CORALIA TO REPRESENT PUERTO RICO IN PRESTIGIOUS EUROPEAN CHORAL COMPETITION

The ensemble, recently featured in the Puerto Rico Turism Company's "Yo Te Quiero Puerto Rico" campaign and official choit of FITUR 2026, will compete on one of the most rigorous stages in the coral world.

San Juan, Puerto Rico –– Coralia –Concert Choir from the University of Puerto Rico– has been officially invited to participate in the 30th edition of the Béla Bartók International Choir Competition, which will take place from July 2 to 5, 2026, in Debrecen, Hungary.

This prestigious competition is part of the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (EGP) circuit, widely regarded as the most rigorous and prestigious choral competition circuit in the world. Although its competitions take place in Europe, the EGP serves as a global showcase for choral excellence, bringing together some of the most outstanding shoirs worldwide, widely recognized for their artistic level, technical discipline, and international projection. Being part of this circuit represents one of the highest distinctions in the competitive choral field.

In this historic edition, marking the 30th anniversary of the competition, Corali will compete in Category A in the Sacred Music and Free Program categories, the most demanding level of the competition.

Significantly, Coralia will be the only choir from the Caribbean invited to participate in this internationally renowned competition, an achievement that reaffirms the ensemble's artistic excellence and places Puerto Rico's choral movement at the highest level of global competitive choral music.

Founded in 1982 by its conductor, Dr. Carmen Acevedo-Lucío, Coralia has established itself as one of the most active and award-winning choral ensembles in Puerto Rico, with a strong international trajectory. Recently, the ensemble was featured in the new campaign of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, "Yo Te Quiero Puerto Rico", which was broadcast transmitted live from Puerto Rico to Madrid. This participation reaffirmed the choir's role as a cultural ambassador for Puerto Rico on international stages.

Coralia's participation in the 30th Béla Bartók Choir Competition marks a new chapter in its international projection, consolidating its presence on some of the most important competitive stages in the choral world.

This invitation not only validates decades of disciplined work and musical excellence, but also places Puerto Rico once again on a world-class stage, where precision, rigor, and interpretative quality are paramount.

This milestone further highlights the impact of university-level music education and choral work as a platform for cultural representation and artistic excellence at the international level.

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