This contest invites for the participation: Choirs and Vocal Ensembles
Spain, Montserrat-Costa Brava
2025
April 04 — 08
2026
March 26 — 30
2027
April 02 — 06
International choir contest “GOLDEN VOICES OF MONTSERRAT” – is one of the biggest international choir competitive festivals in the world for professional and amateur nonprofit choirs.
Each year, the festival attracts a large number of choirs and transforms the Spanish coast of Costa Brava into the hub of the singing world. The emotional opening of the contest and a memorable final concert will be a highlight of this grand event for all the choirs and singers. In addition to the professional competition, choirs have the opportunity to perform in the basilica of the Montserrat monastic complex, alongside the world-famous choir of boys, “Escolania”. The contestants are evaluated by a professional international jury according to expert evaluation criteria.
This choirs festival&contest is filled with friendly gatherings, masterclasses by the conductors of top world choirs, round tables, specialized training, final rehearsals, leader reveals, and a memorable flash mob on one of the most beautiful Mediterranean coasts near the town hall of Lloret de Mar.
⚠️ We give our priority to learning and sharing experiences. At this contest a big attention is paid to the educational program. The event includes master classes, workshops. Teachers who have completed the master classes receive a certificate.
If you want to participate in the choir vocal competition but don’t have the means, then hurry to search for sponsors in your region. Such an opportunity may come once in a lifetime. You can experience the highest level of European choral singing culture at the festival-competition organized by the Fiestalonia Milenio team.
Lloret de Mar is situated in the southern part of the Costa Brava, 70 kilometres to the north east of Barcelona. This is one of the Mediterraneans most popular resorts and certainly the liveliest holiday spot on this stretch of the Spanish coastline.
The former fisherman’s village covers 48 square kilometres, and has five main beaches along a 7 kilometre of coastline. The city of Barcelona and its airport El Prat can also be reached by train, with connections going further beyond. The local airport is at Girona, which is just 35 motoring minutes away.
The beaches of Lloret are extremely well kept and washed by crystal clear waters. There are many areas of great interest to divers off the rocky headlands. The main beach has a delightful promenade with scenic views and many excellent bars and restaurants.
Lloret has excellent tourist infrastructure, with sports facilities, shopping, leisure and restaurants available for tourists. The safe, sandy beaches, which bask in warm temperatures during the summer months, pull in beach lovers, plus Europe’s biggest water park, zoo and the Universal Studios Port Aventura theme park are all within easy reach.
As an organiser of international choral festivals and competitions, Fiestalonia appeared as a result of our enthusiastic work, constant search for new ideas and the desire to replace the traditional festivals with more perfect and comfortable ones.
The exceptionally high quality of the festivals is guaranteed by the promise given by the team of Fiestalonia.
Our company is strong thanks to our employees, each of whom is a highly qualified professional and a positive person. We create our festivals as stunning and emotionally charged events that invariably remain in memory as the most vivid life impressions.
We realise that, as a flagship of the industry of organisation of festival events, we have the opportunity to influence the established models of festivals through the introduction of the highest standards and innovations. We focus on quality, we think it is the most important and intrinsic value. We have achieved the position that Fiestalonia festivals personify the refinement embodying the best traditions of international cultural meetings.
All of our programs consist of two parts:
1. Participation in the competition and festival
2. Participation in the Festival without competing in the competition*.
* For those who don’t want to participate in the competitive program, but wish to participate in the festival. They will still participate in the other festival activities including: joint rehearsals, workshops and master classes, where they receive advice and an official certificate from the renowned international experts during a brief discussion in an open and friendly atmosphere. Non competing participants will also perform at international friendship concerts combining different kinds of art.
Communication with other participants, an open exchange of experience as well as a lot of master classes with internationally recognized experts, will certainly bring you to a whole new level of creativity!
6 reasons why you need participate in choir contest
Competition jury and master classes
Bernardo Latini
Composer · Choir conductor · Educator
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Bernardo Latini. A significant portion of his time is devoted to writing music, with a special focus on choral compositions, whether a cappella or combined with orchestra or ensemble.
Teaching also plays a vital role in Bernardo’s activities. He is a faculty member at the National University of La Plata (UNLP) in Argentina and regularly conducts courses and workshops in Latin America and Europe.
Bernardo pursued studies in Composition and Choral Conducting at the Faculty of Arts of UNLP. He further refined his skills in Composition under the guidance of Maestro Bernat Vivancos at the Escola Superior de Música (ESMUC) in Barcelona, Catalonia, and in Choral Conducting with Maestro Marco Berrini in Milan, Italy.
His compositions and arrangements have received 16 awards in National and International Choral Composition or Arrangement Competitions, and his works have been published by prestigious publishers in Germany, Austria, Catalonia, the United States, and Argentina.
Jordi Casas Bayer
Conductor and musician
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Jordi Casas Bayer
He began his musical studies at the Escolania de Montserrat, and later continued pursuing them in Barcelona, where he also studied Law and Philosophy. He founded the Càrmina Choir and was its conductor for more than fifteen years. He also conducted, for two years, the RTVE Choir. From September of 1988 until 1998 he was the musical director and artistic director of the Orfeó Català. In September of 1990 he formed the Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana, which he conducted until July of 2011. He has also been in charge of the Comunidad de Madrid Choir from 2000 until July of 2011. In Madrid, he also developed his work as a choir conductor with the Teatro Real Choir, which regularly collaborated with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, between 2004 and 2008.
He has conducted and prepared around three thousand concerts, having the opportunity to collaborate with the most prestigious of conductors, with a great variety of instrumental ensembles, and, at the same time, cultivating all kinds of genres and styles.
He has taught numerous courses on choir conducting, both in Spain and abroad, and has participated as conductor in Europe’s most prestigious festivals (Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia and Austria) and also in Israel, Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala, the USA, Argentina, Brasil, China, Morrocco, and Japan. In the summer of 1997, he conducted the Europa Cantat European Youth Choir.
Recently, he has been conductor, for the second time, of the RTVE Choir from September of 2011 to August of 2013. Regarding choir, he is currently an artist in residence of the l’Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, and he assiduously collaborates with the Scherzo Female Chamber Choir as guest conductor.
Joan Carles Capdevila
Musician · Singer · Musical arranger
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Joan Carles Capdevila Torné, a graduate in Modern and Jazz Music from the Superior School of Music of Catalonia (ESMUC), is a recognized professional in the music field. His extensive experience includes roles as an arranger, composer, studio singer, and member of a cappella groups.
Joan Carles is an experienced teacher in the field of musical theater. He has recorded for renowned film companies such as Disney and Warner Bros. Furthermore, he is a regular collaborator in television programs produced by Gestmusic Endemol, including popular shows like Operación Triunfo, Vivo cantando, and Buscant La Trinca.
Xavier García Cardona
Conductor, pianist and composer graduated in orchestra conducting from Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona.
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He teaches piano, music theory and harmony in Academia Barcelona Concertante and is the main conductor of Cor Tessàlia. García has conducted several choirs and orchestras and has been invited to hold seminars, presentations and workshops for choirs and for different choral meetings, festivals and symposiums, both in Spain as well as in other European countries. He was one of the founders and co-conductors of the Revoice International Vocal Ensemble, a choir of singers from more than 25 nationalities, performing in several countries and important festivals and events around Europe.
As a composer he has achieved national and international success winning different prizes, and his works are performed worldwide. He has been invited as a jury member of choral composition competitions and choir competitions.
García obtained a fellowship to participate in the “Start-Up for young conductors” program at the European Festival of Youth Choirs Basel 2016. He was also involved in the organization of the World Choral Symposium Barcelona 2017 and has been a member of the artistic committee of the Catalan Youth Choirs Association. He is currently an active member of the Spanish Association of choral conductors (AEDCORO).
CATEGORIES
A
Children’s choirs and youth choirs
The performance program may be of the choir’s choice and should include at least two different musical styles or time periods.
At least one of the pieces must be performed a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).
A1 – CHILDREN’S CHOIRS
Age groups: 7-16
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -16
A2 – YOUTH CHOIRS OF EQUAL VOICES
Age groups: 16-25
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -16
A3 – YOUTH CHOIRS OF MIXED VOICES
Age groups: 16-25
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -16
B
Vocal Ensembles and Chamber Choirs
The performance program may be of the choir’s choice and should include at least two different musical styles or time periods.
At least one of the pieces must be performed a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).
Age groups:
1st – 7 – 10 years old
2nd – 11 – 14 years old
3rd – 15 – 18 years old
4th – 18 – 25 years old
5th – above 25 years old
6th – Mixed Age Group (participants from various age categories)
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -3
Maximum Number of Singers -16
C
Adult Choirs
The performance program may be of the choir’s choice and should include at least two different musical styles or time periods.
At least one of the pieces must be performed a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).
С1 – FEMALE Choirs
Age groups: 18 and over
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -17
С1 – MALE Choirs
Age groups: 18 and over
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -17
С1 – MIXED Choirs
Age groups: 18 and over
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Minimum Number of Singers -17
D
World Sacred Music
Participants can present choral arrangements and ritual music from Christian Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Islamic, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, and many other traditions. This may also include religious melodies and hymns, prayers, spiritual songs, and ceremonial music.
The performance program may be of the choir’s choice.
Age groups: no age restrictions
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Number of Singers no restrictions
E
Folklore
Ensembles perform a folklore program. Corresponding choreography and stage performance are also possible. It is advisable to sing in traditional costumes. If there is no musical notation, please prepare a brief description of the program in English.
The performance program can be chosen by the choir.
Age groups: no age restrictions
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Number of Singers no restrictions
F
Pop – jazz – gospel
The performance program may be of the choir’s choice. Performances may include pieces with instrumental accompaniment, phonograms or a cappella.
Age groups: no age restrictions
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Number of Singers no restrictions
G
Academic Singing
Participants may present works from the classical repertoire, including opera, operetta, arias, etc. At least one of the pieces must be performed a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).
Age groups:
2nd – 11–14 years old
3rd – 15–18 years old
4th – 18–25 years old
5th – above 25 years old
6th – Mixed Age Group (participants from various age categories)
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes. Number of Singers no restrictions
TERMS OF PARTICIPATION
Competition performance
1)The competition takes place at the Municipal Theater of Lloret de Mar.
2) For performances, the organizer provides a Yamaha Arius YDP 143 piano with 88 keys and two organ functions. Additionally, a grand piano is available (subject to availability on the day of the competition). The organizer can also provide 6 Condenser microphones, 4 Wireless microphones, and 2 Headset microphones.
If the choir requires any additional equipment, musical instruments, or anything else, they must bring it with them or request it from the organizing committee for an additional fee.
3) SINGING TIME: In all categories, the time limit for clean singing is 15 minutes (minimum 7 minutes). This does not include applause and stage time. The exact duration of each piece must be correctly indicated on the Program Confirmation form that we will send you 30 days before the contest.
4) In those categories where a phonogram is used for performances, please send the phonogram in MP3 format to the specified e-mail address together with the confirmation form.
5) Please ensure you bring 5 copies of the sheet music for each musical composition to be performed. Scores without titles or composer names printed in the Roman alphabet must have a transcription in Roman characters
One copy of the score will be retained by the organizer after the competition. The remaining scores can be collected from the organizer after the awards ceremony.
Each participating choir is responsible for respecting copyright and performance rights for the songs during the competition. The use of unauthorized or reproduced copies is strictly prohibited.
Performance in Montserrat
1.Only choirs preparing a single a cappella musical composition are permitted to perform in Montserrat.
2.All girls and women must ensure their shoulders are covered while performing at the Montserrat monastery.
3.Repertoire for performances in the Basilica of Montserrat must be appropriate for the venue.
4.Participation in the concert is optional; participants may choose not to perform in the Montserrat concert. However, they are welcome to join the Montserrat tour, participate in group photos with all choirs, and attend the concert.
AGREEMENT: With the application, all participating choirs agree to photography, recordings and broadcasts in sound or television as well as any other recordings made in conjunction with the contest “GOLDEN VOICES OF MONTSERRAT”
“Creative Festival Evening – Friendship Meetup Night – Disco, Battles, Open Mic”
“Creative Festival Evening – Friendship Meetup Night – Disco, Battles, Open Mic” is designed for creative exchange and interaction between participants from different countries. All participants are invited to present their performances and show their skills in a friendly and fun atmosphere.
For “Creative Festival Evening – Friendship Meetup Night – Disco, Battles, Open Mic” you can prepare one number to be performed together or in separate groups. It can be an a cappella performance, songs with instrumental accompaniment or with a phonogram. The participants’ performance at the evening is optional.
Download the contest program in PDF format
We currently have on our website
For the contest:
In the nomination:
Submit pre-application form
The application can be supplemented or changed at any time