Joining voices for a world in peace
4th VOICES FOR PEACE in Perugia/Assisi, Italy from September 27 - October 1, 2023
The Italian region of Umbria, the "green heart" of Italy, together with Interkultur, welcomes for the fourth time choirs from all over the world to its capital Perugia and to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi. 25 choirs from 18 nations, the international choral community and music lovers from all parts of the world will come together from September 27 - October 1, 2023 for the 4th Voices for Peace international choir competition. Singers from a wide range of cultures, traditions and languages will unite their voices together for this occasion, in an effort to use the power of music to build bridges and deliver a message of solidarity and peace.
Thrilling competitions across 10 categories, international Friendship Concerts and the final contest for the Voices for Peace Grand Prize 2023 will all be part of the program, promising a memorable festival experience full of musical highlights, cultural diversity and unforgettable emotions.
On Wednesday, September 27, 2023 singers from Italy, Austria, Indonesia, Hungary and Sweden will kick off Voices for Peace with the traditional Opening Concert at 6:00 p.m. at the Aula Magna of the Università degli Studi di Perugia. Works such as Gaudeamus Igitur, Viva la musica or Shenandoah invite the audience on a journey through different musical cultures and periods and create a connection with the audience through the universal language of music. At the same venue, Youth Choirs of Equal Voices will meet at 2:15 p.m. for a top-class musical duel before the day concludes with two Friendship Concerts at 6:00 p.m. in the Aula Magna of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia and at 9:00 p.m. at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Assisi) with Nordic, (Eastern) European and South American choral sounds.
Mixed Choirs from Norway, Venezuela and Sweden will open the equivalent competition part on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the Aula Magna of the Università degli Studi di Perugia. At the same venue, Youth Choirs of Equal Voices will meet at 2:15 p.m. for a top-class choral duel, before the day finishes with two Friendship Concerts at 6:00 p.m. at the Aula Magna of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia and at 9:00 p.m. at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Assisi) with Nordic, (Eastern) European and South American choral sounds.
The following Friday, September 29, 2023, will be dominated by two of the event's most popular competition categories: At 9:00 a.m., Mixed Voice Chamber Choirs & Vocal Ensembles will gather at Palazzo die Priori/ Sala die Notari to determine their category winner, and starting at 2:00 p.m., Musica Sacra ensembles will present their musical skills to the international jury at the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate. An international and diverse Friendship Concert at 9:00 p.m. at the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Assisi) will be the this day’s musical closure act.
The last day of the competition on Saturday, September 30, 2023, will focus on the category Folklore: Starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Aula Magna of the Università degli Studi di Perugia, choral music fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich cultural and musical diversity of the participating choirs before the highlights of the competition will begin at 5:00 p.m. at the same venue: The musical contest of the respective category winners for the Voices for Peace Grand Prize 2023 and the subsequent eagerly awaited Award Ceremony.
The complete program book with all the details about the event program and participating choirs can be found here. For more updates on Voices for Peace, also follow our social media channels on Instagram and Facebook and visit our official event website.
