Chantén mai — Choral Encounter

An evening of folk singing in the heart of the Maira Valley

Chantén mai is the spring choral festival that brings San Damiano Macra to life every year, a small town in the Maira Valley in the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont. The event takes place in the evocative parish church of SS. Cosma e Damiano and offers an evening entirely dedicated to choral singing, featuring a repertoire of folk music, alpine songs, and the Occitan traditions of the valleys.

The Gruppo Corale La Reis

The event is organized by the Gruppo Corale La Reis, a group founded in 1989 out of a small circle of friends' passion for folk singing and their deep attachment to their valley and its traditions. The name Reis means "the root" in the Provençal-Occitan language, reflecting a profound bond with the local culture. Over the years, the choir has performed over six hundred times across various Italian regions and in France, becoming an ambassador for the musical tradition of the Maira Valley.

A meeting of choirs

The essence of Chantén mai is the encounter: each year, the host choir invites a guest ensemble from other regions, creating a musical dialogue that unites alpine traditions from across the Italian mountain range. Throughout its editions, the festival has brought dozens of choirs to San Damiano Macra, making it a landmark for lovers of folk and mountain singing.

Two festivals a year

The Gruppo Corale La Reis organizes two choral festivals annually in San Damiano Macra: Chantén mai in the spring and Chanto l'Outoun in the autumn. Together, they form one of the most deeply rooted cultural events in the Maira Valley calendar.

Rediscovered Villages

In recent years, the initiative has become part of the Borghi ritrovati (Rediscovered Villages) project, funded by the PNRR (Mission 1, Component 3 – Investment 2.1), which involves the municipalities of San Damiano Macra, Roccabruna, and Cartignano in a cultural and social regeneration path for the valley's villages.

A free event

Admission to Chantén mai is free and open to everyone: a chance to discover the richness of choral singing and the intimate atmosphere of a mountain church that, for one evening, becomes a sounding board for the folk traditions of Piedmont.