Ho, ho, ho, choral music lovers!


We are merrily excited to invite you to take part in an exceptional Advent and Christmas music feast in a unique city of tender snow, frozen see, and even a small mountain to ski! Get your cozy reindeer sweaters ready and come to Sopot, Northern Poland, where the International Choir Festival of Advent & Christmas Music MUNDUS CANTAT SOPOT will be held for the sixth time!


Do you love christmas songs?

If you’re one of us who are the first to start singing carols (October is almost December!), let your choir know about our new festival, fill in the registration form and be a part of a series of heartwarming concerts full of joy and peace. Cheerful tones of various Christmas songs performed by choirs from all over the world will sound on Friends of Sopot Square, making the Sopot Christmas Market even more magical, while the most beautiful meditative Advent songs will fill the breath-taking insights of Tricity churches.

Unique Christmass atmosphere

Mundus Cantat Foundation invites you to take part in this special event under the patronage of the City of Sopot. Choirs are eligible to join the festival either as non-competitive choir participating in all the performances of the festival, or as competitive one.

 

Festival details

Saturday – December 16, 2023

  • 11.15 Competition audition
    Church Gwiazda Morza, ul. Kościuszki 19, Sopot
  • 12.00 Concerts “In the city center Christmas”
    Sopot Centrum, ul. Tadeusza Kościuszki 14, Sopot
  • 15.30 Final concert with announcement of results Church
    Church Gwiazda Morza, ul. Kościuszki 19, Sopot
  • 16.30 Concert (Christmas Eve for Sopot seniors) – closed concert
    Meeting Room of the Sopot Municipal Office, Sopot

 

Sunday – December 17, 2023

  • 17.00 Concert “Gaudete! Regards!”
    Church of Christ, ul. Obrońców Westerplatte 21, Sopot
  • Concert in loving memory of Michael Ray Dawidow
    Performers: Gdańsk Doctors’ Choir, conducted by Michał Kozorys, SSW MUNDUS CANTAT Festival Choir, conducted by Beata Wróblewska and Jing Luo
    Program: Polish carols and pastorals, American Christmas songs
    Soft toys, sweets and medical supplies will be collected for children from the hospital in Kiev, Ukraine during the concert.

 

1. Only amateur choirs are eligible to take part in the Festival.
2. Competition categories
A1: Children choirs to 12 years
A2: Children choirs up to 16 years
B1: Boys’ choirs (soprano, alto)
B2: Boys’ choirs (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
C1: Youth choirs up to 21 years of age (soprano, alto)
C2: Youth choirs up to 21years of age (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
D1: Mixed choirs
D2: Female and male voice choirs, minimum 24 singers
E1: Vocal ensembles 4 – 8 singers /mixed, female, male/
E2: Chamber choirs 9 – 24 singers /mixed, male, female/
R: Choirs of seniors

In categories A1,A2,C1 and C2 at minimum 75% of singers must be under the age limit.
3. The program should consist of advent and sacral music/ also christmas carols and songs / either a cappella or with instrumental accompaniment. All kinds of accompaniment allowed.
Musical instruments must be provided by the choir.
4. Each choir can participate in more than one category.
5. The list of musical pieces to be performed for competition which a choir submits to the organizers should not be changed.
6. Time of the performance should not be shorter than 12 min and longer than 15 min of pure singing time (it is the duration of the performed pieces excluding applause and going onto or leaving the stage). Should a choir’s performance exceed the prescribed time limit, the jury will interrupt the performance of that choir during the competition.
7. The jury should be informed in writing before the choir performance about any changes in the key of presented pieces.
8. Competition presentations will be judged by a jury, consisted of distinguished specialists in choral music.
9. The jury shall award the following certificated based on the total number of prints awarded each choir:
Diplomas
– Diploma of Participation Less than 59,9 Points
– Bronze Diploma 60-74,9 Points
– Silver Diploma 75-89,9 Points
– Gold Diploma 90-100 Points
and statues Mundus Cantat in each category.
10. Jury decisions are beyond dispute.
11. Choirs will be judged according the following criteria:
intonation, fidelity to the score, sound quality, programme choice, overall artistic impression.
12. Jury reserves the right NOT to select a winner in a particular category, if the jury assesses that the finalists in the category in question do NOT live up to the standards high enough.
13. Organizers may add special prizes.
14. Choir can take part in the festival again under take the condition that submitted competition repertoire will not consist of pieces performed during previous editions.
15. Choir can resign from festival competition and take part only in the accompanying concerts.
16. The Festival Organizers reserve the right to use any audio-visual recordings made during the Festival.
17. The organizers may plan additional meetings and performances for participating choirs. Please see the Festival guidebook for more information.
18. All choirs taking part in the Festival are requested be prepared to perform suitable pieces at the following events and email their repertoire:
1) Opening Ceremony – 2 pieces
2) Additional Festival Concert – 15 – 20 minutes
3) Final Concert (decision made by the jury)
Application
1. Entries with the registration fee can be submitted by October 25, 2023.
2. The following materials should be submitted for each choir:
a) completed electronic application form
b) competition program (name of the composition, composer full name, length of the compositions), (sent by e-mail in doc)
c) Sound recording of the choir not older than 3 years (CD, mp3, link)
d) five sets of scores of the pieces to be presented at the competition
(the scores will not be returned, sent by the post)
e) a brief history of the choir (ca.10 lines, sent by e-mail)
f) a recent photo of the choir (resolution 300 dpi , photos, sent by e-mail)
g) a copy of money order or bank transfer confirming payment for the festival fee
3. After receiving the application form, each accepted participating group will be contacted by email and receive an official confirmation of participation.

1. Entries with the registration fee can be submitted by October 25, 2023.

2. The following materials should be submitted for each choir:
a) completed electronic application form
b) competition programme (name of the composition, composer full name, length of the compositions), (sent by e-mail in *.doc) – DOWNLOAD
c) Sound recording of the choir not older than 3 years (CD, mp3, link)
d) five sets of scores of the pieces to be presented at the competition
(the scores will not be returned, sent by the post)
e) a brief history of the choir (ca.10 lines, sent by e-mail)
f) a recent photo of the choir (resolution 300 dpi , photos, sent by e-mail)
g) a copy of money order or bank transfer confirming payment for the festival fee

3. After receiving the application form, each accepted participating group will be contacted by email and receive an official confirmation of participation.

1. The Festival will take place between 16-17 December 2023 in Sopot.
2. Each choir is required to cover its own expenses related to transportation, room and board.
3. Accepted choirs should pay the registration fee of 500 PLN (125 EUR, non-refundable). The entry fee for participating in additional categories is 300 PLN (75 EUR) per category.
4. For the participation in the festival without participating in the competition 500 PLN (125 EUR).
5. Should a choir withdraw from participation in the Festival, the entry fee will not be returned.
1. Each choir including the conductor, accompanying people and bus drivers shall pay their travel expenses, expenses on accommodation and food by itself.
2. Festival packages for accommodations are available in the following classes (per one day):
Choirs must decide how many days want to spend in Gdansk.
• Class I – Double, Triple, Four and Multiple-person rooms in hostels, holiday centers or hotels 70– 140 PLN (18 – 35 EUR), (additional fee for a single room),
• Class II – Double, Triple and Four-person rooms in holiday centers, sanatoria or hotels 141–200 PLN (35 – 50 EUR), (additional fee of 20 EUR for a single room),
• Class III – Double and Triple rooms in two-star hotels 201- 250 PLN (50 – 60 EUR), (additional fee of 30 EUR for a single room)
• Class IV – Double rooms in three-star hotels over 251 PLN (61 EUR), (additional fee for a single room).
3. Festival package includes:accommodation, breakfast and dinner during the time of the Festival
• guidance during whole stay
• participation in all events related to the Festival
• guide services for Festival events.
4. To guarantee the rates listed above, reservations must be made through the Festival Organizers for registered Festival participants only.

October 25, 2023

deadline for sending entry forms with the registration fee and final payment for room and board

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ul. Kościuszki 61
81-703 Sopot
Poland

Call us

+ 48 58 555 84 58
+48 609 692 707