The fourth edition of the International Istanbul Choir Days Festival will open with a reception at the Maçka campus of Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ).

The event, initiated by the Fortuna Organization, first took place in 2008. This year’s lineup, which promises to be the best yet, will present 24 choirs from seven countries: Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Poland, Sweden and Turkey. Running through Nov. 21, admission to the concerts is free of charge, in an effort by festival organizers to spread choir culture in Turkey in a way that will be accessible to all.

The festival is a non-competitive event that focuses on intercultural musical dialogue and introducing choirs from different countries to a variety of musical styles and repertories. A range of parallel activities including seminars, workshops and sightseeing tours will be hosted along with the concert series.

A total of 10 concerts and four seminars will be held at a range of historically and culturally important İstanbul venues, including the Armenian Church of the Three Altars in Beyoğlu, the St. Esprit Church and the Mustafa Kemal Amphitheater, across the four-day period of the festival, Today’s Zaman reported.