63rd Seghizzi International Choral Singing Competition 2026
The 63rd Seghizzi International Choral Singing Competition concluded in Gorizia (Italy) on July 13, 2026, marking another highly successful year of extraordinary choral performances from around the globe. The prestigious event, which took place from July 9 to 13, culminated in the Grand Prix awards ceremony held at the Teatro Verdi.
This year’s absolute winner of the 36th Grand Prix Seghizzi 2026 is the Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana, conducted by Sonia Nadya Simanjuntak. The Indonesian ensemble delivered a series of breathtaking performances, earning the main trophy along with the €3,000.00 cash prize, diploma, and cup. In addition to the Grand Prix, the choir secured several category and special awards, including the first prize in Category 2B, the sole prize in Category 4, second place in Category 1B, the Audience Prize for folk singing, and the special awards for Best Traditional Costumes and Best Choreographies.
Other distinguished awards went to the Mixed Choir Crescendo (Slovenia) for the “Voci Pari o Miste” special prize, with its conductor Žiga Kert named Best Choir Conductor, and the Taipei Philharmonic Youth & Children’s Choir (Taiwan) receiving the “Voci Bianche” special prize. Jakub Kubis of the Academic Choir of the VSB (Czech Republic) was awarded Best Young Conductor. The Associazione Corale Goriziana ‘C. A. Seghizzi’ extends its warmest congratulations to all participants and looks forward to welcoming choirs back to Gorizia for the 64th edition, scheduled for July 8 to 12, 2027.
Absolute Winner
36th GRAND PRIX SEGHIZZI 2026: Awarded to Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia), conducted by Sonia Nadya Simanjuntak.
Category 1a: Sacred a cappella polyphony from the Renaissance to the Baroque (1400-1750)
- 1st Prize: Not awarded
- 2nd Prize: Awarded to MusiColore Vocal Ensemble (Hungary), conducted by Éva Radics
- 3rd Prize: Awarded to University of Warsaw Choir (Poland), conducted by Irina Bogdanovich
Category 1b: Sacred polyphony from Classicism to the contemporary period (ca. 1750 – present)
- 1st Prize: Awarded to Mixed Choir Crescendo (Slovenia), conducted by Žiga Kert
- 2nd Prize: Awarded to Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia), conducted by Sonia Nadya Simanjuntak
- 3rd Prize: Awarded to University of Warsaw Choir (Poland), conducted by Irina Bogdanovich
Category 2b: Secular polyphony from the Baroque to the contemporary period (ca. 1650 – present)
- 1st Prize: Awarded to Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia), conducted by Sonia Nadya Simanjuntak
- 2nd Prize: Awarded to University of Warsaw Choir (Poland), conducted by Irina Bogdanovich
Category 3: Program of spirituals, gospel, pop music, and jazz
Sole Prize: Awarded to MusiColore Vocal Ensemble (Hungary), conducted by Éva Radics.
Category 4: Program of folk songs and choral arrangements of folk and traditional songs
Sole Prize: Awarded to Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia), conducted by Sonia Nadya Simanjuntak.
Category 5: Polyphony with contemporary music program
Sole Prize: Awarded to Academic Choir of the VSB Technical University of Ostrava (Czech Republic), conducted by Jakub Kubis – for the performance of the piece “Ti aspetto” by Roberto Brisotto.
Special Prizes for Choirs
- “Voci Bianche” (Children’s Choirs) Prize (awarded to the children’s choir that obtained the highest overall score): Taipei Philharmonic Youth & Children’s Choir (Taiwan)
- “Voci Pari o Miste” (Equal or Mixed Voices) Prize (awarded to the equal or mixed voices choir that obtained the highest overall score): Mixed Choir Crescendo (Slovenia)
- Special Prize for the Best Traditional Costumes: Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia)
- Special Prize for the Best Choreographies: Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia)
- Audience Prize: Indonesian Children and Youth Choir Cordana (Indonesia)
Special Prizes for Conductors
- Special Prize for the Best Choir Conductor (among the participating groups in Category A and the Grand Prix): M° Žiga Kert (Mixed Choir Crescendo, Slovenia)
- Special Prize for the Best Young Conductor (aged 30 or under): M° Jakub Kubis (Academic Choir of the VSB, Czech Republic)
- Special Prize for the Conductor of the Choir with the Program of the Greatest Artistic Interest: Maestra Irina Bogdanovich (University of Warsaw Choir, Poland)
The international jury of the 63rd Seghizzi International Choral Singing Competition (held in Gorizia from July 9 to 13, 2026) was chaired by Božidar Crnjanski (Serbia) and composed of:
- Božidar Crnjanski (Serbia) – President of the Jury. Professor of Orchestral and Choral Conducting at the University of Novi Sad, he is one of the most prominent Serbian choral conductors, winner of numerous international prizes as conductor and jury member worldwide.
- Ega O. Azarya (Indonesia). Conductor of the Parahyangan Catholic University Choir and winner of the Grand Prix Seghizzi 2025. He has led his choirs to success in prestigious international competitions and is regularly invited as a lecturer and jury member.
- Marco Berrini (Italy). Conductor and choral director, professor at the “A. Steffani” Conservatory of Castelfranco Veneto, and founder of the Ars Cantica Choir & Consort. He collaborates with important ensembles and musical institutions in Italy and abroad.
- Sylwia Fabiańczyk-Makuch (Poland). Conductor of the Choir of the Maritime University of Szczecin, with which she has won nearly a hundred international prizes. She is recognized among the most prominent European choral conductors and actively promotes contemporary choral music.
- Flora Anna Spreafico (Italy). Choral conductor, musicologist, and teacher, she is the founder of the Licabella Musical Association. For years she has dedicated herself to choral training and has obtained numerous national and international recognitions for conducting and teaching activity.
