Basilio Astulez was born in 1975. He took a degree in Fine Arts at the University of the Basque Country and studied music in Vitoria-Gasteiz and trained as a conductor. During his career, he has worked with J. Duyick and J. Busto, among other conductors.

From 1994 to 2005 he taught Choral Singing at the School of Music in Alegria-Dulantzi (Álava) and conducted the Aiala Abesbatza women’s choir in the town. From 1996 to 2004 he was also the choirmaster of the Alaitz Abesbatza choir from Vitoria-Gasteiz, with which he won numerous first prizes in national and international contests. In 1999 he founded the women’s chamber group called Vocalia Taldea, which has won more than twenty international awards throughout its history.

He teaches Choral Singing at the Musicipal Conservatory in Leioa. He also founded the Leioa Kantika Korala children’s choir in 2001, the La Kantoria girls’ choir in 2005 and the SJB mixed choir in 2007. This young choral school has more than 200 singers between the ages of 7 and 25 and has already received numerous awards in Spanish and European contests.

He has made ten recordings and been on numerous international tours in Europe, the Americas and Asia. While leading these groups, he has also had the chance to collaborate with important soloists, orchestras, conductors and groups.

For his artistic work, he has received several awards and prizes. He offers frequent workshops, serves as a jury member at competitions and has worked with ECA-EC’s Europa Cantat and Europa Cantat Junior on their last four editions. He was also a speaker at the latest World Symposium of Choral Music.

45 singers from 10 to 16 years of age are part of COR ALLEGRO, and together with the children’s choir COR VIVACE they form the Conservatory of Girona’s project ESCOLA CORAL. This project’s mission is education through the singing voice. We profoundly believe that a comprehensive education, human and musical, helps the artistic development of children and youth. The choral activities are part of the Conservatory’s educational offer, that’s why the choral training mostly completed with instrument and solfege lessons.

The choir’s projects over the past years include the staging of Brundibár (2014), Beethoven´s Choralfantasie op. 80 (2017) and Britten’s “Little Sweep” (2017). Cor Allegro have also participated in international choral competitions, including MUSICA SACRA ROMA (2015), FESTIVAL CORAL DE VERAO (Lisbon) (2016) and International Youth Music Festival and-Bratislava (2017). On all three occasions they were awarded a silver medal.