Singapore to Hội An: Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir Brings Home Double Gold and Advances to Grand Prix Final at Vietnam International Choir Festival
Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir at their Grand Prix competition.
Singapore, April 14, 2025 – Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir (VSL), Singapore’s first independent all-female choral ensemble, has clinched two Gold awards at the 8th Vietnam International Choir Festival, held in the historic town of Hội An, Vietnam from 9-13 April 2025. The choir also advanced to the final Grand Prize Competition, selected as one of the top-performing ensembles across all categories.
The ensemble competed in two categories: B2 (Choirs of Equal Voices) and S (Sacred Choral). VSL emerged Winner of the Equal Voices category and placed 2nd in the Sacred category, earning Gold diplomas in both.
This year’s festival brought together 29 choirs from across the globe, including ensembles from South Korea, Poland, Malaysia, the Philippines, Canada, and host country Vietnam, making it a vibrant meeting point for cultural exchange and musical excellence. Organised by INTERKULTUR, the Vietnam International Choir Festival is one of the region’s most anticipated choral events, featuring competitions and friendship concerts over five days.
“This has been an incredibly musically fulfilling journey for our choir,” said Artistic Director Dr. Darius Lim. “We are grateful to Interkultur - who also organises the World Choir Games - for bringing together so many outstanding choirs from around the world. It has been an honour to represent Singapore and to fly our flag high with the multiple accolades we’ve achieved at this festival.”
Under Dr. Lim’s direction, VSL presented a diverse programme that included sacred works such as Giovanni Croce’s Cantate Domino and César Alejandro Carrillo’s Ave Maria, alongside contemporary pieces like the African-American spiritual Down in My Soul, and the Singaporean folk song Dayung Sampan, arranged by Dr. Lim.
The Vietnam festival marks another milestone for VSL, who in 2023 won the Grand Prix (Overall Best Choir) at the International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music in Bratislava, Slovakia — the first time a Singaporean choir has received the title at the festival.
Founded in 2014 and officially renamed the Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir in 2019, VSL is a community of passionate amateurs comprising educators, musicians and experienced choristers. Through their music, the choir seeks to empower women in Singapore and present diverse, meaningful choral works to audiences at home and abroad.
For media inquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:
Roe Curie
Marketing Manager
Voices of Singapore
Email: curie@voicesofsingapore.com
Phone: +65 96656627
About Voices of Singapore:
Voices of Singapore (VOS) is Singapore's largest singing organisation. It is dedicated to transforming lives and fostering a Singing Singapore through the power of music and choral singing. With over 30 singing groups and a community of more than 1,500 members, VOS provides platforms that celebrate, build and inspire a Singing Singapore.
From large-scale productions to inclusive community initiatives, VOS creates opportunities for people of all backgrounds to experience the joy of singing. Its flagship programmes include the VOS Festival, Singapore’s largest non-competitive choral festival; community impact choirs that welcome children with special needs, underprivileged youth, and seniors; and the VOS State Choirs, which represent Singapore on prestigious global stages.
As an arts charity, VOS is committed to making music accessible to all, championing an inclusive choral culture that enriches lives and strengthens communities across Singapore.
About Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir:
Formally founded in 2014 as VOCO Singapore Ladies Choir by Artistic Director Dr. Darius Lim, the choir is Singapore’s first independent all-female choral ensemble. Consisting of semi-professional singers, musicians, educators, and passionate amateurs, the choir joined the Voices of Singapore (VOS) Choral Society at its inception in 2019 and was subsequently renamed the Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir (VSL). The choir’s mission is to empower women in Singapore and present a diverse range of choral music to a worldwide audience.
VSL has actively represented Singapore on the international stage. In 2016, the choir embarked on its inaugural European tour, performing in Amsterdam, Krakow, London, Great Rissington, and Cardiff, and was awarded 2nd Prize in the Chamber Choir category at the Cracovia Cantans International Choir Competition in Krakow, Poland. In 2021, VSL received a Gold award at the World Choir Festival. In 2023, the choir made history by winning the Grand Prix (Overall Best Choir) at the 16th International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music in Bratislava, Slovakia — the first time a Singaporean choir had achieved this honour. VSL competed in two categories, receiving Gold Bands for both, and was also category winner for Female Adult Choirs.
Most recently, in April 2025, VSL was awarded two Gold diplomas at the 8th Vietnam International Choir Festival in Hội An — including Winner of the Equal Voices category and 2nd place in the Sacred Choral category. The choir also advanced to the Grand Prix final round, selected as one of the top-performing choirs of the festival.
