The 22nd Busan International Choral Festival will take place from October 22 to 25, bringing approximately 2,300 musicians from 17 countries to venues across the city for four days of concerts and competitions.
Held under the theme “Busan United Through Choral Music,” the festival will feature performances at Busan Concert Hall, the Busan Cinema Center’s Haneulyeon Theater, Dongbaek Island in Haeundae and Mandeok Neighborhood Park.
The international competition will feature 23 choirs from six countries: South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Burundi. A separate composition competition has attracted 49 composers from 14 countries.
The festival opens on October 22 at 7:30 p.m. with a Grand Concert at Busan Concert Hall.
The Naju City Choir, Jeju Provincial Choir and Missouri State University Choir from the United States will each perform before joining together for a rendition of John Rutter’s Gloria.
Two special concerts will follow at the Busan Cinema Center, both beginning at 7:30 p.m.
On October 23, Special Concert I will feature university choirs from Dankook University, Hansei University and Missouri State University, highlighting performances by younger musicians.
Special Concert II, scheduled for October 24, will bring together the Busan Harmony Choir and international ensembles for a gala concert.
Outdoor performances are also planned at locations including Dongbaek Island, giving residents and visitors opportunities to enjoy choral music beyond traditional concert halls.
The festival concludes on October 25 at 5 p.m. with the Grand Prix Final at the Busan Cinema Center’s Haneulyeon Theater.
Winners from the individual competition categories will compete for the festival’s top prize, followed by an awards ceremony. The program will also include the world premiere of the winning composition from this year’s international composition competition.
The judging panel includes Anton Armstrong, conductor of the St. Olaf Choir in the United States; Marcin Tomczak of the Academy of Music in Gdańsk, Poland; and Park Shin-hwa, distinguished professor at Hansei University.
Some performances require paid admission. The full schedule and ticket information are available on the official Busan International Choral Festival website.
