Singapore’s choral scene has just hit a landmark. The VOS Youth Choir has won the Grand Prix at the 2026 Malaysian International Choral Eisteddfod (MCE) in Kuala Lumpur, becoming the first Singaporean choir to win a Grand Prix on the Asia Choral Grand Prix circuit.
Run by Voices of Singapore (VOS), both the VOS Youth Choir and the VOS Children’s Choir travelled to Kuala Lumpur for the festival, held from 19 to 23 August 2026. The MCE drew around 220 choirs from around the world, including ensembles from Russia, Kosovo and across Asia, and is one of five competitions that make up the Asia Choral Grand Prix circuit.
Two categories, two category wins, one Grand Prix
The VOS Children’s Choir’s Choral Scholars took to the stage first on 22 August, fielding 42 singers in the Teenage category (A3). They won Gold and were named Category Winner with a score of 91.00, the second-highest score of the festival.
Later the same day, the VOS Youth Choir fielded 72 singers in the Mixed Choir category (A5), joined by the Choral Scholars who performed across both categories. The ensemble won Gold and was named Category Winner with a score of 93.2, the highest score of the entire festival.
Both performances qualified the choirs for the Grand Prix round on 23 August, where they competed against nine other choirs for the title of overall best choir. The VOS Youth Choir was crowned Grand Prix Champion, the top award at the festival, and a first for a Singaporean choir on the Asia Choral Grand Prix circuit.
Next stop: Manila
With the win, the VOS Youth Choir will represent the MCE at the Asia Choral Grand Prix next year in Manila, held alongside the Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival, competing against Grand Prix winners from across the circuit for the Asia Choral Grand Prix Cup. As part of the prize, the choir receives a land-sponsored trip to Manila for the competition.
It is incredibly surreal, and an immensely proud moment for Singapore as we showcase the excellence of Singapore’s choral music-making on the international stage. This achievement does not belong to just one choir. It belongs to our entire choral community and, in many ways, to our country.
Dr Darius Lim, Founder and Artistic Director of Voices of Singapore
The result caps a strong run for VOS at the MCE. VOS Men and VOS City Chorus have both previously earned Gold awards at the festival, in 2024 and 2025 respectively, but this is the first time a VOS choir has been crowned overall Grand Prix Champion, and the first time any Singaporean choir has taken a Grand Prix on the Asia Choral Grand Prix circuit.
If the win has you keen to hear Singapore’s choral talent closer to home, keep an eye on the Voices of Singapore Festival and community sing-alongs such as SingNation at The Capitol.
