IFCM - International Federation for Choral Music

The World Youth Choir, a project of the ''Foundation World Youth Choir'' is a genuine educational and social experience drawing on many vocal traditions, aiming for the highest artistic level. By music education, professional artistic approach, multicultural social interaction and exchange the World Youth Choir unites 40 to 80 young choral singers age 18 to 30 from all over the world at projects organized in different countries each or every other year. Artistically, singers develop their musical talents by interacting with internationally renowned conductors performing choral music of various styles, time periods and the many genres of each continent at a professional level. The choir performs a cappella and also with distinguished youth or national orchestras, further expanding its message of artistic unity. Socially, and regardless of political or cultural differences, singers share up to a month of their lives together. They work, play, converse, and debate. Such communal living creates a genuine spirit of understanding, lifelong friendships, and a cohesive group with a unique bond. This is why UNESCO has awarded the World Youth Choir with the “Artist for Peace” title in 1996, recognizing its success as a platform for intercultural dialogue through music.

Original in its program

The WYC engages some of the world’s most renowned choral conductors to rehearse intensively and prepare an ambitious concert program from various vocal and choral traditions and styles. The artistic responsibility lies with an international committee of eminent specialists appointed by the International Federation for Choral Music, Jeunesses Musicales International and Europa Cantat. Since its inception, the World Youth Choir has been directed by the following choral conductors: Anton Armstrong, Frieder Bernius, Filippo Maria Bresan, Michael Brewer, Peter Broadbent, Bob Chilcott, Peter Dijkstra, Peter Erdei, Eric Ericson (†), Gunnar Eriksson, Gary Graden, Georg Grün, Maria Guinand, Aharon Harlap, Florian Heyerick, Felipe Izcaray, Sidumo Jacobs, Robert Janssens, Tonu Kaljuste, Eric Klaas, Anthony Leach, Eduardo Mata (†), Albert McNeil, Denis Menier, Theodora Pavlovitch, Grete Pedersen, Johannes Prinz, Robert Shaw(†), Ole-Kristen Ruud, Fred Sjöberg, Stefan Sköld, Paul Smith, Robert Sund, Ward Swingle (†), Nobuaki Tanaka, Andre Thomas, Jonathan Velasco, Michele Weir, Hak Won Yoon, Steve Zegree (†), Johan Duijck, Ana Maria Raga, Ragnar Rasmussen, Josep Vila I Casanas, Cecilia Rydinger Alin, Ayis Ioannides, Ken Wakia, Zoltán Pad, and Helene Stureborg.

Patronized by

Jeunesses Musicales International: www.jmi.net
European Choral Association - Europa Cantat: www.eca-ec.org
International Federation for Choral Music IFCM

How to apply to be a singer of World Youth Choir

For every session of the World Youth Choir the audition is announced. It welcomes around 60-100 singers to participate in a summer session and a concert tour. Your application process will depend on whether you participated before or not. See the different options available below and choose the one fitting your current situation. For more information visit https://www.worldyouthchoir.org/apply

How to host World Youth Choir

For more information on how you can host a World Youth Choir session please contact manager@worldyouthchoir.org

World Youth Choir celebrating its 30th Anniversary at the Palacete dos Condes de Monte Real, Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019, during the World Choral EXPO

The World Youth Choir Alumni Session 2023 was the first session since the last session held in 2019 in France and Portugal. It is an important step for the choir to be back after four years of interruption due to covid.

"It was the being together again after covid … the joy and enthusiasm, and just the sheer pleasure they felt after the silence of the last four years [that made it] a fantastic experience on many levels."
Ki Adams, President of the Board of the World Youth Choir Foundation.

"After all of the pain and tears of canceled projects, hopeless dreams, and years of begging the universe for any opportunity to see each other again, I will spend the rest of my life being thankful for those incredible days where we suspended life itself to delight in each other’s company, incredible abilities, and endless optimism to build a better world through music."
Graeme Climie, alumni singer from Canada (2019 and 2023 session)

For this session, the choir was composed by 40 alumni singers - who have taken part in a WYC session from 2016 to 2019 - from 26 different countries. The choir gathered for a short rehearsal session and international tour in Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary, from 3-12 June 2023.

World Youth Choir Alumni Session 2023, Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary