The International choral festival in Vranov n.T. celebrated its jubilee in June this year. The festival that took part from 14th to 17th June 2007 in East Slovak town Vranov n.T. was more interesting and wealthier in more workshops and seminars that were led by prominent domestic and foreign specialists in the area of the choral singing (Š.Sedlický, M.Pazúrik, T. Kanišáková, A. Steczkowska, V. Krauspeová).International seminars were held on the topic „Improvisation  in the choirs”, “Choral singing and choreography”, “Slovak choral creating and choral festivals in Slovakia,”, “Culture of the vocal expression in a choir” and in the workshops were realized the rehearsals of the common compositions.  Children and youth choirs of Choral society  Ozvena Vranov drilled the common songs with boy’s choir from Poland and with the Italian men’s choirs and all participated choirs prepared in workshop the common Slovak choral “Aká si mi krásna” written by Slovak composer Eugen Suchoň.

The Choral festival took place under the patronage of the Minister of Culture of Slovak Republic Marek Maďarič and Mayor of Town  Vranov n.T. Tomáš Lešo and in festival were involved more cooperators from the whole region.The International seminars and workshops were supported by the Project VISEGRAD CANTAT themed „Letś present our Countries Choral Life“ and its organizer in Slovak Republic was Choral Society OZVENA Vranov and Federation of the Slovak choirs. The grantee of the project became Europa Cantat Central Eastern European Centre in Budapest. Particularly the seminar “Choral singing and choreography” led by Doc. Mgr. Art. Štefan Sedlický attracted highly the interest of the presented conductors, it was very interesting, edificatory and there was suggested to possibly future orientation of the choral singing. 

The foreign and domestic choirs presented its art at the time of 15 to 17 June 2007 in public in Vranov n.T., Hanušovce, Humenné in seven choral concerts and during Sunday’s masses in more churches in district of Vranov and in the Folklore Festival in Ni?ný Hrušov.            

In the concerts “Children for children” and in the church’s as well in gala-concert were presented the foreign choirs: BOYS from Poland, Boy’s choir SAUE from Estonia, Children choir SMILTENE from Latvia and Children choir of City Blagoevgrad from Bulgaria, Men´s choirs SINE NOMINE and  CORO DELL INNOMINATO from Italy, Men´s choir ŠMARTNO from Slovenia and Mixed choir PETKO STAINOV from Bulgaria. The domestic choirs took part in choral festival four choirs from Choral Society OZVENA Vranov n.T., Mixed choir  SOCIETAS CANTICA, Vranov, Greece-catholic choirs CHRYSOSTOMOS, Vranov, Evangelic choir EFATA from Hanušovce. In this year first time was the festival extended into neighboring region Humenné, where in the concert on June 15th presented themselves the Italian Men’s choirs and domestic Mixed choir of City Humenné.

The festival program was very rich. Besides concerts the main organizers Choral society OZVENA, City Vranov and Culture House offered also the accompanying events as the exhibition of the creative arts with music themes, five above mentioned seminars and workshops, discussion clubs, trips into surrounding cities and stay at the lake Domaša, acceptance of conductors and guests by the Mayor of City Vranov n.T., visit of the Museum of National Geography, meetings of choirs. All these events intensified the successful running of the Choral festival. Besides of conductors from Hungary and Poland, in festival took part the Slovak composer Zdenko Mikula, president of Federation of Slovak Choirs M.Kostelný, President of ECCEEC  Gábor Móczár from Budapest and other foreign and Slovak guests and conductors.

The grateful public of region Vranov and Humenné established for all participated choirs a splendid creative atmosphere in the concerts. The participants and guests of festival according to their opinion carried off the pleasant and unforgettable memories, they gained worth experience, they arranged the reciprocal contacts, they changed the scores and addresses and they will return to Vranov again with pleasure in the future.