Special Awards

The festival is delighted that a number of special prizes will be awarded to choirs this year and is grateful to all of its supporters for their part in making this possible. All of the special awards will be announced during the Closing Gala Concert on Sunday 27 October.

Bernadette Kelly Memorial award for most promising school choir Bishops Daly & Mehaffey award, presented by the Inner City Trust, for an outstanding performance in the school competitions Sing Ireland Conducting Scholarship for the most promising conductor in the national competitions or a participant in the conducting masterclasses Contemporary Music Centre award for the best performance of a piece by a composer from Ireland Derry City and Strabane District Council award for outstanding contribution to the festival Bishop’s Gate Hotel award for an outstanding performance of a work composed before 1750 in the

International Competition City Hotel award to the conductor of the most interesting and varied programme in the

International Competition Visit Derry award for an outstanding competitive or non-competitive performance by a visiting national or international choir

Airporter award in recognition of an exceptional contribution to the festival made by a first-time participant

COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

Produced in partnership with local arts organisation Allegri

The Every Voice Community Programme takes place throughout Derry and Strabane during festival week, offering performance and learning opportunities for vocal ensembles in the region. The Allegri team has worked closely with the City of Derry International Choir Festival to build upon the success of its community programme of previous years and take the high standard of music-making on to the streets and into the hearts of as many local people as possible.

The Every Voice Community Programme will feature a packed schedule of events beginning on Monday 21 October through to Sunday 27 October, and will include over 40 noncompetitive performances by local, national and international choirs.

ALLEGRI

Allegri is a creative arts organisation established within the Derry~Londonderry area during the UK City of Culture year in 2013. Allegri comprises a ladies’ choir and kids’ choir, it administers community singing projects and it has recently established a regional symphony orchestra for local instrumentalists, Orchestra NorthWest.

Through a wide range of choral coaching and performance experiences, Allegri aims to inspire and increase the confidence, self-expression and creativity of those who sing in their choirs. They create spaces where participants feel comfortable, supported and uplifted, and work to eliminate all barriers to arts participation. Led by Musical Director Maurice Kelly, they offer access to the expertise of professional musicians.

Allegri founded the Every Voice Fringe Festival in 2018 in partnership with the City of Derry International Choir Festival and presents the Every Voice Community Programme involving choral trails, community concerts and sacred trails during this year’s festival.