Cork International Choral Festival 2026 takes place from 29 April to 3 May across venues in Cork city and county. The 71st festival includes gala concerts, national and international competitions, workshops, education events, choral trails and fringe performances.
The programme includes the Opening Gala Concert at Cork City Hall on 29 April, Black Voices on 30 April, and performances by Chamber Choir Ireland and New Dublin Voices on 1 May at the Cathedral of St Mary & St Anne.
The Fleischmann International Trophy takes place on 2 May in two sessions at Cork City Hall, followed by the Closing Gala Concert on 3 May.
Other events include The Big Sing, The World Cup of Football Chants, Afternoons in the Atrium and choral trail performances, while the festival’s education programme includes the Choral Composition Course with Seán Doherty and Chamber Choir Ireland.
See the full programme below. For further details, visit www.corkchoral.ie.
Saturday 25 April
7pm – Church Interchange
Sunday 26 April
10am – Church Interchange
Wednesday 29 April
11am – National Competition for Schools – Primary School Choirs
11am – Choral Trail at Ballincollig Library
12pm – Choirs at St Luke’s Church, Douglas
12.20pm – ‘Let Us Perform’ Workshop led by Kelly-Ann Healy, Andrew Lane, Fionula Linehan and CADA Performing Arts
2pm – Choral Trail at Central Library, Cork City
8pm – Opening Gala Concert
Thursday 30 April
11am – National Competition for Schools – Mixed Voice Post-Primary
11am – Choral Trail at Bishopstown Library
11am – Choral Trail at Glanmire Library
11am – Choral Trail at Hollyhill Library
11am – Choirs at Griffith College
11.30am – Choral Trail at Mayfield Library
12pm – Workshop for Post-Primary Schools led by Rohan Poldervaart
1.10pm – Choirs at Goldie Chapel
2pm – Choirs at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
2pm – National Competition for Schools – Equal Voice Post-Primary
2pm – Choral Trail at CUH
2pm – Choral Composition Workshop with Seán Doherty and Chamber Choir Ireland
2.15pm – Choirs at Cobh Hospital
3pm – Choral Trail at Blarney GAA Hall
3pm – Choral Trail at Blackpool Library
4pm – Choral Trail at Central Library, Cork City
4pm – Choral Trail at Lavit Gallery
5.30pm – Alexander Technique Workshop with Mary Shorten
8pm – Black Voices
Friday 1 May
9.30am – Choral Conducting Workshop with Chamber Choir Ireland
11am – Choir Meet & Greet: International Non-Competitive Choirs
12pm – Choirs at Freemasons’ Hall
12.30pm – Choral Trail at Blarney Castle
1.10pm – Choirs at the Sirius Arts Centre
1.10pm – Organ Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
1.30pm – Choral Trail at Douglas Library
2pm – Choral Trail at Tory Top Road Library, Ballyphehane
2pm – Choral Trail at Central Library, Cork City
2pm – Choirs at St Anne’s Church, Shandon
3.30pm – Workshop with Rohan Poldervaart: ‘The ROHAN Methodology’
4pm – Choir Meet & Greet: Fleischmann International Trophy Competition Choirs
6.15pm – Choral Evensong at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
7pm – Choral Trail at Forde’s
7pm – Choral Trail at Tequila Jack’s
7.30pm – Chamber Choir Ireland
10pm – New Dublin Voices
Saturday 2 May
10am – National Competitions – Upper & Lower Voices, Chamber Choirs, Workplace Choir of the Year
11am – Workshop on Byzantine Chant with Dr Alex Khalil
12pm – Choral Trail at the Marina Market
12pm – Choral Trail at Fota House & Gardens
12.10pm – The Big Sing with Rohan Poldervaart
12.30pm – Afternoons in the Atrium, Clayton Hotel
1.10pm – Choirs at Goldie Chapel
1.10pm – Choirs at Christ Church, Cobh
1.10pm – Choirs at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
2pm – The World Cup of Football Chants led by Seán Doherty with New Dublin Voices, Conductor Bernie Sherlock
2pm – Cobh Choral Trail
3pm – Fleischmann International Gala Concert – Session I
7pm – Choral Trail at Tequila Jack’s
8pm – Fleischmann International Gala Concert – Session I and II
10pm – Festival Club at Clayton Hotel
Sunday 3 May
9.30am – National Competitions – Mixed Voices, Youth Choirs & Ireland’s Choir of the Year
10.30am – Sacred Trail
11.15am – Choirs at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
12pm – Choral Trail at Elizabeth Fort
12.30pm – Afternoons in the Atrium, Clayton Hotel
2pm – Cobh Choral Trail
2.15pm – National Competitions – Light, Jazz & Popular Music
2.15pm – National Competitions – Church Music
3pm – Choirs at St Colman’s Cathedral
3pm – Choral Trail at Fota House & Gardens
5.30pm – Awards Ceremony
6pm – Choirs at St Anne’s Church, Shandon
7pm – Choral Trail at Tequila Jack’s
8pm – Closing Gala Concert
10pm – Festival Club at Clayton Hotel
See further details at the link below.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source journalofmusic.com ’
