WORCESTER, U.K. -- For many of the Festival's participants, it was a rare experience to hear male altos, and their faces were a delight to see in the group's first piece, a clever and amusing arrangement of the main theme from Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". Some wonderful numbers followed, but it was the contemporary arrangements that resulted in a standing ovation and prolonged cheers. This was something very special for the visiting choirs and their conductors, and helped to confirm just how unique this kind of choral singing is in the UK.

There are free concerts tonight given by the visiting choirs with the Gala Concert in Worcester Cathedral on Friday at 7.30pm.

Booking information is available at http://www.singuk.org/wifys/festival-events

NOTES TO EDITORS

For photos of the events as they happen:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wifys2013/

Worcester International Festival for Young Singers

The Worcester International Festival for Young Singers 2013 (WIFYS - pronounced "Why-Fiss") is the first-ever non-competitive international festival for children's and youth choirs in the UK.

This ground-breaking, vibrant arts event (20 - 26 July) will see around four hundred young singers from eleven outstanding youth choirs from ten nations share their national musical traditions and cultures in a week-long event featuring a range of public concerts, street singing and workshops culminating in a Gala Concert in Worcester Cathedral on Friday 26th July that will feature the world première of a work specially commissioned for the Festival, Five Days that Changed the World, by composer and workshop leader, Bob Chilcott.

Four international choral conductors will lead the workshops that will see young people from different nations working together under a banner of "Peace & Unity between Nations" thus reaffirming the mission of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat, of which Sing UK is a member.

Sing UK works with partners in the field of education, music and community development to deliver exciting, high quality singing projects in schools and local communities, together with high-profile national events. It works with children and young people, their families, teachers and local authorities throughout the UK to create programmes which suit local needs.

As a Community Interest Company it is a not-for-profit organisation, working to benefit local communities. It is funded through strategic relationships with corporate partners to fulfil shared objectives, and with support from local benefactors, national grant-giving organisations, trusts and foundations.

Participating Choirs:

April Girls Choir – Russia

Artemis Girls Choir – Belgium

Comunidad de Madrid Youth Choir – Spain

Domino Children’s Choir – Czech Republic

DO-RE-MI Children’s Choir – Austria

Ozarenie Chamber Choir – Russia

Sacred Heart Canossian College Choir – Hong Kong

Skowronki Girls Choir – Poland

Südpfalzlerchen Children’s and Youth Choir – Germany

Versme Children’s Choir – Lithuania

Young Singers from Worcestershire