Singapore International Choral Competition Grand Prix Concert showcases choral excellence

The culmination of the 9th Singapore International Choral Festival, organised by One Choral Company and Rave Group International, was its Grand Prix concert on July 27.

- Chang Tou Liang

CONCERT 9TH SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL CHORAL FESTIVAL Grand Prix Concert & Award Ceremony Esplanade Concert Hall July 27

The eight best choirs, selected from a field of 74 from 11 territories spread over 11 choral categories, vied for the top prize. The two-hour concert was a showcase of choral excellence and diversity in harmony.

There were two children's choirs, both from China.

Opening the evening was the Shenyang Radio and Television Children's Choir (chorusmaster Liu Jiaqi) with 34 singers in bright olive-green outfits.

They impressed with clarity and homogeneity in Xingzimin Pan's New Qingping Music Village Residence sung in Mandarin, and various vocal sound effects with hand-clapping and foot-stomping in Cao Guanyu's Dolly Budgie.

More than double its size with 71 singers was the Liwan Children's Choir (Li Huikun) in bright red and maroon which closed the concert.