12th World Symposium on Choral Music

Aotearoa to Become the Choral Music Capital of the World in July 2020.

Thousands of choral music performers, presenters and practitioners are headed to Auckland for the 12th World Symposium on Choral Music, 11-18 July 2020.

Twenty four of the world’s best choirs, over 40 distinguished speakers on choral music and thousands of delegates will descend on Auckland 11-18 July 2020 for the 12th World Symposium on Choral Music (WSCM2020).

One of the most anticipated events on the international choral calendar, the World Symposium on Choral Music is a major international arts festival which also serves as a global choral congress – a triennial opportunity for a significant proportion of the world’s choral music leaders and practitioners to meet, share ideas and be revitalised.

The WSCM programme offers a range of talks, masterclasses, workshops, demonstrations and performances for both choral music industry delegates and the wider public. Delegates usually include choristers, conductors, composers, music industry academics, singers, teachers and enthusiasts from all over the planet.

The theme of New Zealand’s Symposium is People and The Land \ He Tangata, He Whenua – the connection and tensions between people and land, between urban life and the natural world.

This has inspired many of the presentations, which include such topics as indigenous music and ‘ownership’, diversity and social empowerment, respectful collaboration with indigenous artists, singing as a haven for migrants and refugees, choral singing in prisons, welcoming transgender and non-binary singers, alongside cornerstone subjects such as conducting and vocal technique, articulation, rhythm, intonation, genre exploration, repertoire, movement and programming.

An international Artistic Committee reviewed the unprecedented number of 360 choir and presenter applications from more than 50 countries around the world to produce the final line-up of choirs and presenters for WSCM2020.

Sitting alongside the Symposium is the Surround Sounds programme, in which 20 more top international and NZ choirs will perform for delegates and the public. Performance venues for both festivals include the Auckland Town Hall, the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre and the rest of the Aotea Centre, St Matthew-in-the-City and St Patrick’s and Holy Trinity Cathedrals. Public concert tickets will be on sale from early 2020.

Thousands of delegates attended the 11th World Symposium in Barcelona (2017) and the New Zealand event team is looking to have the same level of success. The next Advance Ticket deadline is 31 December 2019.

Registrations are available online at wscm2020.com