IFCM - International Federation for Choral Music

The call of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) to host the World Symposium on Choral Music (WSCM 2029) will be launched in 2026. This triennial symposium is the peak global event in the international choral calendar. It draws together the world’s leading musicians, choirs, vocal ensembles, conductors, composers, clinicians and arts administrators for a superlative experience of concerts, workshops, seminars, presentations and networking opportunities.

IFCM has held 11 symposia in 14 world-class cities over the past 34 years. The first WSCM was held in Vienna in 1987, followed by Stockholm/Helsinki/Tallinn in 1990; Vancouver, 1993; Sydney, 1996; Rotterdam, 1999; Minneapolis, 2002; Kyoto, 2005; Copenhagen, 2008; Puerto Madryn, 2011; Seoul, 2014; Barcelona, 2017; Auckland, 2020, (canceled); Istanbul, 2023. IFCM policy states that locations will alternate between the five continents.

On September 8, 2024, Mr. Li Jinsheng, Chairman of China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG), visited the headquarters of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) at the Palacete dos Condes de Monte Real and held in-depth discussions with Mrs. Emily Kuo, President of IFCM. Both IFCM and CAEG, committed to the goal of promoting international cultural exchange and developing choral music, agreed to expand their collaboration based on the principles of "resource sharing, complementary advantages, brand interaction, and mutual development." IFCM and CAEG signed a Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation Agreement to hold the World Symposium on Choral Music (WSCM) in China in 2026, in conjunction with the 18th China International Chorus Festival (CICF).