This year?s competition will be a special affair, falling on the 125th anniversary of Bartók?s birth as well as the 90th anniversary of the birth of conductor György Gulyás, who started the competition. Since its inception, the competition has become one of the ten most important choir events in the world, according to Emese Dudics, the spokeswoman for event organiser Főnix. Participants will arrive from as many as 20 countries this year, including the USA, South Africa, China, Mexico and Sweden, she said.
The Béla Bartók International Choir Competition is unique in that its programme includes only choral works written after 1945. This year, however, the competition will include a folk music section in which amateur and professional choirs will compete. Categories will include youth, all female and mixed choirs.
During the competition, the Debrecen University Conservatory will offer a 30-hour accredited training programme for choir directors, Dudics said.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
