Common Songs

One festival. Many voices. One shared message of peace.

At Choral Fest Costa Rica for Peace, the common songs are more than repertoire.

They are a musical meeting point where choirs from different countries, languages and traditions can become one voice for peace.

Each participating choir brings its own sound, identity and cultural story. But through the common songs, all ensembles are invited to share a collective musical message that expresses the heart of the festival: unity, listening, hope and peace through choral singing.

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Why common songs matter

A choral festival can include many individual performances.

But when all choirs learn and sing the same piece together, something different happens.

The festival becomes more than a sequence of concerts. It becomes a shared experience.

Singers begin to understand that they are not only representing their own choir. They are joining a larger message.

This is why the common songs are central to Choral Fest Costa Rica for Peace.

They help transform many ensembles into one symbolic community.

A message to participating choirs

Dear friends,

The common songs of Choral Fest Costa Rica for Peace have been chosen because they reflect the spirit that brings us together: unity, hope and the desire to build a more harmonious world through our voices and hearts.

These works invite us to listen deeply, to sing with intention and to remember that peace is not only a theme. It is something we can practice when many voices learn to breathe, listen and create beauty together.

We thank every choir, singer and director who prepares these pieces with care, respect and enthusiasm.

With gratitude,

Choral Fest Costa Rica for Peace

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The common songs

Et in Terra Pax

By Javier Busto

Et in Terra Pax means “And on Earth, Peace.”

This work invites singers and audiences to reflect on the importance of building a more harmonious world through music, presence and shared intention.

For Choral Fest Costa Rica for Peace, this piece connects deeply with the spiritual and human meaning of the festival: peace is something we ask for, but also something we must help create through the way we live, listen and sing together.

Rehearsal materials

Unidos por la Paz

By David M. Bridges

Unidos por la Paz reminds us that peace is a collective effort.

No single voice can build it alone. No single choir carries the message by itself.

This piece expresses one of the central convictions of the festival: peace becomes possible when people work together, listen to one another and unite around a shared purpose.

Rehearsal materials

Dona Nobis Pacem

By Josu Elberdin

Dona Nobis Pacem means “Grant Us Peace.”

This work carries a direct and deeply human request: give us peace.

For Choral Fest Costa Rica for Peace, this piece becomes a moment of reflection, beauty and shared intention. It invites participating choirs to sing not only with technique, but with sincerity, humility and hope.

We are deeply grateful to Maestro Josu Elberdin for his generosity, talent and connection with the spirit of the festival.

Rehearsal materials

How to use these materials

The rehearsal tracks are provided to help participating choirs prepare the common songs before arriving in Costa Rica.

Choir directors may use them to support section rehearsals, individual practice and ensemble preparation.

We recommend that singers:

Listen to the full choir version first
Practice their own voice part regularly
Review pronunciation and phrasing with their director
Learn the music with attention to meaning, not only notes
Arrive prepared to sing with other choirs from different countries

The goal is not only to learn the music.

The goal is to arrive ready to share it.

A note for choir directors

Directors play a vital role in preparing the common songs.

Beyond notes and rhythm, directors help singers understand why these works matter within the festival.

Each common song is an opportunity to teach musical discipline, cultural respect and shared purpose.

When the choir prepares these pieces with meaning, the final collective singing becomes more than a performance. It becomes a living expression of the festival’s vision.

Singing together as a practice of peace

In a choir, peace is not abstract.

It is practiced through listening. It is practiced through balance. It is practiced through breathing together. It is practiced when a singer understands that their voice matters, but also that it belongs inside something larger.

The common songs make this visible and audible.

They remind us that harmony is not created by erasing difference, but by allowing many voices to belong together.