The Nancy International Festival of Choral Music is an association founded in 1979. Its aim is to organise a musical event every two years bringing together choirs from all over the world.
 

Since it was founded, more than 254 groups from 57 countries have taken part in this major choral event in Nancy.

Music, song, fraternity and friendship are the key words which is why members of the non-French chorales will be staying with members of the French choirs.

Generous support by public authorities and the enthusiasm of an ever-larger public has enabled the Festival to establish itself as one of the major events in Nancy's calendar, and throughout Lorraine as a whole. A number of partners have also contributed to its success.

Having become a national musical event, it draws newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV stations from all over France and from the non-French countries taking part. Its international reputation has also enabled it to attract such world famous stars as Barbara Hendricks and Julia Migenes.

Calendar
 
As is our tradition, the Festival will take place during the Ascension holidays. Some forty concerts are held over four days culminating in the grand closing concert on Saturday evening. As the Festival's raison d'être is to make choral music available and accessible to all, almost all concerts are free.

Paid tickets are only required for the opening concert to which outstanding, world famous performers contribute. Previous festivals have presented Bizet’s Carmen with Julia Migenes, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess with Wilhelminia Fernandez, David Lee Brewer and Johannes von Duisburg in Offenbach’s La Vie Parisienne directed by Gilles Ramade. The artists are accompanied by the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy and the Grand Choeur du Festival (250 to 350 members of Lorraine chorales).

On the Sunday morning a full sung Mass is celebrated in Nancy Cathedral; all the French and non-French singers attend.
After the Mass, the performers have Sunday lunch together, the final event in a week of musical encounters during which participants make many new friendships.

Organisation

Choirs wishing to participate in the Festival should fill in and return the registration form to the Organising Committee (can be downloaded - See the Festival Rules). The choirs that are likely to make the most appropriate musical and choral contribution to the Festival will be selected from amongst the applicants by a Musical Commission of choir masters and leaders.