The best choirs in the world, in Tolosa

One of the most important choral competitions in the world

The annual international choral competition has been held in Tolosa since 1969, always around the first of November, the feast of All Saints. Throughout its history it has brought together more than 1,200 choirs from all over the world, being an unmissable event for many.

Choral tradition

The rise of the Basque choral world between the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries placed Euskal Herria as a benchmark in European corallity. Since the time of the composer Felipe Gorriti, Tolosa also had an important choral tradition.

Categories according to modalities

Folklore, mixed or equal voices of polyphony… even children’s choirs. The contest is divided into different categories based on choral styles.

Choirs from all over the world

Germany, Argentina, Norway, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Cuba… Throughout the history of the contest, choirs from more than 60 countries around the world have participated.

All choirs sing in Basque

One of the objectives of the contest is to promote and incorporate newly created works in Basque, as well as the recovery of the Basque folk repertoire. Each year, participating choirs from all over the world must include in their repertoire a song in Basque. Since 1978, a hundred Basque works have been performed.

Did you know...

Winning choir award

The winning choir of the contest represents Tolosa in the European Grand Prix of Choral Singing, organized on a rotating basis in Arezzo (Italy), Maribor (Slovenia), Tours (France), Debrecen (Hungary), Varna (Bulgaria) and Tolosa itself.