A particularly important international action was held on April 18-20, 2024 in Ayia Napa. The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth of Cyprus (Office of Secondary Music Education) in collaboration with the Municipality of Ayia Napa organized the 6th International Music Olympiad.
The institution of the International Music Olympiad, organized for the first time in 2012 in Tallinn, Estonia, aims to strengthen the development of international contacts in the field of school music education and hopes to contribute to the achievement of international and European goals, such as contributing to peace, combating social exclusion and discrimination, promoting social justice and respecting cultural and linguistic diversity.
This event brought together talented musicians from a total of nine countries and offered a unique spectacle full of impressive performances and contemporary musical creations that covered a multitude of musical genres and cultures. The event opened with a particularly impressive opening ceremony in which the orchestra and choir of the Lyceum Agios Georgios Larnaca - Larnaca Music School participated, on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 19:30 at the Thalassa Museum Amphitheater in Ayia Napa. In the context of the event, it was delivered to the President of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Georgia Neofytou, the symbol of the International Music Olympiad, from the representative of the Estonian Olympic Team, Ms. Kristi Kiilu. It is noted that the last surviving International Music Olympiad was held in Estonia in 2018.
Teams from 9 countries participated in the Olympiad: Greece, Estonia, Cyprus, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. The 18 members of the International Jury, 2024 contestants, 10 companions of the Olympic teams and a total of 28 students and adults who accompanied the teams from Cyprus and abroad arrived in Ayia Napa on April 9, 50. The president of the International Jury was the internationally renowned Cypriot composer, Marios Ioannou Ilias.
The competition part started with the Musical Knowledge Competition held on Friday, April 19, 2024 in the morning at the Cabo Greco Environmental Center. In the afternoon of the same day, the Vocal Performance Competition was held in the afternoon at the Giorgos Seferis Cultural Center, in Ayia Napa, in the presence of an audience. Both the vocal performance competition and the composition competition are presented in the form of an open concert, to the general public. The Composition Competition was held on Saturday 2024, at the Giorgos Seferis Cultural Center with the presentation of original works created by the contestants especially for this event.
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and the Organizing Committee of the International Music Olympiad warmly thanks the Jury for its dedication and professionalism, as well as for its crucial role in the success of the event, taking into account the quality of the contestants' performances. The full list of winners and awards can be found on the organization's website https://www.imuo2024.org
This international action ended with a spectacular event, full of excitement, emotion and music from all over the world. The closing ceremony organized on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 19:30, at the Marina of Ayia Napa with the participation of the Choirs of the Kokkinohoria Gymnasium and Lyceum - Music School of Famagusta and the Pan-Cypriot Choir of Similar Voices of Cyprus Music Schools, VOX VENUS, marked the end of an unforgettable event after two days full of excellent performances and unique experiences.
The 6th International Music Olympiad was undeniably a valuable platform for cultural exchange and musical creation, highlighting once again the transformative power of music, its unique ability to overcome borders, languages and cultures, succeeding in transmitting a distinct message of communication and cooperation.
