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Eurovision

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    5 November 1951, the British journalist George Campey publish an article inspired by two obsessions that he had for a long time: the “onset” of television in Europe and two words that stacked on his mind; “Europe” and “Television”. The result was the brilliant title “Eurovision”. When he wrote the article Campey didn’t know that his 10 letters word will conquer the world and his “vision” will become the vision of thousands and thousands of people.
    At the end of January 1955, Marcel Bezençon (president of the EBU Programme Committee) conceived the idea for a music project that will unite all countries of the exhaust, by the Second World War, Europe under the newborn institution that mend to conquer the entire world: television.  That was the birth of “Le Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne ", today is known as “Eurovision Song Contest”. Bezençon was inspired by Sanremo’s Music Festival, a great institution till our days in Italy. The technological experiment of Marcel was only the beginning, Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Belgium, and Switzerland was the seven first countries that participated in the first “Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne” that took place in the city of Lugano in Switzerland. It was the 24th of May in Teatro Kursaal that Lys Assia won the first contest for the host country with the song “Refrain”.
    The competitions start to trigger the curiosity of other countries in Europe and the competition of 1957 count ten countries; Austria, Denmark, and United Kingdom became the new members of “Eurovision Song Contest 1957”. Year by year more countries participate in the contest and the initial idea of Marcel Bezençon becomes the most popular song contest of all times.  In February 17 1981 Marcel leaves his last breath at Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland. His dream to unite all Europe under the “wings” of a song contest became the dream of twenty countries that year, and millions of people that believed in a superior idea: no matter the differences, the wars, and hate we can be united as one and celebrate together with a common purpose: the Music, the “Eurovision Song Contest”.
    With the passing of the years Eurovision became a symbol, a fix point, and also the dreams, the ideals, the hope, the happiness of all artists in Europe, and not only. As far as EBU spread her “wings” this ideals will become the dreams of artists and new talents. It’s a non-stop competition; once it’s begun no one can stop it.
    After all this years we must admit that the legacy of Eurovision is the efforts of all the participant nations for the only purpose that the humanity must have: Peace and Love for life and joy.

Conductors of Victory

From 1956 to 1997, thirty-five conductors directed a winning song.

Year

Country

Conductor

Song

Artist(s)

1956

Switzerland

Fernando Paggi

Refrain

Lys Assia

1957

Netherlands

Dolf van der Linden

Net als toen

Corry Brokken

1958

France

Franck Pourcel

Dors, mon amour

André Claveau

1959

Netherlands

Dolf van der Linden

Een beetje

Teddy Scholten

1960

France

Franck Pourcel

Tom Pillibi

Jacqueline Boyer

1961

Luxembourg

Léo Chauliac

Nous les amoureux

Jean-Claude Pascal

1962

France

Franck Pourcel

Un premier amour

Isabelle Aubret

1963

Danmark

Kai Mortensen

Dansevise

Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann

1964

Italy

Gianfranco Monaldi

Non ho l'età

Gigliola Cinquetti

1965

Luxembourg

Alain Goraguer

Poupée de cire, poupée de son

France Gall

1966

Austria

Hans Hammerschmid

Merci, Chérie

Udo Jürgens

1967

United Kingdom

Kenny Woodman

Puppet on a String

Sandie Shaw

1968

Spain

Rafaele Ibarbia

La, la, la

Massiel

1969

Spain

Augusto Algueró

Vivo cantando

Salomé

1969

France

Franck Pourcel

Un jour, un enfant

Frida Boccara

1969

Netherlands

Frans de Kock

De troubadour

Lenny Kuhr

1969

United Kingdom

Johnny Harris

Boom Bang-a-Bang

Lulu

1970

Ireland

Dolf van der Linden

All Kinds of Everything

Dana

1971

Monaco

Jean-Claude Petit

Un banc, un arbre, une rue

Séverine

1972

Luxembourg

Klaus Munro

Après toi

Vicky Leandros

1973

Luxembourg

Pierre Cao

Tu te reconnaîtras

Anne-Marie David

1974

Sweden

Sven-Olof Walldoff

Waterloo

ABBA

1975

Netherlands

Harry van Hoof

Ding-A-Dong

Teach-In

1976

United Kingdom

Alyn Ainsworth

Save Your Kisses for Me

Brotherhood of Man

1977

France

Raymond Donnez

L'Oiseau et l'Enfant

Marie Myriam

1978

Israel

Nurit Hirsh

A-Ba-Ni-Bi

Izhar Cohen & The Alphabeta

1979

Israel

Kobi Oshrat

Hallelujah

Gali Atari & Milk and Honey

1980

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

What's Another Year

Johnny Logan

1981

United Kingdom

John Coleman

Making Your Mind Up

Bucks Fizz

1982

Germany

Norbert Daum

Ein bißchen Frieden

Nicole

1983

Luxembourg

Michel Bernholc

Si la vie est cadeau

Corinne Hermès

1984

Sweden

Curt-Eric Holmquist

Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley

Herreys

1985

Norway

Terje Fjærn

La det swinge

Bobbysocks

1986

Belgium

Jo Carlier

J'aime la vie

Sandra Kim

1987

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

Hold Me Now

Johnny Logan

1988

Sweden

Atilla Şereftuğ

Ne partez pas sans moi

Céline Dion

1989

Yougoslavie

Nikica Kalogjera

Rock Me

Riva

1990

Italy

Gianni Madonini

Insieme: 1992

Toto Cutugno

1991

Sweden

Anders Berglund

Fångad av en stormvind

Carola

1992

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

Why Me?

Linda Martin

1993

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

In Your Eyes

Niamh Kavanagh

1995

Norway

Geir Langslet

Nocturne

Secret Garden

1996

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

The Voice

Eimear Quinn

1997

United Kingdom

Don Airey

Love Shine a Light

Katrina and the Waves

Conductors

From 1956 to 1998, the musical score of each song competition was played by a live orchestra at the scene. 346 conductors directed the musicians during this period 1956-1998, the orchestra was deleted permanently and the musical accompaniment was now issued for a playback.

Conductors

Participations

Noel Kelehan

29

Franck Pourcel

23

Ossi Runne

22

Dolf van der Linden

18

Harry van Hoof

15

Anders Berglund

14

Richard Österreicher

12

Charis Andreadis

9

Eric Robinson

9

Francis Bay

9

Kai Mortensen

9

Øivind Bergh

9

Fernando Paggi

8

Ronnie Hazlehurst

8

Curt-Eric Holmquist

7

Eduardo Leiva

7

Henrik Krogsgård

7

Norbert Daum

7

Olli Ahvenlahti

7

Willy Berking

7

Rafael Ibarbia

6

Sigurd Jansen

6

Thilo Krassman

6

Alain Goraguer

5

Allan Botschinsky

5

Alyn Ainsworth

5

Carsten Klouman

5

George de Godzinsky

5

Henri Segers

5

Jean Roderes

5

John Coleman

5

Jože Privšek

5

Kobi Oshrat

5

Michael Rozakis

5

Miljenko Prohaska

5

Nikica Kalogjera

5

Raymond Lefèvre

5

Rogier van Otterloo

5

Augusto Algueró

4

Colman Pearce

4

Eldad Shrem

4

George Theophanous

4

Jean Claudric

4

José Calvário

4

Juan Carlos Calderón

4

Mario Robbiani

4

Michel Bernholc

4

Mojmir Sepe

4

Pete Knutsen

4

Sinan Alimanović

4

Benoît Kaufman

3

Dick Bakker

3

Freddy Sunder

3

Frode Thingnæs

3

Garo Mafyan

3

Geir Langslet

3

George Niarchos

3

Gianni Ferrio

3

Guy Matteoni

3

Hans Blum

3

Hermann Weindorf

3

Hervé Roy

3

Jean-Claude Petit

3

Jo Carlier

3

Johnny Arthey

3

Jorge Costa Pinto

3

Lars Samuelson

3

Mats Olsson

3

Maurizio Fabrizio

3

Paul Abela

3

Pedro Osório

3

Pierre Cao

3

Rainer Pietsch

3

Raymond Donnez

3

Régis Dupré

3

William Lind

3

Alec Mansion

2

Anthony "Twanny" Chircop

2

Arne Lamberth

2

Atilla Şereftuğ

2

Carlos Alberto Moniz

2

Cédric Dumont

2

Christian Kolonovits

2

Cinico Angelini

2

David Mackay

2

Egil Monn-Iversen

2

Enrico Polito

2

Erich Kleinschuster

2

Esad Arnautalić

2

Francis Goya

2

François Rauber

2

Frank McNamara

2

Gian Stellari

2

Giancarlo Chiaramello

2

Gianfranco Monaldi

2

Harry Rabinowitz

2

Jack Say

2

Jacques Lasry

2

Jean Musy

2

Johannes Fehring

2

Jon Kjell Seljeseth

2

Juan Barcons

2

Léo Souris

2

Levent Çoker

2

Luís Duarte

2

Mario Rijavec

2

Martyn Ford

2

Melih Kibar

2

Michel Colombier

2

Mike Sergeant

2

Miklós Malek

2

Nigel Wright

2

Nurit Hirsh

2

Onno Tunç

2

Peter Jacques

2

Péter Wolf

2

Radivoje Spasić

2

Ray Agius

2

Raymond Bernard

2

Robert Opratko

2

Rolf Løvland

2

Rolf Soja

2

Rolf Zuckowski

2

Silviu Nansi Brandes

2

Stavros Lantsias

2

Stipica Kalogjera

2

Tarmo Leinatamm

2

Terje Fjærn

2

Timur Selçuk

2

Turhan Yükseler

2

Ümit Eroğlu

2

Vladimír Valovič

2

Wiesław Pieregorólka

2

Wolfgang Rödelberger

2

Yvon Rioland

2

Zvonimir Škerl

2

Adolfo Ventas

1

Adrian Romcescu

1

Aimé Barelli

1

Alan Bjelinski

1

Alberto Estébanez

1

Alberto Semprini

1

Alexandar Džambazov

1

Alexander Kirov Zografov

1

Alfred Hause

1

Amir Frohlich

1

Anacreon Papageorgiou

1

Anders Ekdahl

1

André Borly

1

André Popp

1

Andrej Baša

1

Angelo Giacomazzi

1

Anita Kerr

1

Arild Stav

1

Armando Tavares Belo

1

Armando Trovajoli

1

Armindo Neves

1

Arne Bendiksen

1

Atilla Özdemiroğlu

1

Aydın Özarı

1

Bela Balint

1

Bengt Palmers

1

Bernard Gérard

1

Bert Candries

1

Bob Porter

1

Bruno Canfora

1

Bruno Uher

1

Buğra Uğur

1

Carl de Groof

1

Charles Blackwell

1

Charles Camilleri

1

Christian Bruhn

1

Christian Cravero

1

Christian Jacob

1

Claes Rosendahl

1

Claude Denjean

1

Colin Frechter

1

Costas Cacogiannis

1

Daniel Janin

1

Daniel Willem

1

David Sprinfield

1

Del Newman

1

Dieter Reith

1

Dieter Zimmermann

1

Don Airey

1

Eddy Guerin

1

Egon Kjerrman

1

Ernie Dunstall

1

Erwin Halletz

1

Ezio Leoni

1

Fernando Correia Martins

1

Fernando de Carvalho

1

Ferrer Trindade

1

Fiachra Trench

1

Fiorenzo Zanotti

1

Flaviano Cuffari

1

Frank Fievez

1

Frans de Kok

1

Franz Josef Breuer

1

Frede Ewert

1

Gadi Goldman

1

Gaston Nuyts

1

George Catsaros

1

George Hatzinassios

1

George Keller

1

Gérard Salesses

1

Gert-Ove Andersson

1

Gianfranco Intra

1

Gianfranco Lombardi

1

Gianfranco Reverberi

1

Gianni Madonini

1

Gigi Cichellero

1

Giuseppe Marchese

1

Giusto Pio

1

Gunnar Þórðarson

1

Günther-Eric Thöner

1

Hans Hammerschmid

1

Hans Moeckel

1

Harald Neuwirth

1

Hardy Schneiders

1

Harry Robinson

1

Heiki Vahar

1

Helmer Olesen

1

Henrik Otto Donner

1

Henry Mayer

1

Hjálmar H. Ragnarsson

1

Horst Jankowski

1

Jacques Denjean

1

Jaime Oliveira

1

James McMillan

1

Jan Glæsel

1

Javier de Juan

1

Javier Iturralde

1

Javier Losada

1

Jean Frankfurter

1

Jean-Claude Vannier

1

Jean-Pierre Festi

1

Jérôme Pillement

1

Jick Nacassian

1

Jimmy Walter

1

Jo Plée

1

Joan Amils

1

Joaquim Luís Gomes

1

Joël Rocher

1

Johnny Harris

1

Jón Ólafsson

1

Jorge Machado

1

José Luis Navarro

1

José Miguel Évora

1

Josep Llobell

1

Joseph Sammut

1

Juraj Burian

1

Karsten Andersen

1

Ken Jones

1

Kenny Woodman

1

Klaus Munro

1

Krzesimir Dębski

1

László Bencker

1

Lefteris Chalkiadakis

1

Léo Chauliac

1

Leon Ives

1

Les Humphries

1

Lev Zemlinski

1

Lucio Fabbri

1

Magdi Vasco Noverraz

1

Manuel Alejandro

1

Marc Sorrentino

1

Marco Falagiani

1

Mario Capuano

1

Mario Natale

1

Martin Koch

1

Mato Došen

1

Matti Caspi

1

Michael F. Kienzl

1

Michael Finberg

1

Michael Reed

1

Michael Thatcher

1

Miguel Ángel Varona

1

Mike Dixon

1

Mimis Plessas

1

Mischa W. Krausz

1

Monica Dominique

1

Natale Massara

1

Nick Ingman

1

Nicola Samale

1

Norrie Paramor

1

Ólafur Gaukur

1

Pascal Stive

1

Paul Burkhard

1

Paul Durand

1

Paul Kuhn

1

Pepe Ederer

1

Peter Reber

1

Phil Coulter

1

Pierre Chiffre

1

Piet Souer

1

Pietro Damiani

1

Proinnsías Ó Duinn

1

Radovan Papović

1

Rafael Ferrer

1

Rami Levin

1

Ramón Arcusa

1

Ranko Rihtman

1

Richard Hill

1

Robert Stolz

1

Robert Weber

1

Roby Seidel

1

Roland Verlooven

1

Rolf-Hans Müller

1

Rony Brack

1

Rui dos Reis

1

Rutger Gunnarsson

1

Selçuk Başar

1

Shaike Paikov

1

Shegundo Galarza

1

Slobodan Marković

1

Stanko Selak

1

Stefan Raab

1

Stjepan Mihaljinec

1

Sven-Olof Walldoff

1

Sylvano Santorio

1

Szymon Kuran

1

Thierry Durbet

1

Thore Ehrling

1

Tomas Leiburas

1

Toni Xuclà

1

Tony Rallo

1

Urmas Lattikas

1

Valeriano Chiaravalle

1

Vince Tempera

1

Vittorio Cosma

1

Waldo de los Rios

1

Wally Stott

1

Werner Scharfenberger

1

William Galassini

1

Willy Fantel

1

Wolfgang Käfer

1

Yonatan Rechter

1

Yoram Zadok

1

Musical directors

From 1956 to 1998, each edition of the competition had its music director. He was responsible for directing the orchestra during the opening interludes, intermission and conclusion of retransmission. He also officiated for delegations from without conductor. Thirty-one people succeeded to the post.

Year

Country

Musical directors

1956

Switzerland

Fernando Paggi

1957

Germany

Willy Berking

1958

Netherlands

Dolf van der Linden

1959

France

Franck Pourcel

1960

United Kingdom

Eric Robinson

1961

France

Franck Pourcel

1962

Luxembourg

Jean Roderes

1963

United Kingdom

Eric Robinson

1964

Denmark

Kai Mortensen

1965

Italy

Gianni Ferrio

1966

Luxembourg

Jean Roderes

1967

Austria

Johannes Fehring

1968

United Kingdom

Norrie Paramor

1969

Spain

Augusto Algueró

1970

Netherlands

Dolf van der Linden

1971

Ireland

Colman Pearce

1972

United Kingdom

Malcolm Lockyer

1973

Luxembourg

Pierre Cao

1974

United Kingdom

Ronnie Hazlehurst

1975

Sweden

Mats Olsson

1976

Netherlands

Jan Stulen

1977

United Kingdom

Ronnie Hazlehurst

1978

France

François Rauber

1979

Israel

Yitzhak Graziani

1980

Netherlands

Rogier van Otterloo

1981

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

1982

United Kingdom

Ronnie Hazlehurst

1983

Germany

Dieter Reith

1984

Luxembourg

Pierre Cao

1985

Sweden

Curt-Eric Holmquist

1986

Norway

Egil Monn-Iversen

1987

Belgium

Jo Carlier

1988

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

1989

Switzerland

Benoît Kaufman

1990

Yugoslavia

Igor Kuljerić

1991

Italy

Bruno Canfora

1992

Sweden

Anders Berglund

1993

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

1994

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

1995

Ireland

Noel Kelehan

1996

Norway

Frode Thingnæs

1997

Ireland

Frank McNamara

1998

United Kingdom

Martin Koch