Festival Jeunes Voix Mêlées
from 13th to 17th may, 2026
Aims of the event
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Give an opportunity for singers to meet and sing with well-known European choir directors
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Opportunity for different choirs to meet and sing together
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Allow choirs to share their experiences
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Give choir members the opportunity to listen to many concerts with choral groups of different styles
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Organize a choral event for the city, the council and the department
Dates
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On Monday the 11th and Tuesday the 12th of May 2026, meeting for school choirs
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On Wednesday the 13th to 17th of May 2026, European choir festival
Organizer
Association Junior-Chanterie-Cantilène de Thuir
The"Chanterie - Cantilène" Thuir is a choir group of children and teenagers from five to 18 years old. We were created in 1977 and we are located in Thuir in the South of France near Perpignan and 45 km from the Spanish border. Our association has three groups: the junior group between 5 and 8 years allows singers to discover their voices, the chanterie from 8 to 12 allow singers to discover polyphonic songs. The older group, the cantilène is composed by singers from 12 to 18 years old, they explore more complex arrangements.
All three groups have a rich year of musical concerts, afternoon workshops, and week-end full of songs, scenic work and plenty of fun.
Every year, singers participate in choir exchanges around France and abroad. In recent years, we have met choirs from Portugal, Estonia, Catalunya, France....
Singing practice: ateliers, open singing
3 ateliers for 100 singers conducted by renowned European choir directors.
Each choir will be split into two groups and will participate in 2 different workshops. Each group will follow the same atelier for the three days. The choirs will have to choose by order of preference which workshop they select. Each director will then split his choir into two groups respecting the balance of voices.
Participants : 8-12 years old( equal voices)- 100 participants
Workshop content :
Muziki ni upendo" comes from Swahili and means Music is love—and that’s exactly what we’ll be sharing!
Together, we sing songs from around the world in many different languages. We discover the joy of singing as one, working toward a beautiful unison sound, and we take our first steps into the colorful world of harmony. Through our voices, we celebrate the world, love, and the simple happiness of singing together. We will not only sing, but also move, it helps us to learn the music, support our singing, and connect to the expression of the song. With all this music, songs and love we make one vibrant performance!
Tom Johnson is a versatile conductor and violinist who uses his passion for music to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together. As an experienced conductor, he works with a wide range of groups, from children and adults to choirs and schools, amateurs and professionals. His work includes both educational and professional projects, through which he shares his love for music and inspires others.
Tom is the permanent conductor of the youth choir Carmina (ages 12-18) and the children’s choir Lambertijnen (ages 8-12). Additionally, he teaches choral conducting at the Podiumacademie in Lier, where he trains the next generation of choir conductors. His expertise and enthusiasm make him a highly sought-after conductor and workshop leader, both nationally and internationally, at events such as Koordagen voor Kinderen (Koor&Stem), Europa Cantat Junior (ECA), Festival di Primavera (Feniarco), and Choralies (À Coeur Joie)…
Tom firmly believes in the unifying power of singing and strives to give everyone the opportunity to experience it. Through his passionate leadership and dedication, he continues to make a lasting impact on the choral and music world, always aiming for inclusivity and musical joy for all.
Atelier n°1 :
Muziki ni Upendo proposed by
TOM JOHNSON
Atelier n°2 :
In progress proposed by
BASILIO ASTULEZ
Participants : 12-20 ans ( equal voices)- 100 singers
Workshop content :
In progress
Basilio Astulez.
Basilio Astulez teaches Shoral Singing at the Leioa Municipal Music Conservatory, where he founded the Leioa Kantika Korala children´s choir in 2000 and the SJB mixed youth choir in 2008. This recently-founded choir school has over 250 singers aged between 9 and 25 and has already won many Spanish and European awards (Tolosa, Arezzo, Gorizia, Neerpelt, National Grand Prix…). He conducts also Vocalia Taldea choir, a multi awarded and renowed female ensemble. As the conductor of these choirs, he has recorded 12 records and toured in Europe, America and Asia. He currently teaches Choral Conducting for educational institutions, universities and choral federations in Spain and is frequently asked to be a member of the jury for many competitions and to run choral singing courses and seminars allover the world. He also teaches Choir Conducting at the Musikene Higher Conservatory of the Basque Country since 2018 and leads EHGA, the Basque Youth Choir, recently awarded with three first prizes in the Intertantional Choral Contest of Tolosa.
Atelier n°3 :
Shake your voice !
proposed by
MADELINE et PIERRE d'HOUTAUD
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Participants :12-20 ans ( equal voices)- 100 singers
Workshop content :
Genre : pop music
There are those who fall for simple and delicious chocolate cakes, and others who
prefer more refined desserts... We take both! In music, it’s the same:
we like the emotions of pop music hits and are inspired by writing and the requirement of learned music... Shake it all, and here’s the perfect recipe for to live an explosive and unforgettable artistic moment!
This workshop will mix the power of choral singing and the contagious energy of dynamic and poetic movements to learn to express hemselves on stage as a complete artist!
Musical program (15 minutes, mixed 3-voice arrangements)
- Imagine Dragons' Believer (Stone’s Arch)
- The symphony of lightning by Zaho de Zagazan (arr de Pierre)
- Move of Mika (arr of Stone)
- Happy ending by Mika (arr by Philippe Ostiguy)
Madeline D'Houtaud Artistic director of the Nancy University Choir since 2012, Madeline
d'Houtaud is an associate professor of music at the University of Lorraine. Cellist training, she discovered a real passion for choral singing during her studies at the Faculty of Musicology and at the Conservatoire de Nancy. She obtains the Diplôme d'Etude Musical direction at the Conservatoire de Metz and is regularly perfected by many choirs thanks to the À Cœur Joie network. Alongside her husband, Pierre, it is working to renew the image of choral singing among young people by developing shows combining choral singing, choreography and scenography, while exploring a repertoire anchored in current music.
Pierre D'Houtaud Conductor of the University Choir of Nancy from 2010 to 2012. Associate Professor, Doctor of musicology and musician trained at the Conservatoire de Nancy, he is today one of Pillars of the choir, occupying multiple functions: accompanying pianist, arranger, and, since 2016, assistant choirmaster alongside Madeline, with whom he artistic tandem. Together, they develop increasingly ambitious projects. Thanks to
arrangements, Pierre brings to the choir a singular musical identity, where meet the language of pop music and the need for more scholarly writing.
Convinced of the richness of choral practice, he is also a member, since January 2017, from the National Board of Directors of the À Coeur Joie network.
Open singing
Open singing will be led by the three renowened European choir director present at the event: Basilio Astulez (Spain), Tom Johnson (Belgium) and Madeline and Pierre D'Houtaud.
Open singing will also be accompanied by Mathieu LE NESTOUR, singer, pianist, compositor and arranger, singing professor spécialised in contemporary music.
Mathieu Le Nestour records numerous albums as arranger and interpret, nottably with the label Naïve (platinium disc in 2012 for “chansons et comptines de notre enfance“), and regularly lends his voice for advertisements.
Son stge, he accumulates encounters and projects (The voice, Jean Carpenter, Yoann Freejay, Dany Mauro, Emmy Liyana, Anna Ka, Alvy Zamé, Fred’Angelo, Barry Johnson, American Gospel Junior, Agnès fait sa b.o, John Sims, Ronald Becker Electric band…) and tours in France and Europe, notably with his shows: Planète Groove and Le Comptinobook (Gimick).
He is a specialist of choir arrangements or vocal ensembles ( First place of composition at the concours international de la ville de Tours in 2009) Some of his pieces are edited by A Cœur Joie’s editions. He also is the artistic director of VoCA a society specialised in vocal team building.
Concerts
1 singing afternoon
7 concerts
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Concert « Cœur de ville en chœurs » from 14h30 to 17h30 on Thursday 14th of May:
5 squares in the city will welcome the participating choirs. Each choir will give a 25 minutes concert. The public will have the choice between a variety of concerts and locations. The afternoon will be open to all local choirs from the department (school and others).
Locations: Place du Collège-Place de la Mairie-Place G.Péri-Place de la Cellera-Cour de l’école maternelle Les Muriers
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Concert « Mosaïque » at 21h00 on Thursday 14th of May:
Each choir will present 2 songs from their program (duration: 8 minutes per choir)
Location: Théâtre des Aspres
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“Choir to choir" concert from 16h00 to 17h30 on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th of May:
Two choirs share a musical performance for 25 minutes each
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Prestigious concert at 21h00 on Friday 15th of May:
Location: Théâtre des Aspres
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Final concert at 21h00 on Saturday 16th of May:
Will be a performance showing the results of the different workshops and open singing during the event.
Location : Théâtre des Aspres
Registration
On line from the 10th of June 2025 to the 10th of October 2025
The first payment of 50% will be asked for the 10th of October 2025. The whole amount will have to be paid on April 2026.
Fee for choirs singers:
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Free for 3 adults (choir director, the pianist and the choir manager). This fee includes accommodation for 4 nights, 8 meals, the open singing, the ateliers and the admissions for all the concerts. It doesn't include the trip to Thuir.
Each choir will have the opportunity to perform during the “mosaique concert”, in one choir to choir concert, and in the final concert. In some cases a concert on the Friday 27th of May in the host village can be organized by the partner choir.
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Choir member of A Coeur Joie or Europa Cantat : 85 euros per chorist
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Choir non member of A Cœur Joie or Europa Cantat: 95 euros per chorist
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Free for choir director, the pianist and the choir manager
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Other accompanying person: 85 or 95 euros as well. Accompanying persons may be asked for help at different times during the event.
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The number of choirs is limited by the hosts available. In case of too many registrations, the musical team will have to choose between the choirs interested so different styles and levels will be taken into consideration. Your registration will be confirmed very quickly.
Accomodation and meals
Family hosting
Collective meals
The singers will be hosted by families of our singers here in Thuir or in families from our local choirs. These families will accompany the hosted singers throughout the whole stay. The meals and picnic will be offered by these families on Wednesday night and Sunday pic nic. The other meals will be taken all together in a common lunch room. Each choir will have to make sure that they have informed us of the different diets of their singers.
Each host family will have at least two singers. Choir directors will send us the list with suggested pairings to dispatch them in the families.. We may make a few changes if needed, but anyhow none will be left alone in a family.
Accompanying individuals will be staying in host families as well except if they book a hotel (which will be the responsibility of their own choir).
Bus drivers: will not be asked to stay during the event. But for those who stay during the festival, they will stay in families as well, except if they book a hotel (which will the responsibility of their own choir).
