Folk Song Festival – René Fiorio Choral Meeting

A choral tradition since 1982

The Folk Song Festival in Bioglio, a small town in the Province of Biella nestled in the Piedmont foothills, is one of the longest-running choral events in the Biella area. Established in 1982 by the Coro Biellese La Campagnola, the festival has welcomed dozens of groups from across Northern Italy and occasionally abroad over the decades, becoming a landmark for lovers of folk singing and equal-voice choral music.

Dedicated to poet René Fiorio

For several years, the festival has been titled the René Fiorio Choral Meeting, in memory of the Biellese poet whose verses captured the life, work, and landscapes of the valley. Linking choral music with local poetry is the guiding theme of the event, uniting two forms of expression deeply rooted in the town's identity.

The Coro Biellese La Campagnola

The organizational heart of the event is the Coro Biellese La Campagnola, a male-voice ensemble founded in 1970 and based in Mottalciata, directed since 2014 by maestro Simone Capietto. The choir specializes in promoting the traditional musical heritage of Piedmont and Biella; during the festival, they typically perform a selection from their vast repertoire, featuring both original works and traditional Biellese folk songs.

The setting: the church of Santa Maria Assunta

The choral meeting takes place in the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta in Bioglio, whose acoustics and intimate atmosphere provide the ideal backdrop for the choirs' voices. Over the years, the evening has featured groups such as the Cantoria di Castelnuovo Nigra, the Coro Alladium of Agliè, and numerous other ensembles from Piedmont, creating a dialogue of styles and traditions.

A community event

The festival is traditionally held on a Saturday evening in October, with the patronage of the Bioglio Municipal Administration and free admission. More than just a performance, it is a gathering for the local community and choral music enthusiasts, who return every year to fill the aisles and listen to a repertoire that preserves the sonic memory of the Biella region.