The Coro Città di Bastia was established as a cultural association in November 1985. From the very beginning, its chief objective has been to spread knowledge of choral music, serving as a cultural beacon for the city of Bastia Umbra, situated in Central Italy.

Concerts in Italy and abroad, as well as participation in television broadcasts, have earned the chorale critical praise for the quality of its performance and its repertoire, which ranges from early polyphonic works to contemporary sacred and secular music. In recent years the chorale has worked extensively to expand its repertoire of contemporary works. The most recently performed contemporary works include Pro felici mei transitu, a requiem by Pavle Merkù, and Missa Virgo Lauretana, written by a group of female composers who are part of the Associazione Artemusi(c)a. The Coro Città di Bastia was commissioned by the Fondazione Adkins-Chiti "Donne in Musica" for the world première of the latter work in Loreto in 2004; a new version was performed at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome in 2006.

In more than two decades of activity, the Coro Città di Bastia has participated in numerous prestigious national events, such as the concert in Perugia (1989) with the Grand Ensemble Woodwind Orchestra to celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution. In 1991 it had the honor of singing in the Pauline Chapel of the Quirinal Palace in Rome, before the President of the Italian Republic, during the Christmas Mass officiated by Cardinal Ruini. In 1993 it participated in the Prayer Meeting for Peace in ex-Yugoslavia, held at Assisi in the presence of Pope John Paul II, with representatives of the European Episcopal Conferences and of the Jewish and Islamic Communities.

In 2005 the group celebrated its 20^th anniversary in a joint concert with the Gruppo Polifonico Francesco Coradini of Arezzo, performing Mozart’s Mass No. 16 “Coronation” for soloists, chorus and orchestra in C Major (K 317). In 2006 the Coro Città di Bastia also performed Mozart’s Mass No. 8 for soloists, chorus and orchestra in D major (Missa Brevis) (K 194) during the prestigious Sagra Musicale Umbra.

In addition to performing, the Coro Città di Bastia has also participated in workshops promoted by ARCUM, the Association of Umbrian Choruses, of which it is a member, and by the Fondazione Guido d’Arezzo, as part of the conducting master classes held by Gary Graden.

The Association strongly believes in children’s choral education. As a result, it promoted the formation of children’s workshops, which led to the establishment of the Coro Aurora, a children’s choir conducted by Stefania Piccardi.

The Coro Città di Bastia is convinced that competing with other chorales is an excellent way to develop and assess the group’s expressive capacities. As a result, it has participated in numerous competitions, winning the following awards:

1998 Third place at the 33^rd National Choral Competition at Vittorio Veneto

1999 Third place at the 2^nd National Choral Competition at La Spezia

2000 First place (two equal firsts prizes awarded) at the 17^th Guido d’Arezzo National Choral Competition

2002 Bronze medal at the 6^th Orlando di Lasso International Choral Competition

2003 First place at the 3^rd San Bartolomeo National Competition in Benevento and recipient of the Special Award of the President of the Italian Senate for best choral blend

2006 First place at the 8^th National San Tommaso D’Aquino – Gold Medal Competition of Sacred Polyphonal Music at Roccasecca

2008 Special prize at the 13^th Padre Settimio Zimarino National Competition in Vasto (CH) for best performance of a contemporary work

2009 Third place at the 1^st Armonia di Voci Choral Competition in Pienza (SI)