Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Leuven’s beKOORt Choir Festival returns September 27, 2026, seeking 50 amateur choirs. Alderman Bert Cornillie and Robrecht Penders highlight 100 performances in 20+ historic venues. Registration ends January 15, 2026.
As VRT News reported, Leuven is preparing for the 3rd edition of the Leuven beKOORt Choir Festival. The city is looking for 50 amateur choirs from Leuven, Flanders, and beyond to take part. The choirs will perform in more than 20 locations across the city.
Concerts will be held in historic churches, quiet courtyards, and other charming places. In total, the choirs will give 100 performances during the festival. Audiences will hear a mix of traditional choral music and modern arrangements.
What is planned for Leuven BeKOORt 2026 with 50 Choirs and 100 shows?
The event is free and open to the public. It will end at 5:30 PM with a large singing session. All choirs and singers are invited to join for a collective performance.
“We started with 40 choirs in 2022,”
says Robrecht Penders of the Leuven Cultural Centre.
“That was quite easy. Two years ago, we had over 80 applications, and from that, we selected a program of 50 choirs. Registrations for 2026 have also just begun, and we already sense a great desire from the choral community to participate. Leuven and Flanders have a very rich choral culture, so we’re always looking for different styles and places where we can present them.”
“The great thing about Leuven beKOORt is that you get to visit places you don’t often see, even as a Leuven native: small parks or gardens, perhaps even the crypt of a church,”
says Penders.
“When the music truly shines there, it’s guaranteed to give you goosebumps. And of course, there’s the grand finale, where as many choirs as possible sing together. That song is written especially for the festival and performed simultaneously by around 300 singers for a massive audience. That’s the real icing on the cake.”
Leuven’s beKOORt Choir Festival is now a key event in the city’s cultural calendar. Alderman for Culture Bert Cornillie (Vooruit) said the festival brings together choirs from Leuven, Flanders, and other regions.
He explained that it gives visitors a chance to explore the city in new ways. Cornillie added that the mix of music and historic venues makes September 27th, 2025, a special day for audiences and performers.
Amateur choirs can register through the Leuven beKOORt website until January 15, 2026. Each choir must be available on September 27th, 2025, to perform 2 concerts of 25 to 30 minutes each. Choirs should have between 8 and 88 singers. Performances can be a cappella or with simple accompaniment. If there are more registrations than available spots, organisers will choose choirs based on diversity and repertoire. Selected choirs will be notified in early March 2026.
The Leuven beKOORt Choir Festival started on September 18, 2022, with 40 amateur choirs performing in 17 venues across the city. The 2nd edition took place on September 22, 2024 and grew to 50 choirs, 22 locations, and 100 concerts with around 1,500 singers.
