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

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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