Norrköping inspires the world through the power of music

After nine inspiring days, in which Norrköping, Sweden, hosted the 5th European Choir Games & Grand Prix of Nations, the choral music festival came to a heartfelt conclusion with an emotional Closing Concert. With participation from over 63 choirs and more than 2000 participants representing 25 countries, a profound message of unity and cultural exchange was conveyed through the universal language of music.

For the grand finale of the European Choir Games & Grand Prix of Nations Norrköping 2023, enthusiastic participants gathered once more in the Louis De Geer concert hall. Taking the festival stage was a choir consisting of 75 local singers, under the direction of Artistic Director Fred Sjöberg. They performed familiar songs that encouraged the audience to sing and dance along, creating an atmosphere in the hall that quickly reached its peak.

Looking back at the past week Viveca Valgren, Project Manager for the city of Norrköping, was delighted as she exclaimed: "What a week! The rainy and dark autumn week transformed into a bright, warm and joyous celebration to music. Music truly brings nations together. The voices spread all over the town from concert venues to restaurants and pubs. New friendships flourished. Norrköping is grateful for having been given this opportunity to host such an amazing event."

For Michael Barrett, a member of the international jury from South Africa, the value of the festival went far beyond the purely competitive nature: "This is so much more than just a competition – it’s a gathering of like-minded individuals that want the world to be a better place.”

The European Choir Games & Grand Prix of Nations in Norrköping for this year officially concluded with the symbolic handover of the flag to the next host city, Aarhus in Denmark. From June 28 to July 6, 2025, choirs from around the world are once again invited to gather, sing, and participate in European and international competitions.

In the Closing Ceremony, Jeppe Uggerhøj, Artistic Director for the 6th European Choir Games and Grand Prix of Nations Aarhus 2025, invited singers from around the world to join: ”Aarhus is a city full of energy, art, culture and strong communities – in singing and in general. When you come to Aarhus in 2025 it will be a perfect spot for creating even stronger and broader and more inclusive and diverse communities with you. In singing, we can share and improve the world just by inhaling and exhaling and using our voices.”

Günter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR and the World Choir Council: "The 5th European Choir Games & Grand Prix of Nations in Norrköping proved that the world of choral singing is still strong and vibrant. This festival has strengthened international friendships and brought people together. We’re ready to continue this journey in Denmark in 2025 and inspire even more people!"

A total of 18 Gold medals and 12 Silver medals were awarded in the European Champions Competition at the European Choir Games in Norrköping. In the Grand Prix of Nations, a total of 8 choirs received the prestigious title. Countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland showed outstanding performances and were rewarded accordingly with the highest number of medals. The competition results in detail are available here.

Videos, Photos and more impressions of the event are available at Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.