IVth Castile International Choral Festival cccccccc June 12-17 , 2007

Introduction

Perform in Spain is organizing the Fourth Castile International Choral Festival. For an exciting week in June a selection of choral groups from around the world will perform in the greatest cities of Spain's Castile region. This is an excellent opportunity for your choir to interpret choral music in magnificent, awe-inspiring settings before appreciative audiences. Your group will join choral groups from other countries to experience the rich historical and artistic patrimony of the region.

Castile, a Marvelous Backdrop for Choral Music

This is a one-of-a-kind festival, taking place in historic cities such as Toledo, Segovia, Avila and Salamanca, all named as UNESCO Human Patrimony Sites for their artistic richness. The performances will take place in venues with excellent acoustic qualities and great historical value.

The Castile Region is located in the center of Spain and has Madrid as its principal city. It is considered one of the richest cultural regions in Europe and as the birthplace of the Spanish language and Castilian culture. It contains many outstanding examples of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance art and architecture. In addition, there are numerous fortifications and castles, a legacy of the Christian re-conquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. The origin of the name Castile, land of the “castillos” or castles, testifies to the number and importance of these fortifications.

During the past years, we have been preparing what we are sure will be a unique experience for participants: a Festival that will please the eyes and ears of both participants and audiences. Acoustically sublime concert venues in magnificent settings, interchange of ideas and experiences with other choir groups, and top quality accommodations. This is an experience not to be missed.

Itinerary

The Festival begins June 12th, with the arrival of the choral groups in their designated Castilian city, and ends June 17th. Upon arrival,  each group will be met by a guide and taken to their lodgings. Before dinner, each choral group will meet another group staying in the same city in order to exchange experiences.

The mornings of June 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th will be spent in visiting points of interest in the city of lodging: museums, monuments, cathedrals, etc., as well as meeting with other choral groups. In the afternoon each choral group will be taken to its designated concert site for rehearsal and subsequent performance. At the concert´s conclusion, the groups will have dinner and return to their respective hotels.

Selected Venues

The four different performances guaranteed for each choral group will take place in each of the following: one of the cathedrals of the region, one of the Castilian Romanesque churches, an important historical building (castle, renaissance palace, theatre or auditorium), an open air venue (weather permitting), such as a plaza with excellent acoustic qualities.

The length of each choral group´s repertoire will not be less than one hour. It is possible that on at least one performance, one choir will sing together with another, or participate together in the same event, although the duration of each performance will always be at least an hour.

More information about the cities and the selected venues

The Organization

Perform In Spain is responsible for organizing the Choral Festival, in collaboration with various musical and cultural organizations in Spain as well as travel agencies throughout the world who specialize in musical tours.

Over the last ten years Perform in Spain has organized musical events and tours throughout Spain for numerous orchestras and choirs from overseas. Our experience and in-depth knowledge of the Spanish tourist environment are your assurance that the Festival will be efficiently and professionally managed and that your choir group will receive personalized and top-notch assistance at all stages of your visit to Spain.

Types of Choirs and Selection Criteria

The Festival is open to childrens, youth and adult choirs. In order to insure that participating choirs have attained a high level of quality, we ask that you submit a detailed curriculum vitae of the choir and its director, as well as promotional materials and recent recordings. In collaboration with our musical agents, we will then decide on the possibility of your choral group´s participation in the Festival.

Repertoire

While we are strict in insisting on the high musical quality of participating groups, we are considerably more flexible concerning repertoire. It is important to note that choirs with a varied repertoire are more likely to be selected, other factors being equal. We ask that you send us your tentative Festival repertoire as soon as possible.

Because the majority of religious institutions, such as cathedrals and Romanesque churches, normally only permit the interpretation of religious or sacred music. It will be necessary that repertoire include some religious or sacred music.

We need to know the type of choral music to be performed, and if it is ´a capella´ or to be accompanied by organ, piano or other musical instruments. Please note that each group is guaranteed at least four performances.

Registration

September 15th, 2006 to January 8th, 2007

If you are interested in participating in the Castile International Choral Festival, we ask that you fill out the following application form. We will contact you immediately to solicit more detailed information about your choir and its needs.

Once we receive and review all applications, we will select participants. If you agree with our terms and prices, we will ask you for a deposit to guarantee your group's participation.

Towards the end of January 2007 we will be in touch with selected groups to finalize the performance and venue specifications and provide a final list of the choral groups that are going to participate in the Festival.

Please keep in mind that the quota for groups is limited and that participation in the Festival will depend on two fundamental factors: first, the quality of your choral group, and second, the date of your application to participate

Extensions to Your Trip

Perform in Spain would be pleased to help your group tour other parts of Spain, such as Andalusia, Galicia, Barcelona, or the North of Spain and Portugal, either at the start or the finish of your Festival experience. Let us know in the comment section below or write to us at info@performinspain.com

Choir Groups

On this web page, you will find a synopsis on the choral groups that are going to participate in the CICF 2008, as well as information on other choral group festivals in other European countries.

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