CANTAQUERA festival concludes with awards ceremony in Antequera

Held from 11–15 March 2026 in the Andalusian city of Antequera, the festival brought together more than 350 singers from ten countries. Choirs and audiences participated in a programme of performances and encounters across the city, culminating in a festive choir parade through the historic streets before the closing ceremony. The final Awards Ceremony took place in the Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, where the international jury recognised the high artistic standard of the participating ensembles. In total, 11 Gold Diplomas and 8 Silver Diplomas were awarded. Category winners included: - Mixed Choirs (Difficulty Level I) – ProVocal Ensemble, Portugal, conducted by César Freitas - Choirs of Equal Voices (Difficulty Level I) – Vokalna Skupina ‘Vivere’, Slovenia, conducted by Nastja Pančič Čurin - Youth Choirs – Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir, Sweden, conducted by Sofia Ågren - Sacred Choral Music (Difficulty Level I) – Tartu Ülikooli Kammerkoor, Estonia, conducted by Triin Koch - Sacred Choral Music (Difficulty Level II) – Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir, Sweden, conducted by Sofia Ågren

Several special prizes were also awarded. ProVocal Ensemble received a distinction for ‘vibrant sound and characterful presentation’, while Tartu Ülikooli Kammerkoor was recognised for ‘excellence in a broad range of sacred music’. The Conductor’s Prize was awarded to Sofia Ågren for her work with the Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir.