Let the Peoples Sing

Aarhus Girls' Choir (Denmark), winner of the 2015 edition

Did you guess who's singing...?

It was number 3! (Hägersten A Cappella, 20 Sept)
Follow @ebu_hq on Instagram to guess again next week and read on to find out more about the competition!

2024 Finalists

You can order the Finals concert via MUS under reference SM/2024/06/03/01.
Recordings selected at the semi-finals are available in MUS, under reference SM/2024/01/33/01-08.

Listen to the Finals

Tune in to the following radio stations to follow the Finals live on Sunday 6 October at 17.00 UTC:

BNR Hristo Botev (Bulgaria)
Danish Radio P2 (Denmark)
ERR Klassikaraadio (Estonia)
Yle Radio 1 (Finland)
hr2-kultur / ARD (Germany)
WDR 3 / ARD (Germany)
Latvijas Radio 3 (Latvia)
Swedish Radio P2 (Sweden)
RTR (Switzerland)

The competition

More than just a competition, Let the Peoples Sing (LTPS) has been a jubilant celebration of amateur choral singing since 1961. The competition aims to honour, stimulate and give amateur choral singing greater exposure to international audiences through broadcasts on various EBU radio channels. The competition is usually held every two years, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has not taken place since 2021. The next edition will take place in Autumn 2024 in the form of a joint live radio event - a multiplex broadcast with competing choirs performing from their home countries. EBU radio organizations can enter one amateur choir in each of the two categories: Children and Youth, and Adult. A winner is declared in each category, but only one of these winners will be awarded the coveted Silver Rose Bowl.

Let the Peoples Sing would not be possible without the technical support of BBC Radio 3.

Finals Jury

See the list of jurors for the 2024 Finals

Youth jury

For the first time, the EBU is happy to announce that the European Choral Association Youth Committee will collaborate with the competition. Representatives from the committee will award a Youth Jury prize.

Registration

Registrations are to be made by an eligible EBU radio organization entering the choir(s) they support. They are now closed.

Below is a quick overview of the main rules related to music programmes and the format of the two rounds. Please make sure you refer to the full competition rules before registering your choir(s).

Eligible EBU radio organizations can enter choirs in 2 categories:

• Adult
• Children/Youth (none of whose members may be over age 25)

The competition is organized in two rounds: semi-finals and finals. The EBU jury for the semi-finals will take place remotely and will base their result on audio listening only, while the EBU international jury will meet face-to-face at the BBC in London to listen live on air to the eight finalists and decide on the winner.

Semi-finals

• Each entrant must submit a recording of 10-20 minutes, consisting of at least three contrasting pieces of music.
• At least two pieces must be sung a cappella.
• The recording must include pieces of music from at least two different stylistic periods or musical genres/styles.
• Each piece of music must be performed in one take and the recording cannot be edited.

Finals

• The Finals will be held in the form of a public concert to be organized and broadcast live by the EBU radio organizations that entered choirs selected as Finalists.
• Each choir will perform an 8-10 minute programme of music.
• The programme must be different from that of the semi-finals, with no restrictions as to periods and styles. 
• The programme must be performed completely acoustically. 

Participants are strongly encouraged to feature works composed by women and composers from ethnically diverse background in their submissions.

"It’s a privilege to be a part of Let the Peoples Sing – a competition which celebrates the rich tapestry of amateur choirs from around Europe. Hearing the versatility and skill of the brilliant choirs who take part showcases the importance of choral music, and more the joy of singing together, which is infectious. The standard of choirs within the competition is exceptionally high, and I relish the opportunity to be involved again in LTPS to hear more of our best choirs."

Jonathan Manners – Producer | BBC Singers and artistic co-chair of Let the Peoples Sing

"I am happy that I can participate in continuing the story of this traditional choir competition. Let the Peoples Sing is a competition that allows talented choirs to showcase their skills to an audience of millions. Radio listeners, on the other hand, get to enjoy a wide range of choral singing from many different countries. Choral singing is an excellent tool for cultural exchange. I am looking forward to discovering what kind of achievements the choirs will reach in the next competition and what kind of repertoire we will hear from them."

Inari Tilli – Editor | Yle Radio 1 and artistic co-chair of Let the Peoples Sing

History

The history of the Let the Peoples Sing (LTPS) Euroradio Choral Competition can be traced back to 1961, when it was founded by the BBC as an annual contest for British choirs, and from 1966, was opened to ensembles throughout Europe. From the late 1970s, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) then began to organize it as an entirely international event which included choirs from North America and Asia, singing repertory from various genres, languages or traditions. 

List of Silver Bowl winners

Winners 2019

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