International Choral Festival spreads global goodwill in Missoula
Published: June 26, 2009
The eighth International Choral Festival, July 15-18, brings 13 world-class choirs to the Garden City for four days of outstanding concerts, cultural exchange and global goodwill.
Since 1987 hundreds of volunteers, host families and contributors have joined together making the triennial Choral Festival a unique Montana tradition. Since its beginning, the festival has brought 5,200 singers from 40 countries to make music and memories in Montana.
Choirs from Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Mexico, South Korea, Sweden and Taiwan have been invited to participate. They’ll join choirs from California, Colorado, Michigan and Montana in offering 20 public concerts.
A sampling includes the Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia, KammerChor Saarbrecken of Germany, Coral Divertimento Mexico and Koritsia of Sweden.
“With the diverse line-up of outstanding choirs, our audiences are in for a real treat in July,” says executive director Carol Stovall.
Singers perform from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Out to Lunch in Caras Park; and 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m.-noon and 7-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at a variety of Garden City venues.
A new festival event, “Meet the Conductors,” is slated for 2 p.m. Thursday at MCT Center for the Performing Arts. Choir conductors will field questions from a moderator and audience members are invited to socialize with the conductors in the lobby following the free forum.
Festivities culminate in the Parade of Nations and Festival Finale, 7-9:30 p.m. Saturday at UM, and choirs sing at church services throughout town Sunday.
An admission button serves as a pass to the morning and afternoon “Concerts of the Choirs” on July 16-17 and the popular Finale Concert on July 18.
Buttons are $10 per person, if purchased at an outlet before July 15; and $15 per person from July 15-18 at concert venues. Children 12 years old and younger are free of charge, when accompanied by an adult with an admission button.
The three preview concerts on July 15 at Caras Park, Southgate Mall and Bonner Park are free of charge and do not require a button. Audience members are asked to bring lawn chairs to outdoor venues.
For more information, visit www.choralfestival.org, email or call 406-721-7985.
