Latvia to host one of stages of European Grand Prix for choral singing

RIGA - The International Baltic Sea Choir Competition in Jurmala has won the opportunity for Latvian to organize the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, LETA learned from Liga Gablika, a representative of the International Baltic Sea Choir Competition.

Latvia will be one of the six member states and stages of the competition, while the final competition of the event only for the winners of the previous year's European Grand Prix will be held in Jurmala in 2028.

Since 1988, the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing has been an annual choral music competition in which choirs from all over the world compete for the title of Grand Prix.

The winner of a stage meets the winners of the other stages the following year to determine the best choir. The competition stages take place in Tolosa in Spain, Arezzo in Italy, Debrecen in Hungary, Maribor in Slovenia, Varna in Bulgaria and Jurmala. Although this is a European competition, it has become a major industry event, bringing together the best amateur choirs from all continents.

Janis Ozols, Artistic Director of the International Baltic Sea Choir Competition and Chief Conductor of the Song Festival, noted that being accepted into this association is a great honor and a great achievement.

The only Latvian choir that has so far managed to win the prestigious European Grand Prix is the youth choir Kamer.... The choir has done it three times: in 2004, 2013 and 2019.

Maris Sirmais, former director of Kamer... and chief conductor of the Song Festival, emphasized that this competition is the most important event in choral music worldwide. 

The International Baltic Sea Choir Competition is an annual international choral music competition held in Jurmala since 2016. Every year, several hundred amateur choir singers and supporters of choral music from all over the world gather in Jurmala at the Dzintari Concert Hall in the second half of September.