"Tenso 14-18 : from poetry to music" brings alive poems from one of the most turbulent periods in European history in new choral music. Tenso, the network for professional chamber choirs (www.tenso-vocal.eu), will work with partners who coordinate the activities around the commemoration of World War I and partners who preserve the heritage of literature from that period. Together with European literature lovers all over Europe, we will bring to light known and unknown texts, with special attention to texts originating from the Balkan and Eastern Europe. Young and established composers are commissioned to write new music for chamber choir, based on these texts. The project will result in a publication (internet and book) with poems, translation, recordings and scores, and a series of concerts and festivals all over Europe where the music will be performed. The theme of the project will offer many interesting angles to connect with the amateur choral world, taking shape in workshops and coaching for composers and conductors. By putting the lyrics in a central place and giving insight in how composers transform the lyrics into music, the new music will have a large appeal. The Tenso Europe Chamber Choir for professional young singers will tour Europe and show the first results of the commissioning programme during the years. The Tenso choirs will bring the new works in their concert series. Together with the partners, we will prepare for a series of festivals in 2018 in special places such as Ieper (Belgium), Verdun/Metz (France), Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and further East, where, together with amateur choirs, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first European peace treaty.Nine festivals (in Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Germany, Latvia) will be the focal point for all activities. During these festivals, we will organize meetings, seminars, and other activities that stimulate the international exchange of young artists, works and expertise.