WorldFestivalAssociation

I N V I T A T I O N

    With pleasure we INVITE you (Children's, Youth & Adults Choral groups) to participate on  XI International Durres Christmas Choir festival  which will be held on 28 November  – 01 December 2024

   The Festival light motive is to present and promote choral music of different countries, exchange experience and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together, to establish friendships and culture presentation.

 Organizer of the International music festival in Durres, Albania is WOFA–World  Festival Association in cooperation with Center of Culture in Durres and local municipality..

The city hosts the Durrës Ancient City Wall called also Durrës Castle while the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans is located in the city close to the harbor. This first-century construction is currently under consideration for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The southern coastal stretch is renowned for its traditional mass beach tourism having experienced uncontrolled urban development. The city’s beaches are also a popular destination for many foreign and local tourists, with an estimated 800,000 tourists visiting annually

.Festival program will be held in the Catlic church in the center of the city.

REGULATIONS

   Every choir, singing formation and orchestras has the right to participate. Children's choirs  (2/3 of the participants must be 16 or younger), Youth choirs (2/3 of the participants must be 27 or younger), adult choirs (1/3 of the participants must be older than 27).

 In order to apply,  application form must be sent, including a photograph of the choir and the conductor as well as a recent audio recording. The requested materials can be sent by email, recording audio can be put on your web site or send by post.  

Festival  is not competitive and has 3 sections:

-         Section one – obligatory  performance - Open air, ( is required to perform a 15-20 minute program of their choice at several outdoor public locations)

-         Section two –  spiritual music (program must contain choral arrangements of spiritual songs. The program should last 8-14 minutes..

-         Section three – Pop or Folk music (the program must contain choral arrangements of pop or folk songs or motives. The program should last 8-14 minutes.

           All choirs are required to performin at least two sections.

    By applying to the Festival the choir agrees to respect and to regulate the legal rights of the authors of the works it performs and agrees to give right to the Festival to use any material recorded during the Festival.

                                             Program proposal

Day 1

12.00 – 14.00  Arriving in Durres, hotel accommodation in 5* hotel Bonita,

14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel and free activities 

19.00 – 21.00 Dinner in hotel,

 21.00 Welcome reception with leader of the group

 Day 2

 08.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

 10.00 -14.00 Durres sightseeing 

     17.00 – 19.30 Dinner in hotel

      20.00 Festival evening in the church

   Day 3

 09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

10.00 -14.00 Visiting Tirana

 18.30 – 20.30 Dinner in hotel

  21.00 Festival evening -singing in the city (a capella)

  Day 4

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

09.00 – 14.00 Departure 

Participating conditions are:

-         The number of participants are limited,

-         Each group should consist of most 70 members including singers, managers and musicians

-         Age of the participants are not limited (see sections),

-         Choirs should have prepared at least 2 performance for two sections, 8-14 minutes each with or without instruments,

-         To send short CV and photos of the choirs by mail,

-         To bring a flag of the country,

-   Choir groups should have there own transport for arrival and departure,

Accommodation for the groups:

Hotel accommodation is in wonderfull 5* hotel BONITA (hotel with indoor swimming pool and spa  with 2 meals per day open buffet

- 109 Euro for 3 HB ( with 2 meals per day - open buffet) in triple rooms 

Festival organizers provide:

-         for 24 participants – one gratis,

-         souvenir and gift for each group,

-         certificate for attendance,

-         tourist guides for sightseeing of the town,

-         Welcome cocktail,

-         Free parking

-   advertising of the festival (press release, social media promotion, posters and flayers).

Insurance:
Personal responsibility and health insurance are within the other obligations of the groups. First Aid and Medical Hospital will be available, medical services must be covered by the group.

On your request,  You can continue your stay in Bonia hotel and price is 35 euro per person per day HB). 

Albanian tourist tax is 1 euro per person and it is additional payment.

After Groups arrived in Hotel will be given detailed program of the festival and each group will have guide during festival.

    Transportation: The festival will organize the transport for the groups coming by plane by picking them up from Tirana airport, during the festival days and back to the same  airport. 

After the festival finish organizers will send you a link where you can take the photos and videos from the festival.

 Last year over 420 people from 10 countries had participate on the choir festivals in Ohrid city..

NUMBER OF SEATS IS LIMITEDON 400 PARTICIPANTS OR 10 GROUPS!!