Xavier Pagès, director of the Orfeó Manresà choir, has called for cultural support to reach beyond major auditoriums and established festival circuits, arguing that amateur ensembles need resources to create productions that can attract audiences and younger members.

In an interview published on 16 August 2026, Pagès said the choir's work in Manresa includes maintaining a stable group of singers while adapting its performances for a crowded local cultural programme. He travels about 35,000 kilometres a year to sustain his various musical activities.

"Public and private money always goes to a few large auditoriums and festivals where the same people perform," Pagès said.

For Manresa residents interested in choral music, the consequence is that local amateur groups must compete for audiences, singers and bookings while developing projects with limited opportunities to recover their costs after their premiere.

Productions designed for audiences and new singers

Pagès said the major expansion of choral music in the 1970s and 1980s, when choirs were formed widely and travelled for concerts, has ended. Musical standards have risen, he said, and choirs have had to present their work differently to remain appealing.

At Orfeó Manresà, that has meant using audiovisual language and working with other disciplines in recent productions. Pagès said this approach had contributed to a revival, but added that it is difficult to make a production financially viable after its first performance.

  • Choirs must find organisations willing to book a production after it has premiered.
  • Amateur singers can find it difficult to meet often enough for further performances.
  • Groups also need to compete with a wide range of leisure options for younger singers' time.

Pagès said the job of a choir director now goes beyond musical direction. "We have to make sure we are attractive," he said, linking that to the aim of bringing in younger and better-prepared singers.

Friday rehearsals remain the choir's stable base

Pagès said Orfeó Manresà has retained singers who have attended Friday evening rehearsals for many years. He described that commitment as a stable core and an example for younger members.

He said music schools face a similar difficulty: progress requires regular study, but learners who do not progress can lose interest and leave. Pagès also said audiences at major auditoriums have declined to some extent, and that contemporary repertoire draws even smaller crowds than Baroque music.

Residents who want to support grassroots choral activity can attend local choir performances and consider joining a group able to commit to regular rehearsals. Pagès said the Orfeó's established singers continue to rehearse on Friday evenings rather than choosing other leisure activities.

Reported by Regió 7.