History
About Us

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR CHORAL MUSIC

Major choral organizations who came together as Founders and have remained united in a common mission.
The American Choral Directors Association (USA)
A Coeur Joie International (France)
European Choral Association – Europa Cantat (Europe)
Japan Choral Association (Japan)
Nordisk Korforum NKF (Scandinavia)

 

Milestones in the History of IFCM

The International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) works to strengthen cooperation between national and international organizations and individuals in all aspects of choral music.
Through its world and regional symposia, conducting master classes, the World Youth Choir, ChoralNet website, World Choral Census, International Choral Bulletin, World Choral Day, Conductors Without Borders, and many other projects, IFCM fulfills its purpose regularly.

IFCM has achieved important results:

  • 1982: Creation of the IFCM in Namur, Belgium
  • 1987: First World Symposium in Vienna, Austria
  • 1988: First issue of the World Choral Census
  • 1989: Opening of the International Center for Choral Music in Namur, Belgium
  • 1990: Second World Symposium in Stockholm, Sweden, Helsinki, Finland, Tallinn, Estonia
  • 1990: First session of the World Youth Choir
  • 1992: First issue of the International Choral Bulletin in four (4) languages
  • 1992: First World Choral Day
  • 1993: Third World Symposium in Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 1993: First IFCM master class in Namur, Belgium
  • 1993: Publication of “Cantemus 1,″ Song Book and CD
  • 1995: First Regional Symposium in Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 1996: Fourth World Symposium in Sydney, Australia
  • 1996: ChoralNet becomes the IFCM official web site
  • 1997: IFCM 15th Anniversary festival in Namur, Belgium
  • 1998: IFCM creates Musica International with the CAPA in Strasbourg, France
  • 1999: Fifth World Symposium in Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • 1999: Opening of an International IFCM Headquarters in Altea, Spain
  • 2000: First conference of the Commission of Choral Conductors in Altea, Spain
  • 2000: First conference of the Commission on Ethnic Choral Music in Puerto Rico
  • 2002: Sixth World Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
  • 2002: Publication of IFCM Cookbook!
  • 2004: Opening of the IFCM Asia Pacific Regional Secretariat in Busan, South Korea
  • 2004: “Songbridge” becomes a project of International Federation for Choral Music
  • 2005: Seventh World Symposium in Kyoto, Japan
  • 2006: First World Assembly for Choral Conductors Associations in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 2007: First “Asia Pacific Cantat” in Taipei, Taiwan
  • 2007: IFCM 25th Anniversary festival “Namur en Chœur”, Belgium
  • 2008: Eighth World Symposium in Copenhagan, Denmark
  • 2008: First Forum “Youth, Art & Management” in Caen, France
  • 2008: Creation of the project “African Children Sing!”
  • 2008: Creation of the project “Choral Conductors Without Borders”
  • 2009: Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the World Youth Choir in Örebro, Sweden
  • 2010: First International Competition for Choral Composition “A Choral Work for Peace”
  • 2011: Ninth World Choral Symposium in Puerto Madryn, Argentina
  • 2012: First World Choral Summit, Beijing, China
  • 2013: Asia Pacific Choral Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2013: America Cantat, Bogota, Columbia
  • 2013: Voices Festival, Mediterranean, Barcelona, Spain
  • 2013: Asia Pacific Choral Council established
  • 2014: Tenth World Symposium in Seoul, South Korea
  • 2015: Feeding Souls, Thanking for Food - Expo Milano 2015
  • 2015: IFCM World Choral Expo Macau
  • 2016: China International Chorus Festival & IFCM Choral Education Conference
  • 2017: 11th World Symposium on Choral Music, Barcelona, Spain
  • 2017: China (Qiandongnan) International Folk Song Choral Festival and IFCM World Voices Conference
  • 2017: Belt & Road Choral Festival in Hohhot, China
  • 2018: 14th China International Chorus Festival Come to Beijing, Listen to the Songs of the World
  • 2018: Qiandongnan International Folk Song Choral Festival in Kaili, China
  • 2018: China Inner Mongolia International Choral Week
  • 2019: Opening of a new headquarter for IFCM office in the Palacete dos Condes de Monte Real in Lisbon, Portugal
  • 2019: 2nd World Choral EXPO in Lisbon, Portugal
  • 2020: First IFCM online General Assembly and 2020 Elections
  • 2022: 3rd World Choral EXPO in Lisbon and Oeiras, Portugal
  • 2022: Creation of the programme "Creating Futures in Choral Music"
  • 2023: World Symposium on Choral Music, Istanbul, Türkiye
IFCM International Choral Magazine

Official magazine of the International Federation for Choral Music, the International Choral Magazine is published quarterly in the four official languages of IFCM: English, French, German and Spanish. It is distributed in more than 80 countries on the five continents and is the official voice of choral music around the world.

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Global Choral Calendar

Our focus at the moment is to unite the choral calendars of international choral organisations. Meanwhile please consult the calendar of choral events published by the European Choral Association - Europa Cantat here.

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