
Competitive Categories
Listed below are the categories scheduled for our 2026 festival. Applications are now open and will close on January 18th 2026
Friday Competitions
Primary Schools/Children’s Choir Of The Year
Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces
Time: Maximum 9 minutes
Prize: €300
Secondary Schools/Youth National
Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Prize: €300
Primary Schools/Children’s Folk Music
Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces where the music and/or text is based on folk songs.
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Prize: €300
Secondary Schools/Youth Folk Competition
Repertoire: Two contrasting pieces where the music and/or text is inspired folk traditions
International Folk tradition
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Prize: €300
National Workplace Choir Competition
Programme: 2 contrasting pieces
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: none
Prizes: 1st €300 / 2nd €150
Saturday Competitions
Folk Music
Programme: Two contrasting arrangements of traditional folk songs, one of which must be from your country of origin.
Piano and up to three other accompanying instruments allowed
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older
No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble
Prizes: 1st €500
2nd €150
Open Category
Programme: 2 contrasting pieces.
Piano may be used to accompany if required.
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: None
No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble
Prizes: 1st €300
2nd €150
Sacred Music Competition
Programme: Two contrasting pieces, one of which must be composed before 1780.
Piano may be used to accompany if required. For one piece, two additional instruments may also be used if required.
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older
No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble
Prizes: 1st €500 / 2nd €150
Small Ensemble
Programme: 2 contrasting pieces
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: Majority of singers must be 16 years old or older
No. of members: Maximum of 12 singers per ensemble
Prizes: 1st €300 / 2nd €150
Barbershop Quartet
Programme: 2 contestable songs from the barbershop repertoire
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: None
Prizes: 1st €300 / 2nd €150
Barbershop Chorus
Open to Mixed, Female & Male Choruses
Programme: 2 contestable songs from the barbershop repertoire
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: None
No. of members: Minimum of 8 singers per ensemble not including conductor
Prizes: 1st €300 / 2nd €150
Non-Competitive Category
Programme: 2 contrasting pieces
Time: Maximum 10 minutes
Age Limit: None