Conductor: Basilio Astúlez

Leioa Kantika Korala was founded in 2000 at the Leioa Municipal Conservatory under the initiative of its conductor, Basilio Astúlez. Composed of 50 girls and boys aged between 11 and 20, all students of the conservatory, the prime objective is to foster within them a love of choral music and to expand their musical studies, covering the widest possible variety and breadth of styles and repertoire. Today’s choir is now a benchmark on the international choir scene thanks to its bold approach, meticulous staging and its commitment to commissioning and premiering new music written for children’s choirs written by composers from all over the world. Since its inception, Kantika has performed at numerous choral events and festivals both in the Basque Country and throughout the rest of Spain. The choir has also been invited to various international festivals and has been on tours in countries including Portugal, France, Iceland, Mexico, Italy, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Scotland, Switzerland, Belgium, Israel, South Korea or China. Kantika has received a number of awards, including such prestigious international competitions as Tolosa, Arezzo, Gorizia, Neerpelt, and Rimini. It has recorded eight albums, and some of its performances have been broadcast on local, national and international television. The choir regularly collaborates with orchestras and conductors for workshops, masterclasses, choral-orchestral works, opera and chamber music performances, recordings and other projects, both in the Basque Country and throughout Spain.