The first International Choir Festival and Competition will be held in Hoi An ancient town in the central province of Quang Nam from March 16-20.
The festival, co-organized by Quang Nam Province and the German-based Association InterKultur, is for amateur Vietnamese and international chorus.
The organizers of the festival said until mid-January 2011, 34 choirs with 30 from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Hongkong, and four from Vietnam have applied for participating in the event. The total number of participants now is more than 1,000, of which foreigners account for over 85%. It is expected that the number of choirs participating will be increasing.
Artists will compete in 13 contests, divided into six groups of male chorus, female chorus, concert chorus, chorus for children under 16, chorus for adult from 16 to 25, sacred music chorus, chorus in church in the 18th and 19th centuries and folk chorus.
The opening ceremony of the festival will take place on a floating stage at the Song Hoai (Hoai River) Square in Hoi An Town.
The schedule of the first International Choir Festival and Competition
- 7 p.m. on 15 and 18 March: Public performances by the choirs in Hoi An town.
- On March 16:
+ 6:30 p.m.: The choirs traditionally dressed or uniformed to perform in Hoi An Museum of History and Culture (10B Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City)
+ 8 p.m.: the opening ceremony:
- 7 p.m. on March 17: Competition in the traditional folk music on Hoai River Square.
- March 18:
+8 a.m.: - Competition under the categories registered by the choirs at Hoi An Beach Resort
+ 6:30 p.m.: The event of “Hoi An Legendary Night in the early 20th century” in Hoi An ancient town
- March 19:
+ 6:30 p.m.: - The awarding ceremony
+ 8 p.m.: The Closing ceremony in conjunction with the Performance of chorus and solo by the choirs, traditional folk songs, dancing and music, the retreat rite of the national flags of the choirs, fireworks display, the Quang Nam traditional gastronomy night – Gift presentation and farewell.
