International Performance Tour 2010

Senior/Chamber Choirs Tour to Greece

June 29 –July 10, 2010

28th International Choral Festival of Preveza
16th International Choral Competition of Sacred Music

Organized by Choral Society "Armonia" of Preveza
Artistic Director: Valentin Stefanov

Why does the OCC Tour?

Touring is considered an important part of our choral experience, and a reward that comes with the achievement of membership in the Senior and Chamber Choirs . The choristers benefit musically and personally from the exposure to international competitions, they learn dedication and personal discipline from the preparation, they are enriched culturally from the international travel, and when they meet other children from different parts of the world who, like themselves, participate in a choir, it reinforces the value of music, by showing them that music transcends language and culture. Also, international touring creates opportunity for our choristers to make friendships with other choristers from afar, and these friendships often continue via email and internet social networking after the festival.

What is the Choral Festival of Preveza

From the International Choral Festival of Preveza website:

The International Choral Festival of Preveza counts 27 interesting and exciting years of high quality choral music, challenged by excellent choirs which are continuously raising its standards and a great variety of intercultural experiences with participants from all over the world.

The Festival includes numerous concerts given at idyllic locations of the area like the seaside fortress of Preveza and the historic Ancient Auditorium of Nicopolis 'Odeon'. The other part of the Festival is the prestigious competition for which through the years we have been honoured to have internationally been acclaimed experts of the field overseas.

Some key features of the competition are listed in point form below:

• Only amateur singers' choirs can take part in the competition.
• The competitive performances will be given in a concert hall in the presence of audience. The non-competitive performances will be given at open-air places at several parts of the town.
• An International Jury Committee, consisting of at least three well-known Greek and/or foreign musicians will judge the competitive part of the festival and mark each performance based on technique, difficulty, intonation, interpretation and appropriate style.
• All the choirs will be competing in works "a cappella"
• Medals will be awarded to choirs based on points earned (gold silver bronze)

Highlights of the OCC TOUR to GREECE

• 1 night in the historic archeological centre of Delphi
• 4 nights in Preveza for music festival performances and activities, cultural learning, fun
• 1 night in the Peleponnese, visit to archeological site of Mycenae
• 3 nights in Athens including tour of Athens, visit Acropolis, 1 day Mediteranean Cruise of Greek Islands of Hydra-Poros-Aegina with performance onboard
• 1 nights Paris, with coach tour of city