International Competition 2024
Oak Tree of Derry International Competition
Saturday 26th October 2024, Guildhall
Here is the fabulous line-up of top international choirs (A-Z) who will be taking part this year…
Chamber Choir of the University of Lisbon
Portugal
The Coro de Câmara da Universidade de Lisboa was founded in 1997 by José Robert, former artistic director of the University of Lisbon. The choir’s repertoire is eclectic, spanning different periods of choral music, with emphasis on chamber choir works, a cappella and accompanied by ensembles or orchestra.
From its extensive curriculum, it is worth highlighting the performance of works by contemporary Portuguese composers, such as Fernando Lopes-Graça, Eurico Carrapatoso and Sérgio Azevedo, with premieres and several commissioned pieces, as well as Portuguese composers from past centuries such as Francisco António de Almeida and João Lourenço Rebelo.
The choir has taken part in several international (e.g. World Choir Festival Puebla, Mexico or the Cantemus Festival in Hungary) and national choral festivals (e.g. São Roque Music Festival and Cistermúsica). The choir regularly organises concerts as part of the University of Lisbon’s musical season, having recently performed works such as Hymn to Saint Cecilia by Benjamin Britten, Symphony of Psalms by Igor Stravinsky, Liebeslieder Op. 52 from Brahms, Mass of the Children by John Rutter and Te Deum by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, the latter with a baroque orchestra, performed on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the choir.
Since 2010 the choir has been directed by Luís Almeida.
Continuum Youth Choir
Ireland
Continuum Youth Choir was formed in September 2018 and comprises girls who were members of St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Girls’ Choir and boys who were members of the Palestrina Choir in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. The choir was set up to retain these very accomplished teenagers as a group, following their departure from both choirs and to give them the opportunity to continue their musical education as they progress through school and college.
The choir perform in a variety of events and also sing competitively. They participated in their first competition at the City of Derry International Choir Festival in October 2019, achieving two first places in the Pop, Jazz and Gospel Competition and in the Sacred Music Competition. They also achieved joint second place in the Mixed Voice Competition.
In August 2022, the choir performed at the Riga Sings Festival where they achieved first place in the Youth Choir of Mixed Voices competition and first place in the Sacred Choral Music competition. In September 2022, they returned to Derry and achieved first place in three competitions as well as winning the inaugural National Choir of the Festival Competition.
Blanaid Murphy has been choral director of the choir since its foundation in 2018 and is regarded as one of Ireland’s leading conductors.
Côr Ifor Bach
Wales
Côr Ifor Bach was founded in 2023 by students from the Wales Academy of Voice and Dramatic Arts (WAVDA) in Cardiff, supported by Academy Director Eilir Owen Griffiths.
In their first year they won the highest accolade in choral music in Wales, Cor Cymru (Choir OF Wales) 2024. The choir is made up of students from WAVDA, other universities in Cardiff and young professionals that work in the city.
LORICA
Ireland
LORICA is the flagship ensemble of the Irish Institute of Music & Song. It was founded by Michael T. Dawson and Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe in September 2023 to share Irish music and culture internationally. The ensemble will spend coming years exploring the Irish language through choral music, collaborating with other art forms, and recording a catalogue of compositions.
Current projects include recording a full album of Irish choral arrangements by Irish composer/arranger Eoin Conway and an international tour in Summer 2025.
Madrid Male Choir
Spain
The Madrid Male Choir (MMC) began in 1995 as a project for the study and recovery of the repertoire for male voice choirs.
Founded at the beginning by 15 singers with extended choral experience, it now has 50 members. The last 10 years have seen the choir progress under the direction of Juan Pablo de Juan, its present conductor, achieving an interpretation style warmly recognised by critics and the public alike.
Nearly 250 concerts have taken place in this past decade, including invitations to national and international music festivals, radio and television broadcasts and collaborations with orchestras.
The Choir’s versatility allows it to perform a vast repertoire that includes romantic music from 19th century, sacred contemporary music, symphonic-choral works or popular music from different cultures and religions, and choir is intensely engaged in promoting choral compositions from living composers. Renowned composers such as Javier Busto, Eva Ugalde and Josu Elberdin have written pieces for MMC.
Since its very beginning, the MMC has won many awards in national and international contests, such as Genk (Belgium,2022), Cork (Ireland, 2017), Varna (Bulgaria, 2010), Torrevieja (Spain, 2006, 2009, 2014), as well as representing the European Community in the International Choral Festival of Morelia (Mexico) in 2007.
