooth running of the choir by standing for election to the Board of Directors. Since then, I've been a member of the Board, fulfilling a number of tasks.

Finally, in 2024, I was asked to take on the role of President of the association. I am both honoured and overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task. Nevertheless, I shall continue to serve the Choir and the music.​
Paul Linder
Chairman of the European Union Choir