There are currently 36 music classes at Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes [AFMC], with a total of 30 students to each class. The school is a local government funded elementary school and is comprised of grades 4-9. In addition to the required grade school curriculum, the students receive 5-7 hours of musical instruction weekly, (which means that the students non-required curriculum hours are totally devoted to song and music).

180 New Students Annually
To be accepted as a student of Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes, the vocally interested student may apply if he or she lives within the district of Stockholm and takes a required vocal test. This takes place in January for students currently in the third grade. Of the approximately 1,200-1,400 applicants, only 180 students are accepted (divided into six 4th grade classes).

Two parallel classes combined make up one choir choral class. This choral class with its 60 students remains together throughout their years at AF. They receive common choral instruction, and produce several concerts and performances together.

Major Concerts and Events
The school's largest event during the calendar year is Adolf Fredrik's Lucia Concert given at The Globe Arena in Stockholm. Together with students from Stockholm's High School for Music the students form the world's longest Lucia procession - with 1,400 participants - which is registered in The Guinness World Book of Records. Two to three Lucia Concerts with ticket sales of 13,000 persons attending each concert are sold out annually.

Concerts are also given on a smaller scale with classes performing together at other musical events and concerts, either through concerts arranged by the school, or by other musical institutions in the Stockholm area.

One of the schools goals in having its own concerts is to mix differing choral classes, so that the younger students may perform with the older students.

The student's repertoire is designed for the student's age and vocal ability. In the lower grades (4-6) the repertoire consists of songs for similar vocals (2-4-part harmony). In the upper grades (7-9) the blended 4-part harmony is introduced (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass).

Performances occur both a cappella and with musical accompaniment. These can range from smaller instrumental groups to symphonic orchestras.

50 Choral Performances Annually
Together with Stockholm's High School of Music (Stockholms Musikgymnasium) Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes are one of Stockholm's major concert performers. A minimum of 50 concerts annually is performed. A concert program is available each school term upon request from Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes, Box 6267, S-102 31 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel. +46 8 508 448 80
Fax: +46 8 508 448 42

Students from Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes also participate in-groups of varying size and ability in other musical events in Stockholm. When Stockholm's Opera is in need of children's voices, they are often recruited from Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes.

For major choral productions at Stockholm's Concert Hall or Berwaldhallen, students from Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes and Stockholm's High School of Music are often relied upon. This can include productions such as Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, Igor Stravinsky's Psalm Symphony, Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem, J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion, or Claudio Monteverdi's Vespers of the Blessed Virgin.

Special groups at AFMC
In addition to the numerous choral classes at Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes, there is an additional representational choir, where the most vocally talented can apply: Adolf Fredrik's Girls Choir (cond: Bo Johansson), Adolf Fredrik's Boys Choir (founded by Jan-Åke Hillerud, today conducted by Christoffer Holgersson). In The Stockholm's High School of Music there is a Chamber Choir (founded by Gary Graden, today conducted by Helene Stureborg). One could say that these choirs are representational of both the musical instruction and the standard of Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes.

Translated by Elisabeth Wills-Diös