At the IVC we believe that every life gets better through contact with classical vocal music. This passion is the motivation for everything we do.
The IVC was founded in 1954. Winning at s-Hertogenbosch has become a gold standard in the international world of classical singing. Listing the names of past laureates is powerful testimony to this: Elly Ameling, Robert Holl, Jard van Nes, Thomas Hampson, Dame Sarah Connolly, Kurt Streit, Lenneke Ruiten, Josh Lovell and Pretty Yende – to name just a few.
The IVC describes its work through the 3 D’s:
Discovering, Developing and Delivering
Through contacts with music schools and during preliminaries and competitions the IVC actively works to discover new talent.
For many competitions the competition itself is their sole focus, but the IVC also offers masterclasses during the competitions to singers who do not reach the finals.
On top of this, the IVC organises separate masterclass weeks (which are distributed digitally worldwide) and has many professional contacts with concert organisers who offer the singers it discovers their first professional experiences. These masterclasses and singing engagements give young talent the chance to develop themselves.
By presenting singers to the decision makers, the press and the public during the competitions and by giving them the aforementioned professional opportunities the IVC delivers the young artists to the market.
Our home
‘s-Hertogenbosch is the home of the IVC and the organisation is a vital part of the community. A group of more than 100 guest families willingly open their doors to participants and a large group of volunteers makes our work possible.
The IVC is deeply grateful to the people who have helped to make all this beautiful work possible: the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the province of Noord-Brabant, the Fonds Podiumkunsten, various foundations and anonymous private donors. Without them many of the people who are now on the world’s stages may not have made it.
Our sponsors: