News

A big thanks to all our judges who accepted the invitation to the 53rd Festival of Songs Olomouc 2026 and took on a difficult task to evaluate individual performances of choirs and vocal ensembles during the competitions. We hope that they provided you valuable advices for further work with the choir.

Dear judges, thank you for your time and all the energy you decided to put into our festival.

In the photo Jason Lester (USA), Jan Vičar (CZE), Milan Kolena (SVK), Kuldar Schüts (EST), Michael Šust (USA), Benedykt Blonski (POL), Blanka Juhaňáková (SVK), Lenka Polášková (CZE) together with Milan Motl, the artistic director of the festival.

Congratulations to the American youth Palm Beach Atlantic University Choir, who brings home the title of The Absolute winner of the MUNDI CANTANT Competition from the 53rd International Festival of Songs Olomouc!

This choir led by the choirmaster Sonia Gonzalez Santiago explores a broad and dynamic repertoire and performs regularly at both campus and community events. From the local stage to national platforms, such as our performance of Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall, the Choir consistently bears witness to the power of music as ministry. This year, the ensemble continues its mission of global outreach, with a tour through the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria.

We would also like to congratulate to the winners of other festival awards:

THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CZECH COMPOSITION:
Zdeněk Lukáš: Čepení
Gloria Brunensis (Brno, CZE, choirmaster Natalia Chirilenco)

THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF A COMPOSITION BY A NORDIC COMPOSER:
Ola Gjeilo: Ubi Caritas
Palm Beach Atlantic University Choir (West Palm Beach, USA, choirmaster Sonia Gonzalez Santiago)

THE AUDIENCE AWARD:
Chór Dziewczęcy PARADISO (Poznań, POL, choirmaster Karolina Piotrowska-Sobczak)
Number of votes: 2112

THURSDAY 4. 6.

Corpus Christi Chapel, Palacký University Arts Centre
11.00–12.00 International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT – non-competitive senior categories

Sokol House Olomouc-Chválkovice
16.00 Choir concert

Corpus Christi Chapel, Palacký University Arts Centre
18.00 Opening concert

FRIDAY 5. 6.

Reduta Hall
9.00–14.30 International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT 

Fresco Hall of the Comenium Olomouc
14.00–15.00 International Vocal Ensemble Competition VOCALIS BELLUS

Reduta Hall
15.30–16.15 Competition results announcement

St. Moritz Church
18.30 Concert in Honor of St. Pauline

SATURDAY 6. 6.

Auditorium Pöttingeum
9.00–15.30 International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT 

Reduta Hall
9.00–16.00 International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT 

Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary 
13.00–16.00 International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT 

Reduta Hall
16.30–18.00 Competition results announcement
19.00 Absolute Winner Competition MUNDI CANTANT

Upper Square Olomouc
20.30 Open air concert “With Nordic stars”

ABBA, Roxette and Nightwish under the open sky in the Olomouc centre! The highlight of this year’s festival will be an evening filled with iconic Nordic songs and a unique atmosphere. Come sing along with us at the Upper Square in Olomouc on Saturday, June 6, starting at 20:30.

You can look forward to an extraordinary collaboration between choirs (Ateneo Mixed Chamber Choir from Palacký University Olomouc, the Prague-based mixed choir Lucky Voice Band, and vocalists from the Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava) with the Moravian Theater Olomouc Orchestra and soloist Natálie Tichánková and her band 4GOOD.

Songs by legendary bands will be performed in arrangements by Olomouc-based arrangers and musicians Filip Tailor Krejčí and Richard Mlynář, under the baton of conductor Tomáš Stanček. This exceptional project is being held in cooperation with the Olomouc City Festival.

As promised, we extend the registration period for the categories

· A3, A4 – Youth choirs

· A8 – Senior choirs

· F – Vocal ensembles

You can now send us your applications for these categories until Monday 9 March 2026 (inclusive). Don’t hesitate too long in applying. If the competition reaches its capacity we may refuse any further applications. If you need to make sure you know all the rules, we recommend you to check the FESTIVAL GUIDES (in the Downloads section).

The capacity of Saturday’s competition venues is approaching its maximum! We are very sorry, but we probably won’t be able to accommodate all choirs that would still like to register.

On the other hand, there are still openings available in the categories of senior choirs A8 (Thursday), children’s and youth choirs A1–A4, and vocal ensembles F (Friday). If the above categories do not reach full capacity by Monday 2 March including, we will extend the deadline by one week, i.e. until 9 March including. We will provide ongoing updates on our competition capacity.

We appreciate all your support!

Come to Olomouc for an exceptional musical experience at the beginning of June! The International Choir Festival of Songs Olomouc – one of the most important and longest-running choral festivals in the Czech Republic – will offer a rich program for all singers and spectators. Choirs and vocal ensembles from all over the world will once again visit the city, presenting themselves not only in competitions, but also in accompanying performances and full-length concerts between 4 and 7 June 2026. The upcoming 53rd edition focuses on Nordic music, therefore all participants are challenged to include compositions by Nordic authors in their repertoires. The festival also offers workshops that will be focused on music by composers from the Nordic countries. The challenge to include Czech compositions in the competition repertoires from the Year of Czech Music 2024 still remains valid.

Applications for the International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT and the International Vocal Ensemble Competition VOCALIS BELLUS shall be sent by 2 March 2026 via the online form on the festival’s website. Choirs can apply for one or two categories. These are divided not only by age and type of voice – from children’s and youth choirs to adult female, male or mixed choirs – but also by genre – sacred music, folklore, popular or contemporary music. The competition will be evaluated by a professional jury consisting of experienced choirmasters of international renown, such as Kuldar Schüts (EST), Milan Kolena (SVK), Blanka Juhaňáková (SVK), Benedykt Błoński (POL) and others. The festival once again opens its non-competitive category for senior choirs, within which special jury prizes are awarded.  

Choir singing will resound throughout almost the entire city of Olomouc. The competitions will take place in acoustically friendly halls – traditionally for example in Reduta (at the Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc), but also in the Corpus Christi Chapel in the Palacký University Art Center or the Ceremonial Fresco Hall of the Komenium Primary School. All competitions are freely accessible to the public. The culmination of the festival is the final competition of the five best choirs during the Saturday evening, at which the Absolute Winner of the MUNDI CANTANT 2026 will be announced.

Choirs can take part in masterclasses led by the competition jurors during the last day of the festival. These lessons will offer singers and choirmasters the opportunity to improve their interpretation skills, gain useful advice and inspiration from experienced experts.

Over the past fifty three years, the Festival of Songs Olomouc has built an excellent reputation both in the Czech Republic and abroad. It provides a unique meeting point for choirs of different levels and specializations to share experiences, forge new connections and celebrate choral art together. If you feel connected to the choral community and want to experience the Festival of Songs Olomouc to the fullest, come and support it – whether as a participant, spectator, volunteer or sponsor.

The registration period for the 53rd International Festival of Song Olomouc is officially open! The festival will take place from 4th to 7th June 2026, and will once again offer a rich programme, which we will gradually introduce to you. The deadline for applications is 2nd March 2026. Until then, you can secure your place in the MUNDI CANTANT competition for choirs or VOCALIS BELLUS for vocal ensembles. Choirs can apply for up to two categories. The theme of the 53rd edition is Nordic music, so we invite all choirs to include compositions by Nordic authors in their repertoires. The jury will award special prizes in connection with the theme. At the same time, the call for Czech compositions remains open. We are also preparing workshops and masterclasses for you, which will also be in the spirit of choral works by composers from Nordic countries. 

Don’t forget to download our Festival Guide (in PDF), where you will find all the necessary information. If you are missing any information, please send us your inquiry by e-mail to festival@svatkypisniolomouc.cz. Be sure not to leave your registration until the last minute, as capacity is filling up fast and those who register first will get to sing in Olomouc. 😊

We look forward to seeing you!

Support the choir whose competition performance you liked the most and vote! The choir with the most votes will win the Audience Award of the Festival of Songs Olomouc 2025.

Workshop "Wajsar"

This year's workshop will follow the main dramaturgical line of the festival and will focus on popular and jazz music. Under the guidance of Petr Wajsar, participants will have the opportunity to rehearse a brand new composition commissioned by the festival. The result of the workshop will then be presented at the evening open air concert together with the unique vocal group SKETY.

Workshop is for adult choirs only and will be held in 2 parts (Fri and Sat). The number of participants is limited.

price: free for competition choirs, other participants 200 CZK / person

dates:
Friday 6 June 2025 15.00–17.15
Saturday 7 June 2025 14.30–17.00

Workshop "Hána"

Workshop with Luboš Hána will focus on working with a choir or vocal ensemble in the area of popular music. During this seminar, participants will rehearse Hána's original arrangements, which can then enrich the repertoire of their own choir - thus providing participants with a variety of musical material that can be used in their own choral practice.

During the seminar, basic techniques and forms of effective choral rehearsal will be demonstrated.

The workshop is preferably intended for choirmasters, artistic directors and other individuals. Depending on the remaining capacity, also for whole choirs.

date: Sunday 8 June 2025 9.00–10.00

workshop length: 1h

place: Konvikt (Palacký University Arts Centre)

price: free for competition choirs, other participants 100 CZK / person

Thursday 5 June 2025
Corpus Christi Chapel, Palacký University Arts Centre
International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT – non-competitive senior categories

Sokol House, Chválkovice
Choir concert

Corpus Christi Chapel, Palacký University Arts Centre
Opening concert of Czech and Slovak choirs

Friday 6 June 2025
Reduta Hall MFO
International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT – children and youth categories

DŮM U PARKU
International Vocal Ensemble Competition VOCALIS BELLUS – vocal emsembles

Slavic House
Choir workshop with Petr Wajsar – I. block

St. Moritz Church
Festival concert and opening of Slovak season in Olomouc

Slavic House
Evening social gathering for children and youth
Analysis seminar for conductors

Saturday 7 June 2025
Reduta Hall MFO
International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT – adult choirs and genre categories

Corpus Christi Chapel, Palacký University Arts Centre
International Choir Competition MUNDI CANTANT – adult choirs and genre categories

Slavic House
Choir workshop with Petr Wajsar – II. block

Reduta Hall MFO
Analysis seminar for conductors
Competition for the absolute winner of MUNDI CANTANT – 5 best scoring choirs

Upper Square
Open-air concert with vocal ensemble Skety + choir workshop public performance

Sunday 8 June 2025
Palacký University Arts Centre
Seminar on the topic of Czech popular music in arrangements for choirs and the methodology of effective practice
Masterclass (individual lessons)

Thank you! After a long time, you have filled the Mundi Cantant Competition with no remaining space by the beginning of March. Apart from Czech choirs, there are registered ensembles from Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Macedonia, Ireland and Turkey. However, there are still a few places left in the non-competitive category A8 – senior choirs and in vocal ensemble competition Vocalis Bellus. So you can now send us your applications for these categories until Monday 17 March 2025 (inclusive). Don't hesitate too long in applying. If the competition reaches its capacity we may refuse any further applications. You can’t reserve a place in the competition. If you need to make sure you know all the rules, we recommend you to check the FESTIVAL GUIDES (in the Downloads section).

Dear choirmasters, dear choirs,
We would like to inform you that the competition rules for the MUNDI CANTANT 2025 competition have been changed. The originally divided categories of popular music D1 and D2 are now joined into one category under the name D – popular and jazz music. This category is intended for compositions from a wide range of traditional and contemporary popular and jazz music. You can therefore include gospel, spiritual, blues, jazz, musical, rock, Latin, film or other popular melodies in your competition repertoire within this category.

Updated Guide for choirs can be downloaded HERE

The application period for the 52nd International Festival of Songs Olomouc is now open! Until 3 March 2025 you can apply for the MUNDI CANTANT Competition for choirs and the VOCALIS BELLUS Competition for vocal ensembles. The festival will take place from 5 to 8 June 2025. Each choir can apply for a maximum of two categories. The challenge to include Czech compositions in competition performances has been preserved from the Year of Czech Music 2024. However, during the 52^nd edition, we will also award the best performance of a piece of popular music! In addition to the competitions, we are also planning workshops and masterclasses.

Don’t leave the application to the last minute. 😊 We will inform you about the last available places in the competition via our Facebook page. Don’t forget to download our Festival Guide to find all the essential information. And if not, e-mail us your questions at festival@svatkypisniolomouc.cz.

We look forward to hearing from you!

On Saturday, June 1, 2024, as part of the Olomouc Festival of Songs, the accompanying event Festival to Children or (not only) Festival of Songs and Fairy Tales will take place on Horní náměstí. Come celebrate International Children's Day with us.

PROGRAM:

• 10.00 Štěpánka Kosmáková – Violins are not boring
• 10.30 Button and Button Adventure - Summer Adventure
• 12.00 Performance by the choirs of the Festival of Songs Olomouc
• 1.30pm Ela and Tom – Children's summer hitmania
• 15.00 Yamaha Music School performance, not only for children from 4 months
• 16.00 Concert Festival to Children or Festival of Songs and Fairy Tales (Reduta Hall)

The concert will feature the premiere of a cycle of fairy-tale songs by Jaroslav Uhlíř and Zdenek Svěrak arranged for children's choirs and orchestra. You can look forward to songs from the fairy tales Long live the ghosts, Lotrando and Zubejda, Three brothers and others. Arrangements for the festival were made by Martin Kudrna.

The performance will be performed by the children's choirs from the Campanella School of Education and the BoDo Center, together with the performing choirs of the festival, which will be accompanied by the orchestra of the Open School of the Olomouc Region and the Chamber Orchestra of Iša Krejčí under the direction of Tomáš Klásek.

Admission to the concert: children under 15 free | accompanying adult CZK 50

Reserving tickets on the website www.svatkypisniolomouc.cz

For those of you who are going to Olomouc this year for choir singing, we have prepared a list of the biggest tourist destinations in the Olomouc Region. We recommend visiting at least some of them, whether during the free time between competition performances or before the start or on the Sunday after the end of the festival. It's definitely worth it. You can download our travel tips here

This year we are again going to venture outside the centre of Olomouc with choirs. You can already look forward to concerts in Slavonín and Chválkovice!

The first festival event will be a singing evening in the Slavonín Sokol Hall, which will take place on Wednesday 29 May 2024 at 6 pm. The concert will feature a children's choir from Ústí nad Labem, Chorea pueri Ustensis, a choir from Brno, Divočáci, and the vocal ensemble Vocallica from nearby Šternberk. Czech music will predominate in the programme.

The Thursday afternoon of 30 May 2024 will be spent in the company of the Olomouc children's choir Andromeda from the BoDo Centre and their German colleagues from the Oberstufenchor des Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasiums in the Chválkovice Sokol Hall. The concert will start at 4 pm. Together, the choirs have prepared a varied repertoire ranging from sacred music, folk music and popular melodies.

We cordially invite you to both choir concerts, which are suitable for all ages.

The concerts are held with the support of local district committees.

Last year the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary. On this occasion, an almanac was created, which briefly recapitulates the history of this choral event, brings back many memories and publishes long-standing statistics.

If you didn't get a chance to purchase one in the previous year, don't be sad. We will have it ready for you again this year at our competition sites.

For great interest we are extending the registration deadline. You can now apply for the 51st Festival of Songs Olomouc 2024 until 16 March 2024.

Apart from the traditional competitions, the Festival of Songs Olomouc will in the context of the Year of Czech Music 2024 also offer workshops focused on Czech vocal music. After all, Czech music is the central dramaturgical line of the entire festival.

A Tribute to Czech Composers

Adult choirs can participate in an intensive one-session workshop with the music of Czech greatest composers under the leadership of renowned choirmasters Lenka Polášková (mixed choirs), Jurij Galatenko (women’s choirs) and Štefan Sedlický (men’s choirs). The workshop will take place on Friday afternoon and will end the same day with an evening festive concert in the Reduta Hall of the Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc.

Festival for Children or (not only) a Festival of Songs and Fairy Tales

For the young singers, the festival prepared a musical encounter with fairytale songs written by the duo Jaroslav Uhlíř and Zdeněk Svěrák in the arrangement by Martin Kudrna. You can look forward to melodies from the Czech children’s movies “Long Live Ghosts!, Ruffiano and Sweeteeth, Three Brothers” and others. The large children’s choir will prepare this programme during Saturday in two sessions, accompanied by the orchestra of ZUŠ OPEN Olomouc Region. It will be then collectively presented on the big stage in the Upper Square in Olomouc.

Workshops are open to both groups (choirs or parts of choirs) and individuals. The participation fee is 200 CZK per person. Participants of the Mundi Cantant and Vocalis Bellus competitions can attend the workshops for free, just be sure to reserve your spot when you register. However, all singers are expected to come to Olomouc prepared. The workshops are intended for assembling, singing together, shaping and developing an overall approach to the songs, not for rehearsal. So sign up as soon as possible to have enough time to rehearse!

We are looking forward to seeing you!

In all categories of the Mundi Cantant and Vocalis Bellus competitions, a challenge has been announced this year to include Czech songs and compositions by Czech composers in the dramaturgy of competition performances. The evaluation of the best performance of a Czech composition will take place in each category. In addition, the best performance across all categories of both competitions will be awarded.

The festival’s Artistic council has selected compositions that represent the beauty, diversity and value of Czech vocal music. The result is a truly representative list of Czech choral pieces. In the choir competition, two compositions are always proposed (usually one is more challenging, the other is less challenging). With regard to foreign choirs, songs in Latin have also been included. The final choice is left to the artistic director of each choir or ensemble, alternatively both songs can be sung, too.

Recommended compositions by Czech composers

Mundi Cantant:

A1 Children’s choirs up to 12 years of age

• Petr Eben: Jarní (Zelená se snítka)
• Jan Vičar: Ufo, ufo, ufoni (delší verze)

A2 Children’s choirs up to 16 years of age

• Zdeněk Lukáš: Věneček
• Miroslav Raichl: Ešče si zazpívám

A3 Youth choirs up to 21 years of age

• SATB:
  Antonín Dvořák, arr. Leoš Janáček: Slavíkovský polečko (Moravské dvojzpěvy)
  Zdeněk Lukáš: Na Horách
• SSAA:
  Otmar Mácha: Hoj, hura, hoj (Lašské halekačky)
  Bedřich Smetana: Západ slunce (Tři ženské sbory)
• TTBB:
  Leoš Janáček: Láska opravdivá (Ohlas národních písní)
  Jan Vičar: Ej, horenka (Zpěvy z Kopanic)

A4 Youth choirs up to 26 years of age

• SATB:
  Arnošt Košťál: Už je slunko
  Zdeněk Lukáš: Dies Irae (Requiem)
• SSAA:
  Petr Eben: Gigue (Catonis moralia)
  Otmar Mácha: Ta moravská brána
• TTBB:
  Bohuslav Martinů: Stavajú (Zbojnické písně)
  Leoš Janáček: Veni, Sancte Spiritus

A5 Adult choirs (mixed voices)

• SATB:
  Bohuslav Martinů: Chceme, my se chceme (České madrigaly)
  Antonín Dvořák: Vyběhla bříza běličká (V přírodě)

A6 Adult choirs (equal voices)

• SSAA:
  Bohuslav Martinů: Zavírání lesa
  Miroslav Raichl: Amours
• TTBB:
  Josef Bohuslav Foerster: Stav si, stav si, vlaštovičko (Devět mužských sborů)
  Leoš Janáček: Vínek stonulý (Ohlas národních písní)

A7 Chamber choirs

• SATB:
  Václav Ptáček: Ave Maria
  Zbyněk Mrkos: Vysoko zornička
• SSAA:
  Milan Uherek: Teče voda, teče
  Petr Eben: De angelis
• TTBB:
  Leoš Janáček: Což ta naše bříza (Čtyři lidové mužské sbory)
  Jan Vičar: Do hory ma poslali (K horám)

A8 Senior choirs - non-competitive

• SATB:
  Leoš Janáček: Pán Bůh vám zaplať (Ukvaľské písně)
  Antonín Dvořák: Žitné pole (V přírodě)
• SSAA:
  Věroslav Neumann: Prstýnek
  Jan Bernátek: Týnom, tánom
• TTBB:
  Jan Bernátek: Nepi, Jano, nepi vodu
  Antonín Dvořák: Milenka travička

B Sacred music

• SATB:
  Antonín Tučapský: Tristis est anima mea (Pět postních motet)
  Zdeněk Lukáš: In semita iusticiae vita (Parabolae Salomonis)
• SSAA:
  Václav Ptáček: Ave Maria
  Petr Koronthály: Magnificat
• TTBB:
  Leoš Janáček: Veni sancte spiritus
  Bedřich Smetana: Modlitba

C Folklore

• SATB:
  Oldřich Halma: Mikulecká dědina
  Jan Vičar: Gorale
• SSAA:
  Vadim Petrov: Do dvorečka, do dvora / Smutný mesiac (Javorové husle)
  Zdeněk Lukáš: Čepení
• TTBB:
  Leoš Janáček: Ó, lásko, lásko
  Oldřich Halma: Verbuňk

D Popular music

• SATB:
  Václav Pokorný, Jiří Mládek: Říkej mi to, prosím, potichoučku
  Jaroslav Ježek, arr. Dada Klementová: Nikdy nic nikdo nemá
• SSAA:
  Jaroslav Ježek, arr. Dada Klementová: Don Chuan Waltz
  Alfons Jindra, arr. Dada Klementová: Dívka v rytmu zrozená
• TTBB:
  Emil Hradecký: Pueri boogie
  Luboš Hána: Míval jsem klobouk (Směs písní Josefa Kainara)

E Contemporary music

• SATB:
  Tereza Surovíková: Soulad lásky
  Jan Nowak: Benedictus Dominus
• SSAA:
  Tereza Surovíková: Regina coeli laetare
  Jiří Laburda: Hluboký jarečku (Dvojzpěvy na lidovou poezii)
• TTBB:
  Jan Míšek: Donec eris
  Jiří Teml: Některý holky (Žáčkoviny)

Vocalis Bellus:

F Vocal ensembles

• SATB:
  Josef Schreiber: Ó, lásko
• SSAA:
  Vadim Petrov: Mám já milúčkého, mám (Javorové husle)
• TTBB:
  Antonín Dvořák: Ztracená ovečka

Wednesday 29 May 2024
Concerts in the city districts of Olomouc

Thursday 30 May 2024 - Opening and seniors
Non-competitive category A8 / senior choirs meeting
Opening concert of the festival

Friday 31/05/2024 - 1st competition day and concert Tribute to Czech composers
MUNDI CANTANT International Choir Competition - children and youth categories
Workshop for the Tribute to Czech Artists concert (adult choirs)
International Vocal Ensemble Competition VOCALIS BELLUS - vocal ensembles
Tribute to Czech Artists Concert

Saturday 1 June 2024
MUNDI CANTANT International Choir Competition - adult choirs and genre categories
Workshop for the concert Festival for children or (not only) a feast of songs and fairy tales (children's choirs)
Accompanying programme - celebration of the International Children's Day and ZUŠ Open Olomouc Region
Open-air concert Festival for children or (not only) a feast of songs and fairy tales
Competition for the absolute winner of MUNDI CANTANT

Sunday 2 June 2024
Masterclassy

Dear choirmasters, choir members and supporters of the festival,

festival guides for the upcoming 51st edition can be found in the Downloads section here
You can sign up now. Registration will be open until 3 March 2024.
We look forward to seeing you in Olomouc on 29 May-2 June 2024.

All lovers of choral singing are sure to be still feeling the reverberations of the festive atmosphere of the spectacular 50th anniversary edition of the International Festival of Songs Olomouc, which took place at the turn of May and June 2023 and was attended by more than 50 choirs from all over the Czech Republic and abroad. Kajetán children's choir from Plzeň has become particularly well-known for having been crowned the Absolute Winner of the Mundi Cantant Competition. David Slater's Festive Requiem was performed in St. Moritz Church and the festival ended with an impressive performance of selected parts of the rock oratorio Eversmiling Liberty. In Olomouc's Upper Square, in addition to the soloists, a truly voluminous choir composed of participants of the vocal workshops led by the festival's artistic director Milan Motl, performed on stage.

With 2024 slowly approaching, preparations are taking place for the next edition of the festival, which is being organised by the OLArt21 association. The 51st edition will take place between 29 May-2 June 2024, and registration for the Mundi Cantant Choir Competition, as well as for the Vocalis Bellus Vocal Ensemble Competition (a novelty from last year's edition), has now been opened. From 1 November 2023 to 3 March 2024 it is possible to register your choir or vocal ensemble and take part in one of the largest and oldest choir festivals in the Czech Republic. In the Mundi Cantant Competition, there are a number of categories which are divided according to age or composition of choirs - children's, youth, adult women's, men's or mixed choirs are welcome to take part. Other categories are dedicated to different musical genres such as sacred music, folklore, popular or contemporary music. There is also a non-competitive category of senior choirs for whom a full-day meeting will be organised. Competitions will take place in recognised venues in Olomouc, such as the Reduta Hall of the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra Olomouc, the DŮM U PARKU or the Aula of the Faculty of Arts of Palacký University Olomouc.

The year 2024 is the Year of Czech Music, i.e. the year of multiple jubilees of composers connected with the Czech environment. The Festival of Songs Olomouc is also joining in with these celebrations of this important musical anniversary. "The motto of the next edition of the festival is Songs of home in our hearts," says Milan Motl, artistic director of the Festival of Songs Olomouc. Tribute to the greatest figures of Czech music, such as Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, among others, will be expressed through the majority of the works of Czech composers throughout the whole festival. Therefore, a challenge to include Czech compositions and songs in the competition performances has been announced, and the best performance of the aforementioned will be awarded by the jury. In addition, Czech music will also feature in the festival's accompanying programme that will offer two spectacular concerts. The first one will pay tribute to Czech artists. In an arrangement for choir, composed of the competition participants, and orchestra, the songs of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Bohuslav Martinů and others will be performed. This gala evening event will be preceded by the preparation and rehearsal of the repertoire in the form of vocal workshops. The second open-air concert will take place on 1 June, International Children's Day, and will feature Czech music for children. Children's and youth choirs will perform songs from fairy tales and films by the famous duo Jaroslav Uhlíř and Zdeněk Svěrák.

On the last day of the Festival of Songs Olomouc, choirs and vocal ensembles can take part in masterclasses, where under the professional guidance of the competition's jurors, they will be able to take their singing skills even further.

For more information:
https://www.festivalofsongsolomouc.com | festival@festivalofsongsolomouc.com

OPENING FESTIVAL CONCERT

Wednesday 31st May 2023, 18.00, Reduta Hall MFO

Friday 2nd June

Competition venue
Reduta Hall MFO

TIME SCHEDULE

A5 Dospělé sbory smíšené (S, A, T, B)

• 10.30–10.45 Music BoDo mladší (CZE)
• 10.45–11.00 Colorky (CZE)
• 11.00–11.15 Svitavánek (CZE)

A2 Children's choirs up to 16 years of age

• 11.35–11.50 Kopretiny ZUŠ Cheb (CZE)
• 11.50–12.05 DSZ BRIOSO (SVK)
• 12.05–12.20 Music BoDo starší (CZE)
• 12.40–12.55 DPS Cantabile (CZE)
• 12.55–13.10 Osmikvítek (CZE)
• 13.10–13.25 DPS Jiskřička (CZE)
• 13.25–13.40 Chór Ogólnokształcącej Szkoły Muzycznej I st. im. Stanisława Moniuszki (POL)
• 13.50–14.05 DPS Trallala (CZE)
• 14.05–14.20 Kajetán (CZE)
• 14.20–14.35 Chór Dziecięcy Państwowej Szkoły Muzycznej I stopnia im. Witolda Lutosławskiego w Nysie (POL)

You can now apply for the 50th Festival of Songs Olomouc 2023 until 16 April 2023. Do not pass on the amazing competition event in Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Milan Motl is a music teacher and one of the most prominent conductors of youth choirs. He graduated from the Faculty of Education at the University of Hradec Králové in music education and history. He also studied solo singing under the guidance of MgA. Jana Macháčová at the Department of Music there. After that, he pursued choral conducting and studied orchestra conducting privately (under Jiří Portych). He completed his university studies with doctorates at the University of Ostrava and Charles University in Prague.
He first gained his choirmaster experience by leading the preparatory departments of the Bonifantes Boys Choir in Pardubice (1999–2003). Later, he became the second choirmaster of their concert choir. Since 2002 he has been the artistic director of the KOS Mixed Choir and KOKOS Chamber Choir of the College and Secondary Teachers’ Training School in Litomyšl, where he has been teaching. Milan Motl is a member of the music committee of the Czech Choirs Association and the NIPOS ARTAMA expert council for youth choral singing. Recently, he’s been actively involved in the process of changes in education system. He has become the chairman of the Association of Music Teachers and is a leading figure in the KOMPAS coalition which brings together pedagogical associations and professional groups across all disciplines and levels of education.
He has previously participated in the International Festival of Songs Olomouc as a juror. It was due to his experience in judging various choral competitions, his drive and overall outlook that the festival organisation team approached him in spring 2022 with the proposal to become the new artistic director of the festival.

Last autumn, fifty years passed since the first meeting of choirs in Olomouc. This tradition was founded by Karel and Jiří Klimeš. Thanks to the organizing team and the support of the music departments of Palacký University in Olomouc, this year we can look forward to the 50^th anniversary edition of one of the largest choir festivals in the Czech Republic - the Festival of Songs Olomouc. It will take place on the usual date at the turn of May and June, 31 May - 4 June 2023 in the Olomouc halls. For the second year in a row, the international festival of choirs is being organised by the OLArt21 association with the support of the Czech Choirs Association. Since 2022, the role of the festival's artistic director has been held by Milan Motl, choirmaster of the Mixed choir KOS, member of the music committee of the Czech Choirs Association and the board of experts NIPOS ARTAMA Prague for youth choirs, and chairman of the Association of Music Teachers. "We are glad that Milan Motl has joined us. We approached him with our idea of what direction we would like to take the Festival of Songs Olomouc in, and he accepted our offer. He brings experience, insight and artistic vision to the team and he has the advantage of knowing the festival very well from the perspective of a Mundi Cantant judge," adds Petr Hýl, head of the organizing team. The opening of the festival on Wednesday 31 May will be provided by the Olomouc choirs, which will recall the rich tradition of choral singing in the city and will perform the new festival theme song by renowned composer Jan Vičar. Traditionally, Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 June, remain the main festival days, during which the international choir competition Mundi Cantant, open to all age groups, will take place. Then the best of the best will perform once more on Saturday evening so that the Absolute Winner of the competition can be chosen. The accompanying programme will also include choral concerts, workshops and masterclasses led by members of the jury. The invitation to form part of this year’s jury have accepted, for example, the bass-baritone Michael Šust (CZ/USA), the composer and musicologist Jan Vičar (CZ), as well as the conductor and composer David Slater (AT/AUS). The festival will be closed with an open-air performance of the rock oratorio Eversmiling Liberty. The 50^th edition of the festival will present several novelties. One of them is the inclusion of a non-competitive category for senior choirs. "We are responding to the fact that there are senior choirs in the country that don't have as many opportunities to participate in choral events. We would like to offer them such an opportunity at our festival and thus support their activities", comments Milan Motl on the expansion of the offer of the Festival of Songs. The existing categories have also been revised, e.g. the division of youth choirs into high school and academic choirs. The new Vocalis Bellus competition will be opened for smaller vocal groups this year. Ensembles have a completely free hand in choosing their repertoire. Choirs and vocal ensembles can apply until 20 March 2023 via an online form located on the festival website. We look forward to celebrating choral singing together in Olomouc!
For more information:
Petr Hýl | head of the OLArt21 association

2023 date anounced

Results sheet of the Mundi Cantant competition at the 49^th Festival of Songs Olomouc 2022, the International Choir Festival is available for download here.

We published the 16 registered choirs of this year's 49^th Festival of Songs Olomouc. Along with that, we also unveiled the members of the Mundi Cantant competition jury. Head over to the website dedicated to this year's edition of the International Choir Festival.

June 3, 2022
Sokolovna TJ Olomouc-Chválkovice
19:00 : Opening concert
 
June 4, 2022
Reduta Hall of Moravian Philharmonics
9:30 – 16:45
International Choir Competition Mundi Cantant
17:15 Results announcement
19:00 Absolute winner competition of Mundi Cantant, final concert
 
Upper square
14:30 – 16:15 Choir parade, part of the Olomouc City Festivities

The registration for 49^th Festival of Songs Olomouc 2022 was closed. 16 choirs from Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will take part in the event and will compete in 7 competition categories. Thank you to all the registered choirs for their faith and we are looing forward to meet you in Olomouc!

You can now apply for the 49th Festival of Songs Olomouc 2022 until April 30, 2022. Do not pass on the amazing competition event in Olomouc, Czech Republic.

This year we commemorate the centenary of the birth of two composers, who are well known (not only) among Czech choirs. We mean Otmar Mácha, whose cycles Moravian Folk Songs and Laschian Shouting Songs remain perennials in the repertoire of not only children's choirs,
and Ilya Hurník, a versatile artist - pianist, composer, pedagogue and writer, who not only contributed to a series of programs called The Art of Listening to Music, later published on Supraphon, but also to a relatively rich vocal work. If you appreciate the work of both of these composers as much as we do, include at least one song in your competition repertoire and celebrate the centenary of their birth.
You can find their works, for example, via the NIPOS database or via the Music Information Center database:
Otmar Mácha:
https://katalog.nipos.cz/Search/Results?lookfor=Otmar+M%C3%A1cha&type=AllFields
https://www.musicbase.cz/skladatele/578-macha-otmar/
Ilja Hurník
https://katalog.nipos.cz/Search/Results?lookfor=Ilja+Hurn%C3%ADk&type=AllFields&limit=20&sort=relevance
https://www.musicbase.cz/skladatele/323-hurnik-ilja/

Choirs can register for the 49^th Festival of Songs Olomouc from February 21, 2022 until April 10, 2022. You can register via electronic application at www.festivalofsongsolomouc.com or by filling the pdf registration form which you can find in the "Downloads" section or as the last page of the Festival guide.
Conditions of participation as well as the Mundi Cantant competition rules are available here
We are available to answer your questions via the contact form or at info@svatkypisniolomouc.cz

The International Festival of Songs Olomouc is returning in 2022 with its 49th year, which will take place on June 3-4, 2022. The Festival of Songs Olomouc is entering the new year with the new website, but the festival will offer to the choirs all major activities to which they have been accustomed. There will be the main attraction of the festival - the international choir competition Mundi Cantant. You can submit applications in a normal way using the electronic form. For those of you who prefer to fill out printed applications, we will soon have the application forms available in the section "Downloads". Follow our website or our social networks so that you don't miss anything!