Address: Artemidos 121 (Junction Artemidos & Klada Street), 24134 Kalamata

The Kalamata Dance Megaron was constructed with funding mainly from the European Union and the Greek State, in order to house the activities of the Kalamata International Dance Centre, during the International Dance Festival, which takes place every year in July, as well as cultural events that take place throughout the year. It first opened its doors in July 2013. Every year it welcomes the dance world’s most prestigious names and, since 2015, every second year, choirs from around the world.

Kalamata Dance Megaron is a modern, multi functional hall. It has a main hall with 650 seats and a small hall with 200 seats, as well a massive foyer on the ground floor and another one on the upper floor.

Text and photo: Municipality of Kalamata

Address: 95 Aristomenous Street, 24131 Kalamata

Named after the well-known film director, scriptwriter and film producer Theo Angelopoulos (1935-2012), who was originally from Messinia (the wider area, of which Kalamata is the capital), this amphitheatre, built to host seminars, concerts and workshops, opened in 2006. It is centrally located, close to the Municipal Theatre, on the main shopping street, and just a few minutes’ walk from the Kalamata Dance Megaron and the Holy Taxiarches Church. With its 250 seats and good acoustic, it is a suitable place for the competition and evaluation performances.

Text and photo: Municipality of Kalamata

Address: Taxiarchon Square - Vas. Georgiou & Asklipiou Street, 24100 Kalamata

The Holy Taxiarches Church is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel. The church is located in Kalamata city center. Its construction begun in 1938 and it was inaugurated in 1956. Its architectural style is hellenobyzantine. Dimitrios Kentakas, a famous craftsman, painted its murals in byzantine style.

Text and photo: Municipality of Kalamata

Address: Junction of Sfakianaki Street & Anatoliko Kentro, 24100 Kalamata

The Award Ceremony will be held in Tenta Sports Hall. Tenta Sports Hall is actually a huge tent, used for various sports events. With a total of 2000 seats, it can host all participants of the Kalamata International Choir Competition & Festival. A big stage is constructed especially for the official events of the choir competition, but there is still enough space for the participants to sing and dance together and celebrate the results.

Text: Municipality of Kalamata. Photos: INTERKULTUR

Address: Platea, Aristomenous Street, 24100 Kalamata

The Central Square of Kalamata is the social hub of the city that is surrounded by bars, shops, cafés and restaurants. From afternoon until late in the night, the square buzzes with life, with people enjoying a shady spot in one of the cafés or restaurants.
During the festival, friendship concerts are staged on an open-air stage in the middle of the square and the choir parade finds its festive end and an eager audience to welcome them.

Text: Municipality of Kalamata. Photo: INTERKULTUR

Address: Georgiou Karelia and Simonos Karras Str., Anatolikos Synoikismos, 24100 Kalamata

The Kalamata Music School was founded in September 1993 and operated with 14 students in the 1st High School. Today the school reaches 280 students.
Since 2013, the school is housed in a new state-of-the-art building that meets all the specifications of a music school with general and music education rooms, workshops, a library and a 500-seat amphitheater.
The students of the school are taught all general education subjects as well as European and Greek Traditional Music in theory and practice.
In addition to studying a musical instrument, students also participate in musical ensembles such as European Music Choir, Greek Traditional Music Choir, and Orchestra, Classical Music Orchestra, Modern Music Ensemble, Folk Music Ensemble, etc.

Text and photo: Municipality of Kalamata

Address: Aristomenous Street, 24100 Kalamata, Greece

The Municipal Railway Park is an open-air museum that spans 14 acres and has been open since 1986. It hosts cultural activities and features steam locomotives, fountains, ponds, playing fields, playgrounds, open-air attractions, an amphitheatre, and a cafe situated within the historical station house.

Rosie Mastrosavva was born in Rhodes. She studied piano, monody, and advanced theory of music at the National Conservatory of Athens and attended classes on choir conducting by A. Kontogeorgiou and M. Logiadis. She continued her studies in Germany at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and completed them, achieving an honours degree and a Master’s degree in choir conducting. She has attended numerous masterclasses in choir and orchestra conducting. Rosie Mastrosavva has conducted several choirs in Germany and Greece, including Melismachor, Amasingers, the Students’ Choir of the University of the Aegean, and the Children’s Choir of the Musical Ensembles of the Municipality of Athens. She is also a choir professor at Alimos Music High School. Rosie Mastrosavva has given international choral seminars and workshops in Europe and has been a lecturer at the Department of Primary Education of the University of the Aegean in Rhodes. She has served as a jury member in many international choir competitions. In 2008, she founded the ROSARTE Children and Youth Choir, which she continues to direct to this day. Rosarte was the first Greek choir to win four gold medals at the World Choir Games (2008, 2014, 2018). In December 2016, Rosarte and the conductor Rosie Mastrosavva were awarded an honorary distinction by the Academy of Athens (Academia Athinon) for supreme cultural and artistic achievements. This highly respected award was given to a choir for the first time in the Academy’s 90-year history.

Mārtiņš Klišāns is one of the most active choir conductors we have at the time in Latvia. Since 1998, he works as art director of the Rīga Cathedral Boys’ Choir. So far, under his guidance, the choir has been granted the Latvian Grand Music Award - the highest State award in music and Latvian Music Recording Award. The last 19 recordings were produced under him.

M. Klišāns has graduated from the conducting class at the Jāzeps Vītols’ Latvian Music Academy (tutored by Imants Kokars). He got his Master’s degree in 2009, his vocal skills were improved at Bach Academy (Stuttgart, Bruce Abel). As a vocalist, M. Klišāns has contributed to the chamber choir Ave Sol and Rīga Vocal Group. As a tenor solo performer, he has participated in more than one performance of the Baroque operas and oratories. He’s been an astounding success as Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in 1993. In collaboration with Andris Veismanis, Mārtiņš Klišāns has accepted responsibility of the early music choir Sacrum: it was the choir interested in the Baroque and Renaissance authentic music who won numerous international prizes imminently. M. Klišāns still teaches at the Rīga Cathedral Choir School and at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. Since 2012 he is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Choral Conducting in Academy.

In July, 2004, Mārtiņš Klišāns was a guest conductor at the Americafest: the world festival for boys’ and men’s choir singing. He’s a member of the INTERKULTUR World Choir Council, and has conducted amateur choirs Juventus and Beverīna, was a chief conductor of Cēsis district. For the present, Klišāns conducts the mixed choir  Valmiera, and is a chief conductor of Smiltene, Valka and Valmiera. Mārtiņš Klišāns has also been elected chief conductor of the Great Song Festival 2008 and 2013, 2018 (for this festival M. Klišāns was an artistic director) and 2023 as well; he was also among the chief conductors of the IX and X Latvian Youth Song and Dance Festivals. Since 2019 Mārtiņš Klišāns is a Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Choral Sector of the Latvian National Cultural Centre. Annually he is invited to the different choral competitions as a jury member, also a conductor of chamber operas: in 2007 - Nick Gotham's chamber opera Pilot, in 2014 - Krists Auznieks's chamber opera Wind of the Sun.

In 2015 Mārtiņš Klišāns got the highest State award – The Order of Three Stars.

Jonas Rasmussen is an award-winning Danish conductor, composer, and educator. He currently serves as Artistic Director of the Academic Choir of Aarhus, Youth Choir Aarhus U, and Ensemble Novum. In addition, he teaches classical choral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus. Known for his commitment to musical excellence, Jonas has led his ensembles to multiple international awards, including victories at the World Choral Championship (Tokyo), Let the Peoples Sing (Barcelona), the Kalamata International Choir Competition, and the European Choir Games.
He studied choral conducting at the University of Cambridge, the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, and the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus. As a conductor, he has collaborated with renowned ensembles such as Ars Nova Copenhagen, VOCES8, and The King’s Singers. His work spans both classical and contemporary repertoire, with a particular passion for renewing the Danish choral tradition.
In addition to his conducting engagements, Jonas is a sought-after workshop leader and mentor, especially committed to supporting the next generation of choral conductors. With a strong belief in collaboration, innovation, and community engagement, he is dedicated to shaping the future of choral music in Denmark and beyond.