Address: Kurhausstrasse 8, 4820 Bad Ischl

The Kongress & TheaterHaus Bad Ischl is the most modern event centre of the Salzkammergut region. It is situated in the centre of the imperial town, surrounded by greenery of the Spa-Park, in front of a spectacular mountain panorama.

Photos: Tourismusverband Bad Ischl, INTERKULTUR

Colorful summer flowers, roses and shrub rarities bloom in the magnificent spa gardens, which frame the Kongress & TheaterHaus. In the spring and summer months the garden invites you to linger and provides a great stage for cultural events and exchange with its recently renovated bandstand.

Address: Auböckplatz 3, 4820 Bad Ischl

The remarkable 72-meter-high spire juts out into the sky above St. Nikolaus Parish Church. In the interior of the church there are numerous artistic treasures that strike the eye, including frescoes, altarpieces, a carved version of the stations of the cross and, above all, the "Kaiser-Jubiläums-Orgel", a unique masterpiece of an organ nowhere else to be found in Austria.

Address: Auböckplatz 5, 4820 Bad Ischl

The architectural design of the "Trinkhalle" is reminiscent of an ancient Greek temple and was originally used as a brine bath house. It was created by Franz Lössl and features, among other things, a beautiful foyer. Construction work began in 1829, followed by the opening two years later. The elegant and spacious interior provides ample room as it measures almost 80 meters in length. It consequently served as pump room and lobby for the guests and patients at the spa that came here to drink the waters. Later, a stage was installed for the spa orchestra to entertain the guests, and today the "Trinkhalle" is a treasured all-round venue for a wide variety of different concerts and events.

Photos: Tourismusverband Bad Ischl, INTERKULTUR

Address: Wirerstraße 4, 4820 Bad Ischl, Austria

Since 1985 the k.u.k. Hofbeisl has been a popular spacious pub and meeting place with a wide-ranging cultural program right in the center of Bad Ischl. In 2024, the k.u.k. Hofbeisl will open its restaurant garden for the first time for performances by international choirs at the festival.

Photo: Christoph Lenzenweger (bacardi_2019)

Agnes Schnabl is a freelance conductor and a lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in the subjects of conducting and choir since 2021. She is the director of the National Austrian Youth Choir, Tyrolean State Youth Choir, ensemble kanti (Graz), and coro siamo (Vienna). She works as an choir director and educator at choir conducting courses throughout Austria and in neighboring countries and has served as a jury member at national and international choral competitions. She was awarded first prize at the London International Choral Conducting Competition 2024.

She studied conducting and choral conducting pedagogy at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz with Johannes Prinz. Prior to that, she received conducting lessons from Alois Glaßner at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Additionally, she completed the postgraduate choral conducting course with Jörn Hinnerk-Andresen at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. She also benefited from valuable conducting insights by Justin Doyle and Florian Helgath.

From 2021 to 2023, she was a scholarship holder of the Forum Dirigieren program of the German Music Council. As part of this scholarship, she worked with Yuval Weinberg and Bernhard Schmidt, and conducted the MDR Radio Choir, the SWR Vokalensemble, the Philharmonic Choir Berlin and Canta Nova Saar. In 2022, she assisted Justin Doyle with the Klangkosmos Schütz 22 project, a cooperative project of four German state youth choirs and the RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin.

Agnes has repeatedly worked with the Wiener Singverein, the choir of the Wiener Musikverein, and has taken on guest conducting engagements with Vocalconsort Initium (Japan), Cor di Jëuni Gherdëina (Italy), Drauphilharmonie Villach, Chorus Alea, and other ensembles.

Primož Kerštanj studied at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and the Academy of Music of the University of Ljubljana. After his studies he studied with renowned choir conductors in France, Spain and Hungary. He devoted himself to teaching and conducting choirs. He is currently the director of the Willems DOREMI Music Center in Bled, where he teaches solfeggio and piano and leads the children's and youth choir and the vocal group DOREMI. Primož Kerštanj specializes in working with children with special needs and children with autism spectrum disorders. During his career, he led several choirs: Milko Škoberne Women's Choir in Jesenice, Vox Carniolus in Jesenice, and from 2000 to 2010 the France Prešeren Academic Choir in Kranj. From 2006 to 2014, he led the Girls' Choir of the Kranj High School and brought it to a high quality level (15 gold and 4 silver diplomas).

Primož Kerštanj was awarded the best conductor award at the competitions in Riva del Garda in 2007 and in Calella/Barcelona in 2013. The Carmen Manet Women's Choir is one of three choirs that Primož Kerštanj leads today. The choir's most important achievement is winning the Grand Prix at the 50th Montreux Choir Festival in April 2014 and the gold plaque at the Slovenian National Competition in Maribor in April 2016. In 2017, Carmen Manet became the "Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017", which was broadcast on TV in 12 European countries. The choir's most recent major success was winning the Grand Prix at the Lucca international choral competition in 2023. Primož Kerštanj is also an internationally recognized lecturer at workshops for young choir conductors and a member of juries at national and international competitions.

Milan Kolena is one of Europe’s most dynamic choral conductors and educators. As artistic director of major international festivals in Bratislava, he brings together over 1,500 performers annually through seven festivals that unite musicians from around the world in powerful harmony.
At the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, he mentors future conductors with passion for choral conducting and Gregorian chant.
With his ensembles — the Apollo Choir and Schola Gregoriana Bratislavensis — he’s won top prizes and wowed audiences across Europe, Russia, South Africa, and Asia. His workshops and masterclasses, from the U.S. to China, are known for their energy, depth, and inspiration.
In 2015, he was named Best Conductor at the Singing World Festival in St. Petersburg. As a jury member at the World Choir Games and competitions worldwide, he champions artistic excellence and youth talent.
His Apollo Choir has captured Grand Prix titles in Moscow (2018), Barcelona (2023), and Greece (2024).
He also serves as Vice President of the World Youth and Children Choral Artists’ Association and Member of the INTERKULTUR World Choir Council. Dr. Kolena believes in the power of music to connect hearts, cross borders, and change the world — one voice at a time.