The Beijing Philharmonic Choir from China is the winner of the 65th Edition of the International choral competition in Arezzo and will compete for the EGP 2018 in Maribor. This has been a memorable edition of the competition and many ex aequo prizes have confirmed the high quality of the choirs.
The jury has appreciated in particular the extraordinary level of the performances in the category with monographic program. The ensemble Vocapella (Austria) and the Genova Vocal Ensemble (Italy) have shared the first prize. The hardest trial was probably the compulsory program (category 1): Uranienborg Vokalensemble (Norway) has won the first prize among mixed choirs, the best vocal group has been the Genova Vocal Ensemble, that has been awarded also first prize in the category with secular program, ex aequo with the Beijing Choir. The winner of the category with sacred program has been the Uranienborg Vokalensemble. The best choir in the category for gregorian chant has been the Schola Cantorum Danzica (second price, no first prize was awarded). The wide range of styles and historical periods of the competition categories has included folk music and pop&jazz too (first prizes: Aurum/Beijing Philharmonic Choir).
This edition of the Polifonico competition has celebrated the 450th anniversary of Claudio Monteverdi’s birth. 2018 edition will consider the anniversary of death of Claude Debussy with a wider homage to the french chanson from Renaissance to contemporary music.
Video of the Arezzo Grand Prix: