Urdaibai Kantagunea

In the Basque Country, there is a tradition of singing that is deeply rooted in the Basque people. This means that, in a country of 2.5 million people, there are numerous singing groups of various styles. There are more than 200 traditional choral groups, and as there has always been a strong custom of singing at meals, dinners, and gatherings of friends, about 25 years ago, a new movement of Basque folk and popular singing groups emerged. 

This movement is characterised by singing in the streets and squares without barriers, encouraging anyone to join in. When these groups sing in public, people who are not part of the group often feel inspired to join us and sing along. A distinctive feature of these groups is that they are often accompanied by a small ensemble of musicians playing different instruments. 

Urdaibai Kantagunea is one of the pioneering groups in this new style. In 2025, they will celebrate our 20th anniversary. To mark this milestone, they have decided to travel to Ireland and take part in the Cork International Choir Festival.

Over the past 20 years, Urdaibai Kantagunea has performed an average of 15 to 20 times per year. In addition to singing in many towns across the Basque Country, they have also performed internationally in Hannover and Stockholm, collaborating with friendly choirs from those cities.