Guido d'Arezzo International Polyphonic Competition
Europe's oldest international choral competition, in the heart of Tuscany
About Arezzo Polyphonic Competition
Europe's oldest international choral competition
Every year at the end of August, Arezzo becomes the global capital of polyphony. The Guido d'Arezzo International Polyphonic Competition, organized by the Fondazione Guido d'Arezzo, is the oldest international choral competition in Europe. Founded in 1952 as a national event, it opened its doors to international choirs the following year and has since established itself as one of the most coveted stages for choral music worldwide.
The event is named after Guido Monaco (Guido d'Arezzo), the Benedictine monk who, around the year 1000 in these very lands, invented modern musical notation and named the musical notes. It is hard to imagine a more fitting setting for a grand celebration of song: Arezzo, one of Tuscany's most beautiful cities of art, welcomes choirs from every continent in a spirit of artistic dialogue and cultural exchange.
Choirs from around the world in the heart of Tuscany
For five days, the registered vocal ensembles perform before an international jury in the city's most evocative venues: the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Donatus, the Church of San Domenico, and the Teatro Petrarca. Performances range from great Renaissance polyphony to contemporary music, from sacred to secular works, and traditional folk songs from various nations.
The competition is divided into several sections: compulsory program (for mixed choirs, equal voices, children's choirs, and vocal ensembles), free-choice sacred music, free-choice secular music, a monographic section dedicated each year to a major composer, an international folk song festival, and the Micrologus Prize, reserved for medieval liturgical monophonic chant. Only amateur choirs may participate, in keeping with the event's original spirit.
The Grand Prix and the European network
The competitive heart of the event is the Gran Premio Città di Arezzo, for which the top-ranked choirs from each category qualify. The winner earns the right to represent Arezzo at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, the world's most important choral competition, which rotates between Arezzo, Maribor, Debrecen, Tours, Varna, and Toulouse. This link to the European circuit makes the Arezzo Polyphonic an unmissable appointment for high-level choral music.
A festival open to the city
Despite being a high-profile competition, the Polyphonic Competition is a deeply popular and welcoming event: all competition sessions and side concerts are open to the public and free, and are also streamed on the Foundation's website. For those visiting Arezzo and its province during this time, it is a unique opportunity to listen to dozens of international groups in venues of extraordinary acoustics and beauty, immersed in the atmosphere of one of Tuscany's most fascinating cities.
Arezzo Polyphonic Competition — edition 2026
The 74th edition of the Guido d'Arezzo International Polyphonic Competition is scheduled in Arezzo from Wednesday, August 19 to Sunday, August 23, 2026. The official call for entries, published by the Fondazione Guido d'Arezzo, confirms the structure in two categories (Competition and Festival) and numerous sections, among which stands out this year the monographic program dedicated to John Dowland on the 400th anniversary of his death. As per tradition, the top-ranked choirs qualify for the Gran Premio Città di Arezzo, valid for admission to the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing. All performances are open to the public, free, and streamed online.
Programme Arezzo Polyphonic Competition 2026
Category A — Competition
- Section 1 — Compulsory program: 1a) mixed choirs (16-36 members); 1b) equal voice choirs (16-36); 1c) children's choirs (16-36); 1d) vocal ensembles (4-16 members)
- Section 2 — Sacred music (free-choice program)
- Section 3 — Secular music (free-choice program)
- Section 4 — John Dowland monographic program (12-15 minutes, on the 400th anniversary of his death)
- Section 5 — International folk song festival (15-20 minutes)
- Gran Premio "Città di Arezzo" — reserved for the top-ranked choirs in each category
Category B — Festival
- Section 5 — Folk song (12-15 minutes)
- Section 6 — Micrologus Prize: medieval liturgical monophonic chant (12-15 minutes)
Venues
Competition sessions are held in the Cathedral, the Church of San Domenico, and the Teatro Petrarca in Arezzo.
Jury
International jury composed of Vincenzo Di Donato (Italy), Dario Tabbia (Italy), Milan Kolena (Slovakia), Jani Sivén (Finland), Helena Končar Zupančič (Slovenia), Virginia Bono (Argentina), and Helene Stureborg (Sweden).
The detailed schedule of performances and side concerts is published by the Foundation in the weeks preceding the event on the website polifonico.org.
Highlights Arezzo Polyphonic Competition 2026
- 74th edition of Europe's oldest international choral competition
- Monographic section dedicated to John Dowland (400th anniversary of his death)
- Gran Premio Città di Arezzo, qualifying for the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing
- Micrologus Prize for medieval liturgical monophonic chant
- Performances in the Cathedral, San Domenico, and Teatro Petrarca
Prices Arezzo Polyphonic Competition 2026
Practical information — Arezzo Polyphonic Competition
When and where
The competition takes place in Arezzo, Tuscany, at the end of August. Performances are held in the Cathedral, the Church of San Domenico, and the Teatro Petrarca, in the city's historic center.
How to get there
By train: Arezzo station is on the Rome-Florence line, well-served by high-speed Frecce and regional trains; the historic center is within walking distance. By car: take the Arezzo exit on the A1 motorway. The nearest airports are Florence and Perugia.
Admission and info
All competition sessions and concerts are open to the public and free of charge, with the option to follow them via live stream on the official website. For information: Fondazione Guido d'Arezzo, Corso Italia 102, tel. +39 0575 377430, [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Arezzo Polyphonic Competition
Arezzo (Cattedrale, Chiesa di San Domenico, Teatro Petrarca)
Corso Italia 102, 52100 Arezzo