Four events to check out at the Cork International Choral Festival today

The Cork International Choral Festival kicks off today with plenty of events lined up to keep everyone entertained. Check out some of the highlights here. 

11am: Primary Schools Choir Competition - Cork City Hall

The Festival's National Schools Competition is a platform for primary school choirs from all over the country to compete while also seeing and learning from and mingling with the many talented international choirs that also take part. Admission for this event is free.

1.10pm: Flori Canti - Choirs at Christchurch

This afternoon one of the top international choirs, Flori Canti from France, will bring their serene sounds to the beautiful setting of TriskelChristchurch. Created by Elisabeth Hadjiisky – a psychiatrist with a passion for singing – and a group of friends, Flori Canti now counts more than 50 amateur and professional singers.

Under their conductor Tsvetan Dobrev, the choir performs regularly in Paris and many other cities and often participates in competitions abroad. Admission for this event is free.

2.30pm: Post Primary Schools Choir Competition - Cork City Hall

Presented by Carol Daly, the Post Primary Schools Competition features some of Ireland’s best young voices in competition for the title. With guest performances by international choirs, there is an exceptional amount of bright new talent on show. Admission for this event is free.

8pm: Opening Gala Concert - Cork City Hall

The Concert will feature the world-renowned Verdi’s Requiem with the Cork Fleischmann Symphony Orchestra, a Festival Chorus comprising of Cantairí Mhuscraí, Cór Cois Abhann and East Cork Choral Society, and the voices of Cara O’Sullivan (soprano), Raphaela Mangan (mezzo-soprano), Owen Gilhooly (tenor), John Molloy (bass).

The masterwork has been staged and performed in the world’s most renowned places, and sections of it can even be heard in countless advertisement and movies – including Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and the Star Wars trilogy. This is a ticketed event.