Appliations are now open for the 4th edition of the City of Derry International Choral Festival, due to take place from Wednesday 19 October until Sunday 23 October.

Following the outstanding success of the first three festivals, there are already even more ambitious plans for 2016. In addition to all of the familiar elements of previous festivals – the five days of wonderful choral singing comprising concerts, workshops, choral and sacred trails, competitions and an International Choral Symposium – there will be the opportunity for greater community participation and a wider range of visiting international choirs in 2016.

School, national and international choirs are invited to take part in a variety of competitions. The range of national categories has expanded this year to ensure that there is something for everyone and will include a competition for popular music in a range of styles – pop, jazz and gospel. There is also the opportunity for lovers of barbershop music to participate in both the Barbershop Chorus and Barbershop Quartet sections.

As always, one of the highlights of the festival will be the International Competition, in which selected choirs will compete for the prestigious ‘Oak Tree of Derry’ perpetual trophy, as well as a cash prize of £2,000. The quality and range of international choirs participating in this competition is growing each year, so early applications are recommended to avoid disappointment.

Non-competitive applications are also welcome for choirs to take part in informal Choral Trail performances in venues throughout the city, practical workshops with guest artists and adjudicators, community concerts and Sunday church services.

Dónal Doherty, Artistic Director of the festival, says “We are already looking forward to building on the success of the first three years of the festival with an even more ambitious line-up of guest artists and a wider range of performance opportunities for participating choirs in October 2016. Keep an eye on the festival website for announcements of further exciting details over the coming months. Anyone interested in being part of this feast of choral music should apply immediately as per detailed in the syllabus.”

With over 2,400 singers taking part in last year’s festival, reaching an audience of over 13,500 across the five days, the City of Song will most certainly come to life once again this autumn with the very best that choral music has to offer.

Details of how to apply along with all available festival information at www.codichoral.com.