Festival 2025

MAYOR LAUNCHES 32nd CHORAL FESTIVAL AND NEW FESTIVAL WEBSITE
Pictured with the Mayor, Councillor Alastair Cathcart at the Launch of the 32nd Bangor International Choral Festival are sponsors from Signature Schools, Guillemot Café and Wine Bar and Chairperson of the Festival Margaret McDowell.
The Festival will run from Thursday 3 April to Saturday 5 April at St Comgall’s Parish Centre, Brunswick Road, Bangor, with Primary Schools taking to the stage on Thursday from 10am, Special Schools on Friday from 11am and Youth and Adult Choirs on Saturday from 10am, as well as the Gala Evening on Saturday commencing at 7pm, where choirs will compete for the prestigious Open Choral Award. Entry fee at door for the Thursday and Saturday competitions is £3, and for Saturday Gala Evening the entry fee is £6. Gala evening Tickets can be purchased at Bangor Visitor Information Centre, 028 9127 0069, Ards Visitor Information Centre, 028 9182 6846 and North Down Museum, 028 9127 1200,
Friday evening will showcase a complimentary concert with some of the visiting choirs including Coro Gerberto Male Voice Choir from Bobbio in Italy, and our own Bangor Ladies Choir, starting at 7.30pm and giving choirs an opportunity to meet and perform in the hall.
The Festival prides itself on being fully inclusive and again this year have an entry from the Hydebank College Choir, HMP Hydebank, Belfast. The choir will be adjudicated remotely prior to the Festival taking place and the Adjudication held until all other choirs in their competitions have performed on Saturday. We are delighted once again, to welcome this choir’s entry as it is well known how much music can have a significant impact on health and wellbeing.
The Festival are also launching a new website – www.bangorchoral.com and we hope our competitors will visit regularly for updates on this and future Festivals.
3-5 April 2025 will see 32nd Bangor International Choral Festival take place! We would be delighted to welcome your choir and although we can’t guarantee trophies, we can definitely guarantee a warm Irish Welcome – you might arrive as visitors but you will leave as friends!
Adjudicators for this year’s Festival are Richard Yarr, MBE, assisted by Matthew Owens for the Saturday competitions. Richard, a great friend and supporter of the Festival, and award winning Music producer, Adjudicator and Administrator will be returning again to take the Adjudication reins from Thursday through to Saturday and will be ably assisted by Matthew Owens for the Saturday competitions, who will be making his debut as Assistant Adjudicator at the Festival. Both Adjudicators have a wealth of experience in choral singing and we look forward to hearing from them both.
So why don’t you download the Entry Form and Syllabus and start making plans to travel to the City of Bangor. We’re waiting to hear from you!
Festival Committee
Registered Charity No. NIC 104822
Choral Festival 2025 Photo Gallery
Campbell College, Belfast Winner Post Primary Choir (15 years and under) also winner of Belfast City Airport Trophy
Grange Park Primary School, BangorWunner Primary School (over 30 simgers) also Winner of the Loughside Trophy for Best Primary School Choir
Festival 2025 Results
Primary School ( 8 years and under)
Winner
Ballyholme Primary School, Bangor
Runner-Up
Sullivan Preparatory School, Holywood
Primary School Musical Highlights
Winner
Ballyholme Primary School, Bangor
Primary School Choir (under 30 singers)
Winner
Casstle Gardens Primary School , Newtownards
Primary School Sacred Music
Winner
Orangefield Primary School, Belfast
Runner Up
St Comgall’s Primary School, Bangor
Primary School ( over 30 singers)
Winner
Grange Park Primary School, Bangor
Runner Up
Orangefield Primary School, Belfast
Primary School Choir (15 years and under)
Winner
Campbell College Middle School Choir, Belfast
Special School Choir (SLD)
Winner
Clifton School, Bangor
Special School Choir (MLD)
Winner
Harberton School, Belfast
Barbershop Chorus
Winner
Synergy Chorus, Abergavenny, Wales
Barbershop Ensemble
Winner
Synergy Howlers, Abergavenny, Wales
Newcomers Class
Winner
Ballyholme School Staff Choir, Bangor
Runner Up
Shorething, Abergavenny, Wales
Female Voice
Winner
Miskelly Chorale, Co Down
Runner Up
The Peninsula Choir, Kircubbin
Male Voice Choir
Winner
Donaghadee Male Voice Choir
Runner Up
Portadown Male Voice Choir
Sacred Music
Winner
Portadown Male Voice Choir
Runner Up
Donaghadee Male Voice Choi
Light Entertainment
Winner
Lagan Seahorses, Belfast
Runner Up
Synergy Howlers, Abergavenny, Wales
Open Choral Award
Winner
Miskelly Chorale, Co. Down
Runner Up
Synergy Chorus, Abergavenny, Wales
Special Awards
Looughside Trophy
Grange Park Primary School, Bangor
Belfast City Airport Trophy
Campbell College Middle School Choir, Belfast
Isobel Reid Rose Bowl
Miskelly Chorale, Co Down
Best Visiting Choir
Synergy Chorus, Abergavenny, Wales
Best Northern I Ireland Choir
Ballyholme School Staff Choir, Bangor
Marine Court Shield (best single performance)
Synergy Chorus Abergavenny, Wlales