Thousands of Singers from 11 Countries Compete at the 15th Bali International Choir Festival

The 15th Bali International Choir Festival (BICF) is underway at the Dharma Negara Alaya building in Denpasar, Bali, running from 26 to 30 July 2026. Festival Director Indra Kurniawan Salama, who also leads the Bandung Choral Society, stated that approximately 3,000 singers are participating this year. They hail from 11 countries and 16 Indonesian provinces. The festival features 18 vocal competition categories, including children’s choir, youth choir, teenagers, musica sacra, and folk song. “There are about 18 categories, but each category has between five and ten participants. So the number of participants varies for each category,” Indra said following the opening ceremony on Sunday (26/7/2026). Indra noted that both local and international participation in BICF 2026 has increased compared to the previous year. The Indonesian contingent alone comprises around 60 to 70 teams, plus approximately 50 to 60 solo singers. BICF 2026 features 16 jurors from various countries, including the United States, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, the Philippines, Spain, Lithuania, Sweden, and Indonesia. In addition to competing for titles in their respective categories, participants are vying for a spot in the Grand Prix round. The winner of the BICF Grand Prix will go on to compete in the Asia Choral Grand Prix 2027 in Manila, Philippines. “The Asia Choral Grand Prix is a competition between the Grand Prix winners from several of the largest festivals in each country,” Indra added. The festival will also hold a charity concert at the Denpasar Cathedral, with ticket sales proceeds being donated to social causes. I Made Rentin, a staff expert for the Governor of Bali, said the 15th BICF serves as a platform for promoting Bali internationally. He noted that the arrival of participants and jurors from various countries is a moment to introduce Bali to the world. “We hope that this relatively short event, running until the 30th, will still have a positive impact, especially on the development of tourism in Bali Province. At the same time, we continue to prioritise the arts, customs, and culture of Bali,” Rentin said.