12-18 July 2025
Join us at the International Singing Week Ghent in the heart of the beautiful historical city of Ghent, 12-18 July 2025. With 5 choir ateliers, a 'start to conduct' course, open singing, choir-to-choir concerts and more. For choirs and singers, children, youth, adults, families and young conductors.
Ateliers Start to conduct Open Singing Concerts Practical Registration About Ghent FAQ Partners
If you have any questions please email us at singingweekghent [at] koorenstem.be
Ateliers
Each atelier leader has prepared a program for the festival for different age groups and voices. The whole week they will work on that program with the singers and will present it in concert on the last day.
Elisenda Carrasco (ES)
♥ Happy Hearts ♥
Fun songs for children
Unison and SA, 8-12y, level A
Open Singing
All participants gather daily to enjoy singing together; fun, easy-to-join repertoire from all over the world. Tom Johnson (BE) will conduct the Open Singing, involving the atelier leaders and all participants.
Start to conduct
waiting list
This beginner-friendly course for young aspiring conductors offers a supportive environment where you can learn from seasoned experts and develop your skills. Seize the opportunity to be inspired and explore the possibilities of choir leadership!
Are you dreaming of becoming a choral conductor? Here is your chance to have a go and feel what it is like to conduct a choir. This course is meant for 'absolute beginners'. You will learn about the basics of choral conducting, vocal training for choirs, how to prepare a rehearsal and have a go yourself at conducting in practical sessions. You will also visit the ateliers of the International Singing Week Ghent and learn 'tips and tricks' from experienced conductors. Through diverse choral songs you will explore the art of conducting.
For: young people, 16-25y, who want to discover the basics of choral conducting; starting conductors, teachers, singers,... Limited numbers of places.
Concerts
Choirs can sing a short program of their own choice in a choir-to-choir concert. An opportunity to bring some repertoire from your country! It is not obligatory. If your choir is interested, please indicate this on the registration form.
The festive final concert of all the ateliers of the SInging Week is on 17 July 2025. The concert is in the beautiful Art Deco concert hall "Viernulvier" in Ghent.
Practical
Prices (*)
Members
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Non-members
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Members
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Non-members
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| Participation + Meals + boarding school | € 470 | € 510 | € 360 | € 390 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participation + Meals + hostel De Draecke (**) | / | / | € 480 | € 510 |
| Participation + Meals | € 380 | € 380 | € 300 | € 300 |
- All prices are per person. Musical program, festival concerts, and sheet music/scores are included. B&B means night and breakfast
- All prices apply to Country group 1. Country Group 2: 10% reduction. Country Group 3: 20% reduction. Information on Country Groups.
- Info on membership of the European Choral Association-ECA.
- (**) Limited availability, booking until 1 Nov 24, only for children/youth choirs
(*) Deze prijstabel geldt enkel voor internationale deelnemers. Vlaamse deelnemers/ Koor&Stem : ga naar de Nederlandstalige site.
Accommodation
- Full participation includes 6 nights and breakfast (12-18 July) in boarding school Sint-Bavo, or Youth Hostel De Draecke (limited availability until 1 Nov24, only for youth groups).
- Read the description of the boarding school stay in the FAQ to see if it suits you!
- Participation without boarding school/hostel is for participants who arrange their own stay.
Festival meals
- Lunch and evening meal at the St Bavo school restaurant are included in the price.
- The first meal is 12 July-evening, the last meal is 17 July-evening.
- Read the FAQ about festival meals and available meal options !
Family reduction
- Families, with participants of different generations, are encouraged to come together to the Singing Week. See FAQ for more info.
- Reduction: € 25 per person. For ex., a (grand)parent participating with a (grand)child, receives a reduction of € 25.
- Families: use the application form for groups.
1-on-1 accompanying person of a special needs participant
- If a personal assistant (non-singer) is needed to make it possible to participate, this assistant receives a reduction of €150. Contact us if for details.
Registration
To register, use the appropriate form below. Before sending, please read and agree with the FAQs on Ateliers, Accommodation, Meals, Terms and Conditions, and Payments. Accommodation has a limited availability and some ateliers might be full, in which case we will propose alternatives.
Choirs, Groups and families
- Choose an atelier per person. If the whole group does not fit the indicated level, age range or voicing, consider dividing over multiple ateliers. See FAQ.
- After registration, you receive, by email, a payment request for an advance of € 150 per person. Please pay this asap, to secure your place in accommodation and ateliers.
- Until 1st March 25 you can add or cancel a few participants.
- In Feb/March you send us the detailed list of your group, names, dates of birth, meal preferences etc.
- In May you will receive the invoice for your participation (minus advance payments and reductions), this has to be paid before 1 June.
Individual singers and participants Start to Conduct
- Choose your atelier and type of accommodation.
- Groups that include tenors and basses have priority in the mixed voice ateliers.
- Participants for the Start to Conduct : upload a short CV about your musical background
- Upon registering you will receive an automatic confirmation asking to pay the advance of €150. Pay it asap to secure your accommodation and workshop place.
- In May25 you will receive more info and the request to pay the remaining amount, before 1 Jun 25.
- See FAQ for info on cancellations.
About Ghent
You will be staying in the heart of the city of Ghent. Museums, historical sites, cosy cafés and shopping streets are all within walking distance. The international press regularly puts Ghent in the spotlight in its list of alternative city breaks in Europe, as Ghent offers 'a buzzing creative scene alongside the historical city center'.
FAQ
What is the time table of the Singing Week, when is arrival and departure?
Attached is a draft timetable for the Singing Week, subject to change. The final timetable will be ready in 2025.
Arrival
Saturday 12 July 2025, from 14:30h at the Festival address: Ghent, St Bavo school, Reep 4
The first activity is the evening meal of 12 July, at 18:00h
Departure
Friday 18 July 2025, after breakfast
singing_week_2025_time_table_draft.pdfAbout the locations
Ateliers, meals and boarding school accommodation are all in one location: the Sint-Bavoschool, situated in the shadows of Ghent’s main Cathedral, Address: Reep 4, Gent
The final concert will take place on Thursday 17 July in the arts centre VIERNULVIER. With its beautiful stained glass ceiling, marble murals, balconies decorated with gold leaf and red velvet seats, it is a wonderful venue for the final concert.
About the accomodation
Accommodation in St Bavo boarding school
- Accommodation is in basic single rooms and some double rooms. Showers and toilets are shared. This accommodation is suited for singers on a budget, the young and the young at heart.
- The places are limited. The date of your registration sets the chronology.
- Groups : we will ask a deposit/ guarantee of € 300 per choir, to be paid 1 June 2025. It will be repaid after the International Singing Week. If members of your group cause damage to the accommodation, or if you leave the accommodation dirty and we have to hire an extra cleaning team, we will substract these costs from your deposit.
- Not a 24/24 reception !
The main gate of St Bavo closes at 00h30. You can not enter later. There is no 24h reception. If this is a major inconvenience for you or your group, consider other accommodation.
Alternatives
- There are limited accommodation places in the Ghent Youth Hostel De Draecke, Sint-Widostraat 11, only for youth group, available for reservation until 1 Nov 24 until full.
- You can find your own accommodation. There are many hotels in and around Ghent, but not many low-budget hostels. Do not wait too long to look for accommodation, the summer months are the high season of tourism in Ghent.
About choosing an atelier
Atelier levels
Level A is the easiest, any singer or choir can join, level B is medium difficulty, for singers and choirs that are used to singing 2 -4 part songs.
About festival meals and meal options
Festival meals, lunch and evening meal are served on location, in the school restaurant of the St Bavo school. So it is very handy located, in the same building as your singing ateliers.
By default, the festival meals are included in your participation package.
In Belgium, the lunch is usually the main meal of the day. It is typically a hot meal with soup, meat / fish or vegetarian alternative, potatoes and cooked vegetables. And a dessert of course ;)
The evening meal is a lighter meal. It is usually a bread meal. Like breakfast but with some extra's such as soup or salad bar.
Meal choices are
A) regular (meat/fish/vegetarian on some days) or
B) vegetarian or
C) regular plus gluten-free or
D) regular + lactose free.
Unfortunatelly other options are not offered.
But contact us in case of severe allergy etc, we will see what is possible and what the alternatives are.
a little explanation about vegan meals
Vegan is not offered as a meal option in the Singing Week.
The school restaurant and the menus follow guidelines set by the City of Ghent and the Flemish government. Official regulations in Flanders do not allow school restaurants to offer vegan menus for every day meals for students. For ex, school restaurants are not allowed the use of nuts, an essential in vegan diet, in any preparation to avoid severe allergic reactions.
That is why 100% vegan is no option for the Singing Week. We suggest the vegetarian option, that is of good quality with plant-based protein sources. And every lunch there is a salad bar.
Alternatively, you can find vegan restaurants or buy vegan products outside of the festival, in the city of Ghent. (not included in your participation package)
If the food options are a problem for (members of) your group please contact us to discuss a price reduction and suggestions for eating outside the festival.
About Membership, Country groups, non singers
Fees are per person, depending on country of origin and membership type of the European Choral Association (ECA). Musical program, concerts, and scores are included in the participation prices.
-Membership ECA
If your choir is a member of a local, regional or national choral association, which in turn is member of the European Choral Association (ECA), you can benefit from the "ECA indirect members" discount. To find out if your association is a member of ECA, click here.
-Country groups
For activities of the European Choral Association there are different participation prices according to the country of the participants. Find out what country group you belong to here. Country Groups.
The participation prices for the Singing Week Ghent are set for country group 1. Country group 2: 10% reduction on prices in the table. Country group 3: 25% reduction.
- What about non singing members of our group ?
Accompanying adults of children/youth choirs, conductors, pianists, bus drivers, non singing partners, etc are all considered participants of the festival and pay the same participation fee as singing participants. They can enjoy festival concerts, open singing, and festival meals and accommodation.
About payments and cancellations
For choirs, groups, and families
- After registration, we send a payment request for an advance payment of € 150 per person (including non-singers).
- The advance payment is fully refunded in case of cancellations before 15 February 2025.
- You will be asked to confirm the number of participants in March 2025, after this, you will receive an invoice for the balance of payment. Deadline for payment: 1 June 2025.
- Cancellation of max. 10% of participants before 1 June 2025: no cost
- Cancellation cost of complete group: before 15 Feb, no cost, 15 Feb-1 June: 100% of advance payment.
- Cancellation after 1 June 2025: no refunds possible.
- Adding extra singers to your group: subject to availability of accommodation and places in the atelier.
For individual singers and participants of Start-to-Conduct
- After registration, we send a payment request for an advance payment of € 150 per person..
- The advance payment is fully refunded in case of cancellations before 15 February 2025.
- In March you will receive a request for the balance of payment. Deadline for payment: 1 June 2025.
- Cancelation before 15 Feb 25 : no costs, cancelation 1 Feb-1 May : 50% of advance payment is withheld.
- Cancellation cost after 1/5/2025: 100% of advance payment.
- Cancellation after 1 June 2025: no refunds possible.
You can register from 15 September 2024 until 31 January 2025, but places in accommodation and ateliers are limited, so do not wait too long. The date of advance payment determines the chronology of participation. Use the online forms to register.
Terms and conditions + photo/video
- The number of participants the International Singing Week Ghent can welcome is limited. The date of payment of your advance sum determines the chronology in case accommodation or an atelier are full.
- All the ateliers have a limited number of places available.
- When registering, you can indicate which atelier you prefer to attend. The organisation will make the final allocation to an atelier, taking into account voice balance, age, ....
- For the ateliers Sing for live! and Between heaven and earth : groups with tenors and basses have priority over groups with only sopranos and altos.
Photos and video at the Singing Week
- When registering as a choir, the choir confirms that they have agreements from all singers or parents of the singers (if the singers are under 18) regarding filming and photographing during the International Singing Week Ghent and that this material can be used by Koor&Stem and by the European Choral Association in further events.
- When registering individually, you agree with being filmed and photographed during the International Singing Week Ghent and that this material can be used by Koor&Stem and by the European Choral Association in further events.
What is the working language?
The working language at the Singing Week is English. And, of course, the universal language of music. The ateliers leaders have been chosen for their international experience; they are used to working with foreign-language groups.
Participating as a family
We want to encourage families (participants of more than 1 generation) to take part in the Singe Week as a family event. For ex. singing (grand)parents can bring their (grand)children (8y plus) to this Singing Week. Each can join an atelier suited for their age and interest. The organisation provides supervision for 8- 12y in the Childrens’ atelier, during rehearsals. Meals, accommodation and leisure time are spent with the (grand)parents. If you register as a family, each member receives a reduction of €25.
Special needs
- If you have special needs to participate in International Singing Week, we will be happy to look at the possibilities together.
- On the registration form, you can indicate that you have special needs. We will contact you as soon as possible after your registration.
- A necessary one-on-one companion (non singer) of a special needs participant receives a reduction of € 150.
Contact information
singingweek [at] koorenstem.be
Organisers are Koor&Stem- Flemish Organisation for Vocal Music in partnership with VFJK (Flemish Federation of Young Choirs) and ECA-the European Choral Association and supported by the City of Ghent and the Flemish Government.
🎉 More than 350 participants!
More than 350 participants! Registrations are almost closing. If you have registered you will receive more info soon!