9. Starptautiskais Baltijas jūras koru konkurss atklāšanas koncerts

The 9th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition will take place from September 18 to 20 at the Dzintaru koncertzāle, with the participation of high-level amateur choirs from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Ukraine, Georgia, and the Philippines.

Since 2024, the competition taking place in Jūrmala has been one of the six official stages of the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (EGP) association, placing it among the highest-rated amateur choir competitions in the world.

Competing for the title of the 9th International Baltic Sea Choir Competition Grand Prix winner and the opportunity to enter the EGP final will be – Riga Dome Choir School Gospel Choir (Latvia), youth choir KIVI (Lithuania), male choir HOMME (Estonia), E STuudio Chamber Choir (Estonia), women's choir KYN (Finland), women's choir EMBLA (Norway), children's choir LASTIVKA (Ukraine), male choir The New Bana Choir (Georgia), and the Manila Chamber Choir (Philippines).

Traditionally, the participants' performance will be evaluated by an international jury of five professionals: Jurģis Cābulis (Latvia), Vilija Mažintaitė (Lithuania), Valter Soosalu (Estonia), Rahela Durič (Slovenia), and Leon Shiu Wai Tong (Macau, jury chairman).

To promote the performance of original Latvian music in the international choral music environment, a new work by a Latvian composer is commissioned for the competition every year. The author of this year's compulsory piece "When I Was Born" is Raimonds Tiguls.

The three choirs receiving the highest scores will win cash prizes. The Grand Prix, or 1st place winner, will receive the Grand Prize of 3500 euros, the Jūrmala city cup created by artist Ginta Grūbe, as well as a ticket to the final of the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in Arezzo, Italy, in August 2027.

Competition program:

September 18 at 19.00 Opening concert at the Dubulti Evangelical Lutheran Church;

September 19 at 11.00 Compulsory program competition semifinal at the Dzintaru koncertzāle;

September 19 at 16.00 Optional program competition semifinal at the Dzintaru koncertzāle;

September 20 at 11.00 Grand Prix final, Closing concert, and awarding of competition winners at the Dzintaru koncertzāle. Special guests: Valters Pūce and Dainis Tenis.

Tickets are available at "Biļešu paradīze" box offices and online.

The competition can be followed live on TV24 and at www.balticchoir.com.

Main partner of the competition: Jūrmala City Municipality. Supported by: State Culture Capital Foundation, Dzintaru koncertzāle, Dienas Mediji, TV24, restaurant 36. līnija, publishing house Musica Baltica, TV Jūrmala.

The International Baltic Sea Choir Competition (IBSCC) is an annual international choral music event taking place in Jūrmala since 2016. Every year in the second half of September, several hundred amateur choir singers and choral music supporters from various countries around the world gather at the Dzintaru koncertzāle. Participants compete in compulsory and optional program semifinals, as well as the Grand Prix final.

More information: Competition website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram