"We were very pleased and pleased to meet interesting people from different countries in the world who share everything. It's music. It was indeed a successful festival and we hope to see you at other festivals."
8th Canta al mar – Festival Coral Internacional
Sing and Fun at the Mediterranean Sea
Set the stage for one of INTERKULTUR’s most popular events: Since 2012 the annual festival "Canta al mar – Festival Coral International" in Calella and Barcelona is a must-see attraction for many choirs from around the world.
Sunny weather, long sandy beaches, short walking-distances as well as sightseeing and performance opportunities in Barcelona with concerts and competitions in the world-renowned Cathedral and the nearby 15th century church Santa Maria del Pi, make this festival a unique experience for all participants.
Events like “Calella Sings” in the historic city center and the “Fiesta de la amistad” with the local delights “paella y sangría” as well as a huge choir party create extensive opportunities to meet the locals and to socialize with fellow singers from around the world.
Enjoy a happy and relaxed choir event on the Spanish Mediterranean Coast in a festival that beautifully combines holiday feeling and love for music in a perfect manner!
Participation opportunities
This INTERKULTUR event provides you the opportunity to choose from the following options of participation:
Non-competitive participation | Competitive participation |
---|---|
Festival participation | Competition categories* |
Evaluation performance* |
at least one friendship concert performance included
- Category A – Difficulty Level I
- A1 – Mixed Choirs
- A2 – Equal Voices (Male and Female Choirs)
- Category B – Difficulty Level II
- B1 – Mixed Choirs
- B2 – Equal Voices (Male and Female Choirs)
- Category C – Chamber Choirs / Vocal Ensembles
- C1 – Mixed voices
- C2 – Equal voices (Male and Female Choirs)
- Category G – Children's Choir & Youth Choirs
- G1 – Children's Choirs
- G2 – Youth Choirs of equal voices
- G3 – Youth Choirs of mixed voices
- Category S – Sacred Choral Music a cappella
- Category F – Folklore
- Category P – Popular Choral Music
- Category J – Jazz
A detailed description of the competition categories can also be found in the booklet available for download:
Participant Information(2.7 MB)
For non-competing choirs
- three pieces of the choir’s own choice
- performed before a panel of qualified international jurors who provide immediate positive artistic and pedagogical advice for improvement
- certificates of participation will be awarded, as well as evaluation ratings and recommendation letters for future INTERKULTUR competitions upon request
Number of singers: unlimited
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Accompaniment: possible
Duration: 45 minutes
Participating choirs may register to perform in local concert settings together with other international choirs, such as churches, open air markets, libraries, parks, museums, etc. Choirs must prepare approximately 15 minutes of their own music pre-approved by the INTERKULTUR artistic committee. The concert should be preferably a cappella or with own instruments. (Piano or E-Piano can be provided upon request.)
The city centre of Calella offers several possibilities for performing in international friendship concerts. Selected choirs can also sing at the famous monastery Montserrat close to Barcelona and at the impressive Cathedral of Barcelona. Interested choirs also have the possibility to perform during a mass on Sunday noon in Calella.
Please be aware that several friendship concerts are planned open air. In the event that weather conditions do not allow this, some concerts may be cancelled due to the weather. The organizers will try to manage alternatives but choirs do not have any legal claim to this.
Choirs can also take part in Friendship Concerts ONLY (Non-competitive Festival Participation).
"THANK YOU for such nice days at Calella with the other choirs! We had a great time with our children and we learned a lot from others."
"I enjoyed it very much: the friendship, the new contacts, the adjudication, the choirs, the hospitality and of course the perfect organization and hosting of INTERKULTUR."
Registration Information
This event lies in the past!
You are interested in participating in this event series? Then have a look right now at our overview, which provides information about when the event will be held the next time. There you can also find further dates and destinations of our events taking place worldwide.
Join the INTERKULTUR newsletter
Festivals, Choir Competitions, Sing Along Projects: Learn more about special performance opportunities with the free INTERKULTUR newsletter.
Event Details
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
- Arrival
- Stage rehearsals and rehearsals
- Evaluation Performances
- 14:00h Riera Capaspre Choir Parade. Afterwards Opening Event at Pati de l’Òs
- 21:00h Església de Santa Maria I Sant Nicolau: Opening Concert
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Thursday, October 24, 2019
- Stage rehearsals and rehearsals
- Evaluation Performances
- 11:00h Església de Santa Maria i Sant Nicolau: Competition in categories B1 & A1 – Mixed Choirs
- 11:00h Plaça de l’Ajuntament: Friendship Concert
- 14:00h Sala Mozart: Competition in categories G1, G2, G3 – Children’s & Youth Choirs
- 17:00h Plaça di Iglesia: Friendship Concert
- 19:00h Plaça de l’Ajuntament: Friendship Concert
- 19:00h Sala Mozart: Competition in category F- Folklore
- 22:00h Església de Santa Maria i Sant Nicolau: Concert “Music and Light”
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Friday, October 25, 2019
- Stage rehearsals and rehearsals
- 11:00h Sala Mozart: Competition in category P – Pop
- 15:00h Sala Mozart: Competition in category J – Jazz
- 16:30h Le Catedral Barcelona: Friendship Concert
- 17:00h Plaça di Iglesia: Friendship Concert
- 18:30h Santa Maria del Pi Barcelona: Competition in categories S –Sacred Choral Music & C1 – Chamber Choirs
- 19:00h Plaça de l’Ajuntament: Friendship Concert
- 21:00h Sala Mozart Concert „Pop & Jazz“
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Saturday, October 26, 2019
- 11:00h Sala Mozart: Competition in categories B2 & A2 – Equal Voices
- 11:00h Plaça de l’Ajuntament: Friendship Concert
- 13:00h Plaça di Iglesia: Friendship Concert
- 16:30h Fabrica Llobet: Award Ceremony
- 19:00h Inner City of Calella: Canta al mar – Calella sings
- 20:00h Fabrica Llobet: ”Fiesta de la Amistad – Paella y Sangría”
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Sunday, October 27, 2019
- Concerts and performances in Calella, Barcelona and surrounding area
- Sightseeing & excursions*
- Departure
depending on the choir's event schedule
Subject to change!
If you are interested in individual excursions please send an email to travel(at)interkultur.com.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
CALELLA
Plaça de l’Ajuntament, Calella | 11:00
- Sørreisa Damekor, Norway
- Shenzhen Voice of Women Entrepreneurs Chorus, China
- Perpetuum Mobile, Russia
- Cenestra Male Choir, South Africa
Escola Freta | 11:00
- Male Vocal Ensemble "Klapa Skalin", Croatia
- Il coretto dei pinguini, Italy
Mar i Sol | 16:30
- Hendriksholm Kirkes Kor, Denmark
Plaça di Iglesia | 17:00
- Bel Canto Vestfold, Norway
- Choir "Victoria" of Balakirev Children's Art School, Russia
- Green Fields Beer Tuvia Choir, Israel
- Mount Kelly Chamber Choir, Great Britain
Plaça de l’Ajuntament | 19:00
- Ron Holon, Israel
- Gospel Unlimited, Denmark
- O-Ton Overath, Germany
- Singspiration, Norway
Església de Santa Maria i Sant Nicolau “Music & Light” | 22:00
- Perpetuum Mobile, Russia
- Hendriksholm Kirkes Kor, Denmark
- Miracle Choir Manado, Indonesia
Friday, October 25, 2019
CALELLA
Group Lantus | 11:00
- Guangzhou Baihua Troupe, China
Plaça di Iglesia | 17:00
- Ron Holon, Israel
- Il coretto dei pinguini, Italy
- Grupo Vocal Kem B'ix, Costa Rica
- Vocalí, Denmark
- Guangzhou Baihua Troupe, China
Plaça de l’Ajuntament | 19:00
- Kor-U, Denmark
- Hong Kong Baptist University Affiliated School Wong Kam Fai, China/Hong Kong
- Corul de Copii "Callatis", Romania
- Tiberias Children's Choir, Indonesia
Sala Mozart “Pop&Jazz” | 21:00
- Gospel Unlimited, Denmark
- Grupo Vocal Kem B'ix, Costa Rica
- Mount Kelly Chamber Choir, Great Britain
- Singspiration, Norway
BARCELONA
Cathedral Barcelona | 16:30
- Choir "Victoria" of Balakirev Children's Art School, Russia
- Coral da Universidade de Brasilia - Coral da UnB, Brazil
- Bel Canto Vestfold, Norway
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Plaça de l’Ajuntament | 11:00
- Green Fields Beer Tuvia Choir, Israel
- Male Vocal Ensemble "Klapa Skalin", Croatia
- Lommelerkene, Norway
- Björnligan, Sweden
Plaça di Iglesia | 13:00
- Coral da Universidade de Brasilia - Coral da UnB, Brazil
- Hendriksholm Kirkes Kor, Denmark
- Kamarikuoro Gaudete!, Finland
- Gratia Choir of Soegijapranata Catholic University, Indonesia
Església de Santa Maria i Sant Nicolau
Address: Carrer del Raval, 1, 08370 Calella, Barcelona, Spain
Església de Santa Maria i Sant Nicolau is a church in the town of Calella that was built in 1747 after the tower of the original building from 1564 collapsed and destroyed the building. It is built in a neoclassical style and was designed by Josep Morato. After the total destruction and the burning of the interior in 1936, the church was rebuilt from 1939 and finally reopened on September 23, 1951. The church belongs to the Architectural Heritage of Catalonia. The church is illuminated by the large rose window of the main facade and two windows (rear) on eachside of the ship.
Photos: escolania.cat, INTERKULTUR
Catedral de Barcelona
Address: Pla de la Seu, s/n, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, also known as Barcelona Cathedral, is the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. It was built from the 13th to 15th century and in the late 19th century the neo-Gothic facade was constructed over the inconspicuous exterior that was common to Catalan churches. There are two chapels in each section of the naves, encircling the entire basilica.
The roof of the Cathedral is notable for its gargoyles, featuring a wide range of animals, both domestic and mythical. From 1968 to 1972 the cathedral was restored.
Photos: Fotolia, Wikimedia Commons
Santa Maria del Pi
Address: Plaça del Pi, 7, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Santa Maria del Pi, meaning "St. Mary of the Pine Tree", is a 14th-century Gothic church in Barcelona and is situated on the Plaça del Pi, in the Barri Gòtic district of the city. There are unsubstantiated claims that there was an early Christian church located in 413. For a certainty it is known that in 987 there existed a church outside the city walls and to the west of Barcelona. This was a small Romanesque church dedicated to the Blessed Lady of the Pine Tree (one of the titles of the Virgin Mary). The church was built between 1319 and 1391. The style of the church was Catalan Gothic, with a single nave almost devoid of ornamentation. The church has six bells, of which the largest is "Antònia". In 1936 the church was gutted by a fire and was later restored.
Photos: Fotolia, Studi43
Sala Mozart
Address: Carrer Esglesia 91, 08370 Calella, Barcelona, Spain
Sala Mozart is a cinema as well as theater and musical center in the inner city of Calella. It is one of the oldest cinemas in Spain and was opened already in 1904. During the last year, the hall was rebuilt after more than 100 years of running.
Photos: INTERKULTUR
Jo Annemans (Belgium)
As a singer/arranger in several (inter)national choirs and with his vocal pop band Voice Male, Jo Annemans has built up lots of experience with innumerable conductors and artists. Today he likes to pass this on to likeminded people with a contagious enthusiasm and a good eye for the right atmosphere as well as high quality.
Under his leadership singing groups improve performance and have a great singing experience. Besides that, he’s a singing coach, much welcomed guest in all kinds of choral events, and appreciated panel member for competitions and contests in Belgium and abroad.
Châu Anh Đặng (Vietnam)
Dang Chau Anh received her master degree in choral conducting and music education at the Vietnam National Academy of Music and Malmo Academy of Music (Sweden).
She is head of conducting subject in Vietnam National Academy of music and a member of the International Society for Music Education. She is the World Choir Council representative of Vietnam.
Dang Chau Anh has worked 20 years as chorus master, artistic director and conductor for children choirs, choir of vocal faculty, musicology- composing- conducting faculty of Vietnam National Academy of music, Vietnam SolArt and Hanoi International School. She is known as a pioneer in the field of choir and music education in Vietnam.
Together with the Vietnam SolArt Choir she attended many events and festivals of Vietnam television as well as in the role of an artistic director, she led the choir to many titles in competition such as: Gold Medal, Audience Prize and Best Performance in International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival in Wernigerode, Germany.For several years she was guest conductor in Children of the World in Harmony and The Voices Without Border in Petoskey, USA.
She is a frequent juror at choir competitions, such as the Vietnam International Choir Competition, in the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia and Spain among others. Dang Chau Anh is also well-known by Vietnam Television audience as M.C, Music expert, Jury of many music programs and competitions on Vietnam Broadcasting System over the whole country.
Bernhard Kugler (Germany)
Bernhard Kugler has been the Director and Principal Conductor of the Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw since 2008. The renowned boys choir cultivates sacred and secular choir music with a variety of tasks and orchestration. For their choral performances, the Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw have received numerous awards such as the 1st prize at the German Choir Competition. In addition to their choral performances, the Aurelius Sängerknaben Calw have also made a name for themselves in the field of boy soloists. The soloists regularly sing the trio in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Magic Flute" at major opera houses in Germany and abroad.
After studying medicine in Ulm and Tübingen Bernhard Kugler studied music at the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart. Further studies and hospitations with renowned choirs and orchestral conductors complemented his education. He first worked as a Cantor at St. John's Church in Tübingen and from 1999-2007 as Cathedral Cantor with artistic direction of the Domsingknaben in Rottenburg am Neckar.
Since 1999, Bernhard Kugler has been teaching organ improvisation and choral conducting at the College of Sacred Music in Rottenburg. He is a juror at international choir competitions and edits and arranges choral, orchestral and organ music.
Sara Matteucci (Italy)
Sara Matteucci is a choral conductor and musicologist. A graduate of Choral Music and Choral Conducting and of History of Music, she is professor of Choral Singing at “Luigi Boccherini” Conservatory of Lucca. Her artistic activity has led her to work in the main Italian theatres and abroad, collaborating with renowned personalities such as Zubin Mehta, Fabio Luisi, Daniel Oren, Yu Feng, Hirofumi Yoshida, and taking part in more than 250 opera productions and numerous symphonic-choral concerts, including Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Puccini’s Mass, Mahler’s Symphony n.8, Cherubini’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana and Rossini’s Petite Messe, among others. She is specialised in children's vocality and is official conductor of the children's choir of the Accademia del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. From 1996 to 2022 he has prepared and conducted the children's voices of the "S. Cecilia" Chapel and Teatro del Giglio in Lucca and from 2010 to 2016 the children's voices and youth choir of the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. Director of the musicological magazine "Codice 602" (ed. Sillabe), she is often invited to be part of jury panels in national and international choral competitions and has numerous publications and participations as lecturer at conferences and conventions to her credit.
Josep Prats (Spain)
Josep Prats was born in Barcelona in 1953. He studied singing, musicology, harmony, counterpoint, fugue... at Badalona and Barcelona conservatories, and conducting with A. Ros Marbà. He has been pupile in choral conducting of Jordi Casas, Erwin List, Laszlo Heltay, Pierre Cao and others.
He has been chairman of the Catalan Federation of Choirs’s Music Committee (FCEC), and member of the Europa Cantat Permanent Music Committee. He has taught Choral Singing and Chamber Music in the ‘Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu’ and ‘Institut del Teatre’. At present he is conducting Coral Cantiga (Barcelona), Cor Ciutat de Tarragona (Tarragona) and he is director of children music program called ‘Cantània’ produced by ‘Auditori Nacional de Catalunya’. He has been Guest Conductor of the Spanish Radio and Television Choir (RTVE); very often he conducts everywhere different profesional and amateur choirs as a guest.
He has been invited to conduct by different national and international choir festivals, he is often asked to be jury member of different international choir competitions and regularly gives choral conducting courses in Spain, Portugal, France and South America.
Ralf Eisenbeiß (Germany)
Ralf Eisenbeiß was born in 1952 in Zeulenroda. After his secondary school examination he studied pedagogy, German philology and musical education. He received his PhD in 1979 at the Pedagogical University of Zwickau. From 1978 to 1981, he studied choir and orchestra conducting at the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Weimar.
Ralf Eisenbeiß was working as the director of the choral department at the Pedagogical University in Zwickau and appointed professor for choir conducting and choral singing in 1987. He was conductor of the renowned Pedagogical University Zwickau Choir. With his choir he performed a wide repertoire of compositions for a cappella choirs and with orchestra, too. Under his direction the choir won numerous prizes at national and international choir competitions.
Ralf Eisenbeiß was lecturer at the central seminar for choral conductors in Berlin and organized numerous workshops himself. He often appears as guest conductor at home and abroad. Since more than 20 years he works as artistic director of INTERKULTUR. Ralf Eisenbeiß is founder of the Int. Robert Schumann Choir Competition in Zwickau and one of the founders of the World Choir Games. Since 1992 he was responsible for about hundred international competitions of INTERKULTUR in Germany, Italy, Korea, Indonesia, China, Austria, Spain, USA and other countries. Ralf Eisenbeiß is very often invited as a juror in national and other international choir competitions all over the world.
Òscar Boada (Spain)
conductor, pianist, adjudicator
- licenciate of the Royal Schools of Music in Choral Conducting
- pianist and pedagogue
- founder and director of the children's choir "Cor Vivaldi of Barcelona"
- national and international adjudicator in Tours, Cantonigròs, Linz, Calella, Torrevieja and others
- has commissioned and premiered several new works dedicated to him and his choir
INTERKULTUR
in cooperation with
Ajuntament de Calella
Viajes Tauro S.L.
President INTERKULTUR
Günter Titsch (Germany)
Artistic Committee
Prof. Dr. Ralf Eisenbeiß (Germany), Senior Artistic Director
Òscar Boada (Spain)
Organizing Committee
Montserrat Candini I Puig, Mayor Calella
Marcos Moreno Wolter, Project Coordinator Spain – Viajes Tauro
INTERKULTUR Executive Committee
Günter Titsch (Germany)
Qin Wang (China)
Stefan Bohländer (Germany)
Dr. Christoph Wirtz (Germany), Secretary General
Program Book
What is music for you? - Canta al mar 2012
Informativa sulla privacy
Per visualizzare i video è necessario accettare l'informativa estesa sulla privacy. È possibile modificare questa impostazione in qualsiasi momento nelle impostazioni dei cookie.
AccettareParticipating Groups
We are happy to welcome 34 choirs from 18 nations to the 8th Canta al mar!
Destination
3,5 kilometers of sandy beach, its location directly at the Mediterranean Sea and its proximity to Barcelona make Calella a popular European destination. During the choral festival singers can wonderfully make music, stroll and relax in the contemplative old town with its Catalan and Mediterranean charm.
Since its 650 years of history Calella has developed from a small fishing village into a favoured resort of all nations and age groups. This mixture of modernity, hospitality and Catalan traditions add a special touch to Calella and thus make it an appealing travel destination.
How was the last time?
Competition Results
We congratulate all singers to their great results! All in all 32 golden and 15 silver diplomas were awarded. Many thanks to all choirs and ensembles for participating!
Results(250 KB)