Chorus Inside International

Chorus Inside International is a series of international choral and music festivals held in various cities throughout Europe. Conceived in 2006 by Italian artistic director Davide Recchia, the project went international in 2011 and was held outside Italy for the first time in 2013.

Chorus Inside was originally envisioned by its founder as a showcase for Italian choirs. The first international edition of the festival was held in the Italian city of Chieti in June 2011. It featured 18 participants in four categories (Polyphonic, Youth Choirs, Folklore, Gospel) from Italy, Russia, and Ukraine. The winner was the Ulyanovsk State University Choir from Russia.

For two years, Chorus Inside was held in Chieti twice a year, in summer and in winter (Chorus Inside Summer and Chorus Inside Christmas). In 2013, the festival was expanded to four regular editions and one special edition. The 8th International Festival Chorus Inside Christmas was held in the Hungarian Capital of Budapest. Since then, the festival has also taken place in Croatia, Russia, Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic.

Although Chorus Inside International originated as a choir contest, which is still reflected in its name, the competition has since been expanded to include vocalists and musicians. The number of participants may vary greatly depending on where the festival is held. Chorus Inside in Chieti usually features about two dozen choirs and 40 soloists.

Competition categories at Chorus Inside International include:

• Choirs: traditional music, folk music, polyphonic / religious music, jazz, gospel / pop / contemporary music.
• Vocalists: opera, folk music, contemporary music, singer-songwriter.
• Musicians: soloists, chamber music, musical school orchestras, youth orchestras.

The three best participants in each category are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals based on the scores given by the jury. The overall winner is awarded the Grand Prix of the festival. Alongside the competition and awards ceremony, the festival program includes an opening concert featuring all participants.

Alongside regular editions, there are special editions dedicated to certain events. They don’t have a competition, but some participants are awarded special diplomas and trophies by the festival’s artistic committee. Special editions of Chorus Inside International have included the 2013 Chorus Inside Osanna and the annual International Festival of Sacred Music Chorus Inside Passio Christi held every spring around Easter.