The Sound of Styria

Welcome to Graz!

“Where people sing, you can’t be wrong!” said Mayor Nagl in his opening speech on Sunday in congress|graz and welcomed all choirs.

In the afternoon choirs had demonstrated that they were not wrong here, when – with great heat – they attended the big choir parade and attracted people’s attention in the streets with traditional clothes and with singing.

In this year’s July 120 choirs from 40 countries came to Styria’s capital. They will compete in front of the jury and will be evaluated in 22 categories at the World Choir Championships for Youth and Young Adults and the Grand Prix of Choral Music. People reading the local press attentively will have followed the announcements since several weeks. Various highlights are waiting for visitors and everybody interested.

“The whole Styria will resound”, ensures LAbg. Baraba Riener. She had come to the Opening event in Stefaniensaal on behalf of the LH-Stv. Schützenhöfer and welcomed choirs and officials. As a welcome voluteers from Graz and its surroundings as well as choir members carrried flags of all participationg nations on stage. 

The 1st World Choir Championships for Youth and Young Adults and the 2nd Grand Prix of Choral Music are held in Styria’s capital from July 10 to 17. In 2008 Graz was host city of the 5th World Choir Games and is still very popular with local residents and choirs.