The European Choral Association - Europa Cantat is a European choral organisation founded in 1963. It is the biggest European choral organisation with members in 40 European countries and 10 countries outside of Europe. It is a network of choir organisations (about 60), choirs and individual conductors, singers and choir managers in Europe. The group claims to directly represent more than 2,5 million of them, and indirectly reach 37 million.[1]
Aims
The European Choral Association - Europa Cantat aims at improving the quality of vocal music, supporting cultural diversity and promoting cultural exchange within Europe. It encourages the mobility of conductors, composers and singers, and the creation of innovative contemporary vocal music. It aims to make its activities accessible to young people from all European countries including those who are geographically, economically, socially or otherwise disadvantaged, with a special focus on young people under 27.
Services
The association offers the following services:
- Europa Cantat Festival, every three years
- activities for choirs, young singers and conductors from Europe and overseas, on all levels
- festivals and singing weeks
- vocal jazz days and showchoir weeks
- Europa Cantat Junior for children's, girls' and boys' choirs
- European academies for conductors and singers
- international competition for conductors (under 30)
- international study tours
- EuroChoir for singers 18 to 30
- World Youth Choir for selected young singers (under 27)
- seminars for composers
- publications of songbooks
- cooperation for composition competitions