The 10th edition of the Singapore International Choral Festival (SICF), organised by One Choral Company and Rave Group, concluded in Singapore this month, drawing 73 choirs from across the globe. The event, held from July 16 to 20 at venues including the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Concert Hall, Victoria Concert Hall, and Esplanade Concert Hall, showcased a rich diversity of vocal talents primarily from Southeast and East Asia, alongside participants from Europe, South Asia, and Oceania.
Opening the festival on July 16, local choirs presented a program highlighting Singaporean choral artistry. Ensembles such as Edward Becharas Choir from Catholic High School and Maha Bodhi School Choir performed works by Singaporean composers Kelly Tang and Dominik Yut Keng. National Junior College's One NJC Choir delivered Ko Matsushita’s Everyone Song, followed by the festival’s resident ensemble, ONE Chamber Choir, under artistic director Lim Ai Hooi. The choir performed pieces in Singapore’s official languages, featuring arrangements by Juliette Lai, Ken Stevens, and Goh Toh Chai, complemented by cultural dancers. The concert closed with renditions of “Call Me (Maybe Not)” and Harold Arlen’s “Over The Rainbow,” conveying themes of peace and unity to an international audience.
The July 19 concert spotlighted the Norwegian female choir Cantus from Trondheim, led by founder-director Tove Rambo-Iystad. Renowned for recording the opening songs of Disney’s Frozen films, Cantus presented a two-hour repertoire largely in Norwegian, including folk songs inspired by the Sami people of Scandinavia. The 27-member choir, dressed in traditional embroidered costumes, impressed with a wide vocal range and the interplay of pure unison lines and complex folk harmonies. Their program featured pieces such as Kim Arnesen’s Even When He Is Silent, Knut Nystedt’s I Am My Brother’s Keeper, and a poignant rendition of Solveig’s Song from Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt. The concert also included notable performances of Frode Fjellheim and Christoph Beck’s Vuelie, the celebrated opening of Frozen, and Trygve Brøske’s Ratatoskr, which drew from Norse mythology.
The festival finale on July 20 involved a competition among seven choirs from various categories, with no Singaporean participants for the first time in recent years. Leading contenders came from Indonesia, China, and Hong Kong. Children's choirs from China — Rhyme of River Children's Choir and OCT Primary School Choir — were noted for their disciplined and charming performances. Indonesian groups Yogyakarta Maazin Singers, Achievers Choir SMA Darma Yudha, and PSM Universitas Indonesia Paragita delivered vibrant, joyful renditions matched by their festive costumes. Hong Kong ensembles St Joseph's College and Diocesan Boys' School performed multilingual selections, including Cantonese, Haitian Creole, French, and English. The Grand Prix was awarded to the Diocesan Boys' School for their rendition of the Get Your Happy Days On Medley, arranged by Aaron Dale and conducted by Felix Shuen, which captivated the panel of 12 international judges.
Organisers and audiences alike expressed anticipation for next year’s festival, continuing the event’s tradition of fostering cross-cultural musical exchange and excellence.