Part of the attraction of festivals whilst on a vacation in Ireland particularly music and arts festivals is their capacity to open up to the public the many delights and attributes of their chosen genre. Music fans are often enlightened and entertained by the different styles and performances on show in the array of diverse music festivals out there.
One such music festival which brings to light a music style not often heard and occurring in the not too distant future is Corks International Music Festival which introduces to public attention all aspects of choral music, an often overlooked genre of music and performance.
Cork International Choral Festival, taking place from the 30th April- 4th May 2014
Now in its 60th year, the Cork International Choral Music Festival celebrates the best in national and international choral music in Ireland. One of the worlds foremost choral festivals running over five days in various locations around cork city, it highlights the wide spectrum of choral music styles and areas to the greater public through a series of impromptu and planned performances along with an exciting programme of competitions and events.
Over the five days expect to see and most importantly hear the best in international choral music performances from the worlds most renowned choral choirs practicing and performing in a range of public buildings as they ultimately prepare for the main part of the festival, the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition taking place at Cork City Hall on 3rd April. Here choirs from as far flung as Honk Kong and Canada will do battle with local choir talent to win the ultimate prize.
Running over the 6 days prior to the first Monday in May, the festival encompasses a wide range of performances and choral music styles from local, national and international choirs. All of which descend on the popular Irish rebel city to compete in a series of competitions and music performances which showcase to visitors the many delights and vast range of choral music in practice worldwide.
Corks most prominent buildings among them two of corks most popular visitor attractions St Finbarrs Cathedral and St Annes Church in Shandon will provide atmospheric backdrop to the heavenly sounds of performing choirs. The main venue of choice is Cork City Hall whose capacity for 1,000 people and majestic settings makes it one of the most attractive and acoustically superb venues in Ireland. It is here that the main performances and the showcase of the festival, a series of competitions in which rival choirs from across the world compete with each other in a series of competitions take place. Hear and be enthralled by music from around the world and songs and sounds from centuries past to more modern times, often encapsulating the individual regional and international styles and unique individual approach of the competing performing choirs.
Whilst the competition is the highlight there is much more to the choral music festival than the exciting thrill of watching competing choirs from around the world battle it out to win coveted prizes in a wide range of competitions. Throughout the 6 days of the main festival, and its sister fringe festival that runs alongside it, expect to be enthralled and enlivened by the very best in choral music performances featuring a wide variety of vocal and choral music styles many of them unknown to them general public taking place in stunning venues around cork city. With a wide array of hotels in county cork to choose from, a trip to Cork and a visit to the Cork Choral Festival is worth adding to your travel itinerary.