The Florilège Vocal de Tours, the only international choral competition in France participated by both large and small ensembles of equal or mixed voices, will soon play host to several international award-winning teams.
Choirs will compete in three categories: a program where the songs are selected by the organizers; a free program where participants choose their pieces; and a Renaissance round.
Coro San Benildo, the resident choral group of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), will join in all three.
A distinguished jury of international personalities from the world of choral singing will hail the winners in each contest, culminating in the Grand Prix de la Ville de Tours, in which two groups from the Philippines have won in the past – The Ateneo College Glee Club in 2000 and Philippine Madrigal Singers in 2006.
The regional champions are set to compete in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, considered to be the Olympics for choirs, in Maribor, Slovenia next year.
Coro San Benildo, led by choirmaster Lorenzo C. Gealogo, is under the management of the college’s Office of Culture and Arts. Having participated in numerous festivals and competitions, it has successfully transformed into a globally competitive group. Its strong sense of showmanship and innovation has garnered numerous coveted awards and gained worldwide recognition.