The Swiss Adonia Teens Choirs are preparing their next musical about the biblical story of Zacchaeus, which will be performed in over 80 cities all across Switzerland.

In its 46th season, there are 20 choirs (18 from German-speaking Switzerland, 2 from French-speaking Switzerland) with 70 singers each, who are between 13 and 20 years old.

Each of these choirs will give four concerts and on 5 May 2024, all the German-speaking choirs will meet in the city of Zofingen for a big final concert. The entire performance lasts 90 minutes and admission is free.

Zacchaeus and Bartimaeus

Zachäus tells the encounter of Jesus with the head tax collector Zacchaeus and the blind Bartimaeus, a story “about loneliness and connection, the opportunities and limits of prosperity and the longing for peace”, say the choir representatives.

“The atmospheric choral singing and the sophisticated arrangements transport the profound lyrics wonderfully into our time”, they add.

The concerts are aimed “at a general audience, while at the same time offering profound reflections that originated in the writings of authors Jonas Hottiger and Marcel Wittwer”.

Music camps

The Adonia Teens Choirs rehearse the musical during a one week camp, where they learn the songs, the staging and the choreography for 3 days, and perform the four concerts in the second half of the week, spending the night with host families.

In addition to the music training and the performances, the participants “benefit from group discussions and talks of guest speakers on life and faith issues”, explain the organisers.

All the organizational and musical work of each choir is handled by full-time teachers, musicians, office workers and graphic designers. Their salaries “are paid by donations, gifts, legacies and the sale of recordings”, says Adonia's website.

The prodigal son musical

Since 1990, Adonia also runs junior musical camps for children between 9 and 13, “a holistic weekly program based on a biblical story”, which aim “to familiarise the children with the love and greatness of God”.

The Junior choirs will also rehearse their new Adonia musical, Welcome home: The prodigal son, in 5 days, and each one will give two concerts all over Switzerland, from 7 July to 12 October.

The Adonia choir project

Adonia is a youth organisation member of the Swiss Evangelical Alliance.

Markus Hottiger, a teacher at the time, started the project and composed the first musical that the Adonia choir performed in 1979.

Over the past 45 years, the choir has grown into a large children and youth ministry with around 50 musical and sports camps a year.

It also produces music, radio an TV programs, picture books, and extensive sheet music material for schools and churches.