Performance Venues

Where your ensemble performs shapes everything about a tour: how you prepare, how you sound and what your musicians remember long after they get home. Encore books dynamic venues around the world, from soaring cathedrals and historic concert halls to opera houses and festival stages, each one matched to your ensemble and your repertoire.

Every Encore concert comes with a guaranteed audience, so your ensemble performs for a full, engaged house. Explore the venues below, then ask your tour consultant to build your favorites into your tour.

Every kind of stage

Dynamic venues,
matched to your ensemble

Choirs bloom in a cathedral’s acoustic. Orchestras need a real stage. Jazz bands want a crowd. We start with your ensemble and your program, then find the rooms that make them shine.

Full church audience at a Chico Community Choir concert in Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, France

Cathedrals & churches

Resonant sacred spaces where choirs and orchestras give concerts or sing for Mass, from Vienna to Vatican City.

Concert halls

Purpose-built halls with the stage space and acoustics for full orchestras, bands and choirs.

Concert at Teatro Mancinelli, Orvieto

Theaters & opera houses

Historic theaters and opera houses, from gilded Italian jewel boxes to grand national stages.

Outdoor performance

Festivals & outdoor stages

Festival stages, castle courtyards, gardens and squares, where ensembles play to big open-air crowds.

Guaranteed audiences

A full house
at every concert

Performing for an empty room is every director’s worry. On an Encore tour, it isn’t yours.

Every concert we book comes with a guaranteed audience. We work with venues and local partners who know their communities, so your ensemble performs for real listeners, whether that is a Sunday congregation, a festival crowd or a concert hall audience.

  • Audiences arranged for every Encore concert
  • Venues chosen for your ensemble’s size, sound and repertoire
  • Rehearsal time, staging and logistics handled before you arrive
How we plan your concerts
big audience

Signature stages

Iconic venues
around the world

A few of the landmark venues where Encore ensembles have performed, on four continents. Click any venue to learn more.

Vienna Musikverein, Austria

Vienna, Austria

The Musikverein is one of the most prestigious classical performance venues in the world. The globally-esteemed acoustics and architectural grandeur make the 'Great Hall' an unparalleled location for a classical concert. The Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, has an impressive calendar of classical events. It would be a true honor for any classical performer to play here.

Orchestra Band

St. Peter’s Basilica

Rome, Italy

Choirs can sing for Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, one of the most memorable performances a tour can offer.

Choir

Read the Venue Spotlight
Teatro Colon auditorium, Mar del Plata

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Teatro Colón is the main opera house in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is among the top 5 venues in the world with the best acoustics—even Pavarotti thought so! The theater opened in May of 1908 with Verdi's Aida and has up to 2,500 seats and standing room for 1,000 people.

Choir

Montreal

Montreal, Canada

Located in Old Montreal, The Notre Dame Basilica's Gothic exterior faces the Place d' Armes square. Upon entry, visitors are stunned by the colorful and intricate designs found on the ceiling and walls which depict scenes of Montreal's religious history. Musical programming includes regular choral and organ performances; perhaps your group is next!

Choir Orchestra Band

Osaka Festival Hall

Osaka, Japan

Osaka Festival Hall is a renowned concert venue located within the Festival Tower in Kita-ku, Osaka. With a seating capacity of 2,700, this hall is celebrated for its outstanding acoustics, maintaining the original sound quality loved by musicians and audiences since its first opening in 1958. Rebuilt in 2013, the hall retains its classic design while integrating modern facilities, providing an immersive auditory experience with a 30-meter-wide stage. Home to the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, the hall also hosts prominent performances, including the Osaka International Festival, making it a prestigious hub for classical and contemporary music in Japan.

Choir Orchestra Band

Cathedral Dublin

Dublin, Ireland

Situated in medieval Dublin, Christ Church is not only the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishops but is also the seat of the Church of Ireland. Founded around 1028 the cathedral was rebuilt and renovated many times throughout history and is now accented by flying buttresses, high arching stone ceilings, and, most notably, the Grand Organ which appears to be floating in the air! The Cathedral is home to one of the most reputable choirs in Ireland whose origins trace back to 1493 when the choir school was founded.

Choir Orchestra Band

Read the Venue Spotlight

Read the Venue Spotlight series

The venue map

Where your ensemble
could perform

Explore venues around the world where Encore choirs, bands and orchestras have performed. Click a pin to see a city’s venues.

Drag to move the map. Click a pin to see its venues.

Venue directory

Browse every venue

All venues

Acireale Cathedral

Acireale, Italy

This historic gem is renowned for its baroque grandeur and intricate interior, making it an exceptional venue for choral performances. Dating back to the 15th century and dedicated to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the cathedral underwent significant renovations over the centuries, embodying a blend of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. Its impressive acoustics and atmospheric setting provide a magnificent backdrop for choral groups, while the central location offers easy access to Acireale’s charming piazzas, local cafes, and scenic coastal views.

Choir

Aegidien Church

Hanover, Germany

The Aegidienkirche in Hanover, Germany, stands as a moving memorial to the tragedies of war. Originally built in the 14th century, it was largely destroyed in World War II and has been left in ruins as a reminder and commemoration of war victims. Within its preserved walls and bell tower, which now houses a peace bell from Hiroshima, the site symbolizes hope and reconciliation. Hosting events and exhibitions dedicated to peace, the Aegidienkirche's ruins poignantly underscore the cost of conflict and the universal desire for peace.

Choir

Akureyrarkirkja

Akureyri, Iceland

Akureyrarkirkja is a prominent Lutheran church in northern Iceland, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson and completed in 1940. It features a 3200-pipe organ, bas-reliefs by Ásmundur Sveinsson, an altarpiece by Danish artist Edvard Lehmann, windows by J. Wippel & Co., and a baptismal font by Corrado Vigni. Its unique acoustics and striking architecture make it an ideal venue for choirs, offering a resonant and inspiring setting for performances.

Choir

Anglican Church in Sofia

Sofia, Bulgaria

The Anglican Church in Sofia offers a welcoming and intimate setting for choral performances and sacred music. Located in the heart of Bulgaria’s capital, this charming church provides warm acoustics that enhance vocal ensembles, making it an excellent choice for choirs seeking a historic yet intimate venue. With its simple yet elegant architecture, the church fosters a sense of connection between performers and audiences, creating a memorable experience. Its central location allows visiting ensembles to easily incorporate a performance into their cultural exploration of Sofia, adding a meaningful musical moment to their journey.

Choir

Antoniterkirche

Cologne, Germany

Located in the heart of Cologne, Antoniterkirche is a historic Protestant church with a strong choral tradition. Founded in the 14th century by the Antonite order, the church features striking Gothic architecture and serves as an important venue for choral performances in the city.

Choir

Rome

Rome, Italy

Experience a General Audience with the Pope even if your group is not performing. The energy and reverence of the crowd make this a deeply moving moment for many travelers.

Choir

Augustinian Abbey in Fethard

Tipperary, Ireland

The Augustinian Abbey in Fethard, County Tipperary, was established in 1306 and functioned as a monastic institution until its dissolution in 1540. The complex includes a seven-bay nave constructed in the early 14th century, a 15th-century Lady Chapel, and remnants of a cloister and domestic ranges. After falling into disrepair, the abbey was substantially rebuilt as a Roman Catholic church in 1823, featuring a Gothic Revival façade added after 1835. The church's long, narrow nave and stone architecture provide an acoustically resonant environment, making it suitable for choral performances. The abbey remains active for worship and is accessible to visitors.

Choir

Gothic church interior

Paris, France

The Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, located just outside Paris, is an iconic venue for choral performances, known for its rich history and breathtaking Gothic architecture. As the final resting place of French royalty, the basilica offers an atmosphere of reverence and grandeur, complemented by its remarkable acoustics that highlight the beauty of vocal ensembles. Performing in this historic landmark allows choirs to connect with centuries of musical tradition in a truly inspiring setting.

Choir

Concert management

From first rehearsal
to final bow

A great venue is only the start. Our team manages every concert so you can focus on the music.

From sacred-space concerts and international festivals to community exchanges, we coordinate rehearsal times, stage setup, instrument rentals and venue requirements, and our staff are with you on concert day.

Explore the Concert Showcase

Good to know

Venue questions
from directors

Can we choose the venues our ensemble performs in?

Yes. Tell your tour consultant which venues interest you and we will request them for your dates. Availability depends on each venue’s own season and, for churches and cathedrals, the liturgical calendar, so we always suggest strong alternatives as well.

Will there really be an audience?

Yes. Every Encore concert comes with a guaranteed audience. We arrange it with each venue and our local partners as part of booking the performance.

Do venues ask for a recording or repertoire list?

Many well-known concert halls and cathedrals review a recording, repertoire list and ensemble bio before confirming a performance. Your tour consultant tells you what each venue needs and submits the request for you.

What should choirs know about singing at Mass?

Singing during a Mass is a liturgical role, not a concert, so repertoire needs to suit the service and is usually approved in advance. We share each church’s guidelines early so you can plan your program.

Do we need to bring large instruments?

Usually not. Percussion, timpani, keyboards and other large instruments can often be rented locally. We collect your instrument list before the tour and confirm what each venue provides.

Start planning

Ready to put your ensemble
on one of these stages?