To belong to a group with a similar interest in singing, to depend upon one another in difficult musical transitions, develops friendships for life.

Laughter is spontaneous and uninhibited like the shared feeling of a musical phrase beginning to take form. That is what I would call inspiration! At that moment they are unreachable, these fantastic girls!

The insight that I have gotten from "my girls" through the years has become a lifetime philosophy. Respect for their knowledge, wisdom and goals. It is important as a choir director to be sensitive to the girls needs. To choose the best music, and to produce the best from their efforts.

To set the goals so high so that these talented girls are challenged to their utmost. The girls should be proud of their work and encouraged: "We can do it - let's give them our best - girls!" What a responsibility for the finished product, the concert!

Due to long commutes home, we must schedule our rehearsals on Mondays and Wednesdays in the late afternoon after school, at the time of day that is most demanding. There they sit, with their pens and scores, with unbelievable patience with a choir director who is never satisfied.

It is a great responsibility to rehearse when the girls display such loyalty and solidarity. When I feel that they trust my judgement in solving musical challenges to produce exactly the right sound. I am never alone - we share the responsibility. What a privilege! Thank you girls!

I'm not about to divulge our secrets; like what it sounds like in the bus on the way home from a successful concert. Nor about improvisational acting at our "Night Clubs" or all our own songs on the tour bus. Those are secrets of the Girls Choir and will remain so.

Bo Johansson

[ translation: Elisabeth Wills-Diös ]

An excerpt from Bo's contribution, "These Fantastic Girls" from the anthology "Tidernas Körklang" - a book about Adolf Fredrik's Music Classes and Stockholm's Music Gymnasium