Canta Vivace, the Monflanquin based choir from Lot et Garonne, is delighted to offer you a unique and exciting opportunity to a ‘Come and Sing’ weekend with the esteemed and world renowned composer Sir John Rutter. This unique occasion is set to be held in the ancient abbey church at Cadouin, 24480, France. Founded in 1115, the abbey has been a place of worship for over nine hundred years and sung in for many of them. It is fitting then that one of the most celebrated modern day composers should come to this historic abbey in the Dordogne countryside.

The weekend will run on Saturday 20th September 2025 and Sunday 21st September 2025, and is aimed at singers not only from the local community but beyond as well. Numbers will be restricted to 100 singers only, so will be strictly on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. It is aimed at those who have some choral experience. The ability to read music, even if it is not fluently, will be an advantage. The cost of admission for the singing weekend will be 100 euros. Hire of all the required music scores is included in the price. Places must be booked and paid for through this website in advance as absolutely no ‘walk-ins’ can be permitted at the event. Your ticket will be issued digitally with a QR code. Entry will be strictly only with your valid QR code which should either be printed or stored on your mobile device.

Saturday will be divided into three singing sessions, with a break for lunch as well as an afternoon tea break. On Sunday, there will be a rehearsal during the morning, a break for lunch, then a short concert open to the public. Sir John himself will be choosing the music which will be available for participants on the morning of Saturday 20th September. A bundle of music scores will be ready for each participant on both mornings for use during the day, but will need to be handed back in at the end of both days. Please note, any lost or mislaid music will have to be paid for, so do look after it carefully.

In the event the weekend is oversubscribed, please contact us by email at info@cantavivace.com and we will place your name upon the waiting list in case any additional tickets may become available. Canta Vivace will contact you if this is the case. Doors will open at 10h00 for a singing start at 11h00. It is anticipated lunch will be from approximately 12h45 until 14h00, with the first afternoon singing session starting then, and lasting until approximately 15h25. There will be a short twenty minute refreshment break and we will resume singing at 15h45 for a further hour. The Sunday will comprise a morning session singing, a break for lunch and a short 1 1/4 hour concert led by Sir John, given by all the participants, with an audience limited to 150.

Simple refreshments and water will be available to purchase from the Canta Vivace refreshment stand. If you require something more substantial, there are restaurants in the village itself where you can book a table. There will also be a local food truck (‘Nappa Monde’, Mme Sandrine BAGNOL 0033 7 78 87 41 43 for reservations) on site during the weekend. It is also suggested that bringing a packed lunch is another option although there are rules strictly forbidding any food or drink to be consumed inside the church itself. Please respect the beautiful local environment and take any rubbish or recycling home with you.

Should you decide you would like to buy any of the music scores, Canta Vivace will have a stand selling a good selection of these and other scores at favourable prices, between 10h00-11h00 on both mornings, during breaks and until 17h15 on the Saturday afternoon. A limited number of first come, first served accommodations is available at L’Auberge de Jeunesse that can be booked through Wendy WILSON. We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting weekend. Come and sing with us! For further information please email info@cantavivace.com or telephone 0033 6 89 28 11 21.