NOTICE

By Park Joo-young, October 17, 2022, 16:19

We Must Listen to Others to Sing in Harmony" - The 18th Busan International Choral Festival to be Held from October 19-22

The 18th Busan International Choral Festival, set to take place from October 19th to 22nd at the Film Center in Haeundae, is all set to bring together 30 choirs from 6 countries, with over 1,000 participants. This year’s festival marks the return of in-person events after two years of virtual gatherings due to the pandemic.

Do Yong-bok, the chair of the Korean Choral Organizing Committee, emphasized the importance of unity in choral music, stating, "To sing in harmony, we must listen to the voices of others and align with their tones. Isn’t this exactly the virtue most needed in our society today?" He added, “The world of choral music is where voices of different heights and colors meet, transcending conflict and division to beautiful harmony."

Reflecting on the impact of the pandemic, Do remarked, "Over the past three years, it was like we were stuck in a dark tunnel where different voices couldn’t meet or merge. But now, we’ve emerged from that long tunnel and arrived at a land of harmonious unity." He also noted that this year's festival is particularly meaningful, as it symbolizes the fruit of perseverance in choral practice during the challenging times.

The festival will feature choral competitions during the day, followed by performances from invited ensembles in the evening. The main highlight is the long-awaited return of the choral competition, held in-person for the first time in three years. The competition will take place on October 20-21, across four categories: Youth, Classical Mixed & Same-Gender, Pop & A Cappella, and Folk.

The winners of these four categories will compete in the Grand Prix Final on October 22nd at 5:00 PM at the Film Center Sky Theatre, with a grand prize of $20,000 on the line. This is considered the competition within the competition, a thrilling climax to the festival