The first edition of the Gozo International Choir Festival kicks off tonight, featuring 14 choirs from Gozo, Italy, the UK, Estonia and Hungary performing in three prominent village parish churches – St Peter and St Paul’s Basilica in Nadur, the Nativity of Our Lady’s Basilica in Xagħra and St John’s Rotunda in Xewkija.
Choral activity in Gozo has characterised the small townscapes, especially during the festive periods. Just as every town and village prided its own basilica or rotunda, with iconic domes and steeples, every community manned and sustained some kind of children or adult choir.
This important role of choral activity will be celebrated as local choirs join international ones in one big festival of choral singing. Furthermore, it will also provide an opportunity for local choral bodies to demonstrate the great strides that choir singing has registered in the last decades.
Euro Art Productions (Italy) and Leon Promotions (Malta), who are behind the festival, have a vast experience in organising such international events both locally and in other European countries.
The participating choirs are the Aurora Youth, the Regina Angelorium, the Gaulitanus, the Laudate Pueri, the Voci Angeliche, the Magnificaat, the Chorus Urbanus and Piccole Stelle choirs all from Gozo; the Soldanella di Brentonico, La Presolana and Laudamuus choirs from Italy; the Rello Choir from Estonia; the Family Singers Vocal Ensemble Choir from Hungary and the Crammer Company of Singers Choir from the UK.
Tonight’s event will be held at two different venues, St Peter and St Paul Basilica at Nadur and the Nativity of Our Lady Basilica at Xagħra. Both concerts will start at 6.30pm and will feature six different choirs performing the best songs from their repertoire as well as some Christmas carols.
The second and final night of the festival will be held tomorrow at the St John the Baptist Rotunda, Xewkija, at 6pm and will feature performances by eight different choirs, followed by presentations of participation certificates by Minister for Gozo Anton Refalo.
■ The entrance to all the concerts is free of charge. For more information, one can either reach Leon Promotions on 7940 8607 or else send an e-mail to info@leonpromotions.net.