International Federation for Choral Music

IFCM is cooperating with the Organizing Committee of China (Qiandongnan) International Folk Song Festival and the Guizhou Dong Ethnic Song Culture Media CO., Ltd and is pleased to present the Qiandongnan International Folk Song Festival in Kaili, Guizhou Province, from July 20-24, 2024. During five days, the participants will share their cultures, make friends and meet colleagues, and spread the love of choral folk songs to people around the world.

Qiandongnan International Folk Song Festival and World Voices Conference, 20-24 July 2024

The 2024 Qiandongnan International Folk Song Festival and World Voices Conference opened in Zhaoxing Dong Village on 21 July 2024. Situated in the Guizhou Province, Zhaoxing is one of the largest Dong minority villages in China. Dong singers joined the invited international choirs for the opening ceremony followed by a communal meal on one of the village’s beautiful large terraces, concluding a day of sharing, discovery, and music-making. The invited choirs had the great opportunity to immerse themselves in the Dong and Miao culture while visiting the beautiful Zhenyuan Ancient Town, sailing along the gorgeous Wuyang River, sampling local cuisine, meeting the Miao Minority villagers in Qianhu Miao Village, and tasting Miao family food. They also engaged in collaborative songwriting and learning new repertoire.

2024 IFCM Invited Choirs

1. Choir of Kwong Tai Middle School, cond. He Yuhao (Macau);
2. Coro Juvenil ProART, Cond. Filipa Palhares (Portugal);
3. Penan Philharmonic Chamber Choir (The Ensemble Group), Cond. Tan Jin Yin (Malaysia);
4. Voz en Punto, cond. José Galvan (Mexico);
5. Chulalongkorn University Concert Choir, cond. Pawasut Jodi Piriyapongrat (Thailand);
6. Choir of the Maritime University of Szczecin, cond. Sylwia Fabiańczyk Makuch (Poland);
7. Shenzhen Golden Bell Youth Choir, cond. Liu Mei (China);
8. Soprano Paulina Yeung, USA;
9. Mezzo-soprano Ashley Chui, Hong Kong;
10. Tenor Bruno Rebeiro, Italy.

2024 Videos Playlist

Shenzhen Golden Bell Youth Choir, cond. Liu Mei, China, performing at the Qiandongnan International Folk Song Festival and World Voices Conference, 20-24 July 2024.

Miao Ethnic Group performing at the Qiandongnan International Folk Song Festival and World Voices Conference, 20-24 July 2024.

2017 Video

2018 Video

For the 2018 China (Qiandongnan) International Folk Song Choral Festival and IFCM Voices Conference, these were the invited choirs:

• The Asia Pacific Youth Choir (from numerous nations along the Asia Pacific Rim)
• Le Chant sur la Lowé (Gabon)
• Gioventù in Cantata (Italy)
• The Ensemble Evergreen (Japan)
• Coro Arturo Beruti (Argentina)
• The Missouri State University Chorale (USA)

The local choirs were

• The Zhongshan Choir
• The Guilin LiangJiangSiHu Choir
• The Zhongshan Seven Rainbows Choir
• The Qiannan ShuiZuGuGe Choir
• The Kaili Miao Language and Literature Base Choir
• The Qiandongnan Prefecture Elderly University Women’s and Mixed Choirs
• The Kaili Musicians’ Association Choir
• The Kaili Cultural Centre FengHua Choir
• The Qiandongnan Prefecture Elderly University QiYue Choir
• The Kaili No. 10 Elementary School Children’s Choir
• The MiaoLinHuiFeng Women’s Choir
• The Ministry of Culture and Tourism Elderly Artists’ Choir
• The Tianjin Binhai New Area Rainbow Teachers’ Choir
• The China Agricultural University Student Choir
• The Beijing Youth Choir
• The Guizhou Literary Federation ShanYun Choir
• The Qiandongnan QingShuiJiang Harmonic Choir
• The Kaili City Choir
• The Kaili University A’YangXin Choir
• The Liping DongZuDaGe Choir
• The Congjiang DongZuDaGe Choir
• The Rongjiang DongZuDaGe Children’s Choir.

''...After an excellent meal shared by all of the choirs on the outskirts of the Leishan rice fields, the choirs travelled to the Liping Natural Bridge. This experience was unique in many ways. First, I was impressed by the beauty of the trail that led to this ancient natural bridge, with its vibrant forest and the couple of small caverns we found along the way. Then, we finally arrived at the stunning bridge, a 256-metre natural arch stretching over the Fulu River—the largest natural bridge in the world. During our visit, a local ensemble delighted us with several traditional folk tunes, including one sung from the river, which seemed to be a love song performed by a couple. Naturally, and given the special acoustic conditions of the area, the international choirs each spontaneously performed one song, making the moment a truly international exchange opportunity.'' Cristian Grases (ICB Volume XXXVI, Number 4).

Read more about the China (Qiandongnan) International Folk Song Choral Festival and IFCM Voices Conference in an article written by Cristian Grases in the International Choral Bulletin (October 2018)