2017–present
Emily Kuo Vong
China · Macau
Elected in 2017 and reappointed in 2020.International Federation for Choral Music
Creators
transforming the world.
A digital home where the worldwide choral community can discover, connect, learn, participate and build what comes next.
IFCM WORLD
One world. Many ways to belong.
Select a pin to discover IFCM people, symposia, organisations and choirs around the world.
IFCM peopleSymposiaOrganisationsChoirs
Why IFCM exists
Born to connect
a world that sings.
In 1982, five major choral organisations came together in Namur, Belgium, with one purpose: make communication and exchange possible across borders.
Since then, IFCM has connected musicians through world symposia, the World Youth Choir, World Choral Day, publications, mentoring, databases and international cooperation. Its reason remains urgent: when people sing together, differences of culture, language and belief can become shared creation.
Explore IFCM history ↓
Founded in 1982✦Global cooperation✦Cultural diversity✦Creators transforming the world
IFCM Presidents · 1982–today
The people who carried
the federation forward.
From the current presidency back to the founding year: a chronological view of the people entrusted with leading IFCM across generations.
2010–2017
Michael J. Anderson
United States
President for seven years; re-elected in Seoul in 2014.
2005–2010
Lupwishi Mbuyamba
Mozambique
Elected after the 2005 General Assembly in Kyoto.
2004–2005 · Acting
María Guinand
Venezuela
Served as acting president after the death of Eskil Hemberg.
1999–2004
Eskil Hemberg
Sweden
Led IFCM until his death in June 2004.
1993–1998
Claude Tagger
France
A central figure in IFCM’s early international development.
1985–1993 · Interim 1998–1999
Royce Saltzman
United States
Co-founder who succeeded Paul Wehrle and later served again on an interim basis.
1982–1985
Paul Wehrle
Germany
Founding president of IFCM.Chronology based on IFCM’s official 40th-anniversary historical publication and archive. Photographs are archival images from that publication; the Royce Saltzman portrait is from The Oregon Encyclopedia.
Read the IFCM 40-year history ↗A living global network
From organisation
to living network.
Four practical commitments to make IFCM more relevant, more representative and more connected.
One personal dashboard for opportunities, events, peer exchange, recordings and resources — tailored to each member's interests and region.
- Global opportunity board
- Mentoring and peer circles
- Member-only learning library
Regional councils with a direct route into decision-making, translation, programming and visibility across the whole federation.
- Regional listening assemblies
- Multilingual communication
- Transparent representation
A global learning platform where conductors, composers, singers, managers and researchers can teach, discover and collaborate.
- Open multilingual resources
- Monthly digital studios
- Emerging leader programme
Clear priorities, accessible budgets, visible decisions and regular reporting — making members partners in IFCM's direction.
- Public strategy dashboard
- Open calls and criteria
- Annual member assembly
IFCM Ambassadors
Voices that connect
the whole world.
The Ambassador Programme recognises outstanding choirs selected by IFCM Artistic Committees for World Symposia on Choral Music. Each profile opens inside this prototype as part of one connected global directory.
World Symposium on Choral Music
A world meeting
that keeps moving.
Since Vienna in 1987, the World Symposium on Choral Music has brought leading choirs, conductors and thinkers together for performances, workshops, seminars and exchange. The next edition takes place in Macau, China, from 23–28 August 2026 under the theme Reimagining the Future.
Symposium cities also appear on the globe
Global choral calendar
Where will the
choral world meet next?
International festivals, competitions and learning opportunities gathered into one worldwide calendar. Select an event to open its information here, without leaving IFCM.
23JUN
2026
2026
NEXT IN THE CALENDAR · BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Budapest Music Festival 2026
23–28 June 2026
⌕
Have an event to share?Submit the poster and information for IFCM review.
Submit an event ↗
JUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC2027
Explore events sideways
IFCM Global Calendar: public international listings shown as a prototype. In production, every event would carry an editorial status, organiser contact and last-verification date.
Global choral directory
Find the people
who make the world sing.
This public prototype begins with verified organisations and projects. The protected IFCM Members Database can later be imported by an authorised administrator.
Slide through the worldwide network
Are you an IFCM member?
Every member is an ambassador. Sign in to view protected records or submit an organisation for the public map.
Join the directory ↗
Membership
Join more than a list.
Join a working community.
Every member is an ambassador. Membership connects people and organisations to international projects, knowledge, recordings, opportunities and democratic participation.
Become a member ↗Online Cafés, recordings, the ICM archive and multilingual resources.
Members Database, international contacts and the World Choral Census.
Global projects, open calls and voting rights according to membership category.
Directory listing, news opportunities and international event promotion.
IndividualStudent & Under 25ChoirLocal organisationNational / RegionalInternationalBusiness
Membership fees can be calculated automatically using IFCM country groups before a secure online payment.
“Do for them what you wish someone had done for you.”
Offer an IFCM membership for the next three years. One invitation can become a first international connection, a mentor, a project or the beginning of a lifetime in choral music.
The recipient would be contacted only with consent. Fees and eligibility would be confirmed securely by IFCM.Listen, watch, follow
The federation
should always feel alive.
Watch. Listen. Learn.
A clear home for performances, interviews, Online Café recordings, podcasts and learning resources. Members can save favourites and continue where they stopped.
Member Home
Not a mock-up.
A weekly habit.
A glimpse of what a logged-in member could experience: relevant information, real people and useful actions in one calm space.
MEMBER SPACE
A personal doorway into the worldwide IFCM community
WELCOME BACKYour choral world,
Your choral world,
in one place.
LIVE THIS WEEKReimagining the role of the conductor
GLOBAL CALENDARWhat is happening
What is happening
around you?
IFCM Online CaféOnline · Free
↗Summer Choral AtelierLisbon · Workshop
↗World Voices ExchangeMacau · Festival
↗YOUR NETWORKPeople worth
People worth
meeting this week.
Maria GuinandConductor · Venezuela
Tracy WongConductor · Malaysia / Canada
Joel Magus NavarroConductor · Philippines
SELECTED FOR YOUOpen doors,
Open doors,
right now.
IFCM AIStart with a question,
Start with a question,
not a menu.
Become a Partner
Put your organisation
inside a worldwide network.
Millions of people sing together, yet the world still lacks one trusted and comparable picture of choral participation. Help IFCM measure the world that sings — and turn knowledge into connection, access and action.
What we know — and what the world still needs to measure
Published research benchmarks
collective singers — 4.5% of the European population, gathered in around one million choirs and ensembles.
Singing Europe, 2015 / revisited 2024 ↗Americans singing together. This is a United States benchmark, not yet a complete continental total.
Chorus Impact Study, 2019 ↗No robust, comparable continent-wide total has yet been published. Help make every singing community visible.
Build the evidence with IFCM ↗Extraordinary choral activity, but no single verified continental participation figure yet.
Build the evidence with IFCM ↗A rich singing continent that deserves a shared, reliable and internationally visible data portrait.
Build the evidence with IFCM ↗National insights exist, but a comparable regional total still needs to be assembled and maintained.
Build the evidence with IFCM ↗Why the question marks? The published figures use different territories and methods. A responsible global platform should show what is verified, identify what is missing and invite partners to help close the gap.
Advertise with IFCM
Reach the people
who make choral life happen.
Organisations can request paid, clearly labelled placements in the Global Calendar, eNews, Member Home and media areas. Every campaign remains subject to IFCM editorial approval.
Featured eventeNews placementMember dashboardMedia partner
Join the conversation
The future sounds
better with your voice.
Contact IFCM
Two offices.
One global mission.
Austin, United States
International Federation for Choral Music
Nadine Robin, IFCM Office Manager
9901 Brodie Lane
Suite 160 PMB1524
Austin, TX 78748
Lisbon, Portugal
International Federation for Choral Music
Rua de Buenos Aires 39
1200-623 Lisboa
Portugal
Stay connected
Editorial enquiries, international news and the worldwide IFCM community.
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