This exciting inaugural festival will take the form of more than 30 male and female international, national, and Mayo choirs participating on a competitive and non-competitive basis from Thursday May 24 to Sunday May 27 across the county. The event will include a number of evening and daily countywide performances, as well as competitions and workshops. For visitors friendship, relaxation, and a memorable Mayo experience is the theme of the festival, allowing choirs to meet other choirs, relax, and enjoy a great weekend in the beautiful west of Ireland.
Choirs from Mayo, Mayo Lions clubs, and local community groups will assist with the coordination of the concerts, and with visiting choirs. Some of the choirs taking part include the male voice choir from Finland, Laulu-Jaakot, the Rhode Island College 2012 Chamber Choir from the US, Sofienberg Choir from Norway, Cantamus from Derry, The Dublin County Choir, Galway Gospel Choir, Tone Cold Sober barbershop choir from Sligo, and from Mayo, Cór Mhaigh Eo and Cill Áodaín Choral Society.
Five community concerts will take place all over the county, with local and visiting choirs performing at each — Thursday, May 24 sees the festival opening concert in the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, 8.30pm, at which the festival will be opened by Minister Michael Ring. On Friday, May 25 choirs and guest artists will perform in concerts in Ballina Arts Centre, Ballintubber Abbey, Knock Basilica, and Swinford Church, all at 8.30pm.
On Saturday, May 26 the morning and early afternoon will see the adjudications of the choirs that are competing in the festival, which will be open to the public and it is a great chance to see all the choirs singing at their best. At 8pm on Saturday, many of the prize-winning choirs will perform at the Gala Choral Concert, in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar. During this event, all the choirs will sing two songs in unison, as a massed choir. Pre-concert entertainment will be the traditional Irish youth group The Rolling Waves, with post entertainment with The Lucky Pluckers, featuring traditional Irish music, song, and dance, and some funky tunes for those who want to step it out. On Sunday, choirs will perform at churches and nursing homes, finishing with a Farewell to Mayo lunch at Breaffy House Hotel.
The festival has the support of The South West Mayo Development Company, Discover Ireland, RTÉ Lyric fm, Mayo County Council, and Midwest Radio. For more information, log onto www.mayochoral.com phone 094 90 2 30 40. Tickets for the gala concert are now on sale from the Royal Theatre, Castlebar. www.royal.ie
