The 29th Béla Bartók International Choir Competition takes place from 1-4 August. This year’s Grand Prix competition, open to four choirs, will be organised on 4 August at 3 PM in the Great Hall of the Kölcsey Centre.
The competition and festival started on 1 August with the traditional parade, and the official opening ceremony took place in the Reformed Great Church of Debrecen. The choirs competed in the children’s and youth, sacred and free categories in the Ballroom of Kölcsey Centre in the Church of St. Anne.
The International Jury of the 2024 Béla Bartók International Choir Competition, led by Lorenzo Donati, and composed of Bernie Sherlock, Professor of Music at the Dublin University of the Arts, Jānis Ozols, Artistic Director of the International Baltic Sea Choir Competition, Dr. Betsy Cook Weber, Professor at the University of Houston and conductor of the Grand Prix Winning Choir of the 2018 Béla Bartók International Choir Competition, and Bence Kutrik, Artisjus Prize-winning composer), the following choirs will be invited to participate in the Grand Prix:
- Arcova Vocal Ensemble
- Cor Jove Amics de la Unió
- Imusicapella
- Los Cantantes de Manila
The grand prize-winning concert and the announcement of the results will take place on 4 August at 3 PM in the Kölcsey Centre.
Dániel Somogyi-Tóth, Director of the main organiser, Kodály Philharmonic and chief music director of the city of Debrecen, said earlier that he was delighted that „after the success of the Zoltán Kodály International Music Competition, newly launched in 2022, the more than 60-year-old Béla Bartók International Choir Competition will be renewed this year, not only in its structure but also in its image, which, in addition to rethinking the prestige of a major competition with a long tradition, expresses the city’s commitment to quality, cultural innovation and the continued support of young musical talent. ”
Zoltán Kocsis-Holper, President of the Artistic Committee of the Béla Bartók International Choir Competition (members: Ágnes Török and József Nemes), underlined that the “competition is also a celebration of contemporary choral music, where, in addition to high professional standards, professional relationships are built by getting to know each other’s musical cultures.”
A gala concert entitled “Vivat, crescat, floreat!” was also held on 2 August at 19:00, featuring works composed for the competition by Máté Bella, Árpád Barabás, Bence Kutrik, Dániel Dobos and Péter Tóth, performed by the Lautitia Children’s Choir, the Kodály Choir and the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by József Nemes, Zoltán Kocsis-Holper and Zsolt Hamar.
All the rounds of the Béla Bartók International Choir Competition are open to the public, and events can be followed online or watched on the official website.
This year’s Béla Bartók International Choir Competition Grand Prize winners will again be invited to compete in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, which is held in Arezzo, Debrecen, Jurmala, Maribor, Tolosa and Varna, at different venues each year.
Founded in 1961, the Béla Bartók International Choral Competition (BBCC) is one of the most prestigious music competitions in the world. The main organiser, the Kodály Philharmonia Debrecen, is the professional partner of Jeunesses Musicales Hungary, the Hungarian branch of the world’s largest youth music organisation.