CATEGORIES

*All competitions will be professionally recorded, with high quality video & audio footage provided to each group

Saturday Competitions

Folk Music

• Programme: Two contrasting arrangements of traditional folk songs, one of which must be from your country of origin.

• Piano and up to three other accompanying instruments allowed

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older

• No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble

• Prizes: 1st €500

                    2nd €150

Open Category 

• Programme: 2 contrasting pieces from different eras, one of which must be from your country of origin.

• Piano may be used to accompany one piece

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: None

• No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble

• Prizes:    1st €300

                       2nd €150

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Sacred Music Competition

• Programme: Two contrasting pieces, one of which must be composed before 1780. Piano and up to two other accompanying instruments allowed on one piece

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older

• No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble

• Prizes:    1st €500

                      2nd €150

Small Ensemble

• Programme: 2 contrasting pieces 

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older

• No. of members: Maximum of 12 singers per ensemble

• Prizes:    1st €300

                       2nd €150

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Barbershop Quartet  (with 2 qualified Barbershop judges)

• Programme: 2 songs from the barbershop repertiore

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older

• Prizes:    1st €300

                       2nd €150

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Barbershop Chorus (with 2 qualified Barbershop judges)

• Open to Mixed, Female & Male Choruses

• Programme: 2 songs from the barbershop repertiore

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: None

• No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble

• Prizes:  1st €300

                     2nd €150​

Non-Competitive Category

• Programme: 2 contrasting pieces 

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: None

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Grand-Prix

Winners of Sacred Music, Open Category, Barbershop Chorus and Folk Music automatically qualify for the Festival Grand Prix competition.

A final qualifying place will be awarded as "Judges Wildcard" for the most entertaining non-first-place performance in these large choir categories.

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• Repertoire: 3 contrasting pieces

• Groups may perform up to two pieces performed in    competition earlier in the day

• Time: Maximum 15 minutes

• Prize: €3000

Friday Competitions​

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Primary Schools/Children’s National Competition

• Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces

• Time: Maximum 9 minutes

• Prize: €300​

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Secondary Schools/Youth National Competition

• Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Prize: €300

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Primary Schools/Children’s Folk Music Competition

• Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces where the music and/or text is based on folk songs.

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Prize: €300

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Secondary Schools/Youth Folk Competition

• Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces where the music and/or ​​text is inspired folk traditions 

• International Folk tradition

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Prize: €300

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 National Workplace Choir Competition

• Programme: 2 contrasting pieces 

• Time: Maximum 10 minutes

• Age Limit: none

• Prizes:     1st €300

                        2nd €150

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Special Prizes will be awarded at the end of the day including

• Best performance of a piece in Irish

• Conductors prize

• Most engaging performance