World Choir Games

LINZ 2000 - FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA

The young history of the Choir Olympics began with a drum-roll in the Upper Austrian provincial capital of Linz; for the first time in the history of the international choral movement, so many choirs from numerous nations came together to participate in a universal choir competition and at the same time celebrate a great festival of choral music. The Choir Olympics were born and were from now on firmly established in the appointment calendars of many choirs all over the world.
Patron: Dr. Thomas Klestil, Federal President of the Republic of Austria

BUSAN 2002 - REPUBLIC OF KOREA

The Choir Olympics went to Asia for the first time. Busan, the South Korean port metropolis, was an outstanding host, giving the event an unmistakeably Asian face and proving that the Choir Olympic Idea could also find adherents in the Far East, resulting in enthusiasm all over the world.
Patron: Ahn Sang-Yong, Mayor of the City of Busan

BREMEN 2004 - FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

The Hanseatic city of Bremen continued the success story of the Choir Olympics, proving to be an excellent host of the world’s biggest choir competition. The close proximity of the event locations and the compact setting of the inner city created an unbelievable atmosphere. Music was made and sung on every street corner of the inner city, so that one could truly take the Choir Olympic Idea completely literally: singing together brings nations together.
Patron: Dr. Henning Scherf, President of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen

XIAMEN 2006 - PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

The Choir Olympic Idea reached a further apogee in the up-and-coming South Chinese metropolis of Xiamen. With their perfect organisation and identification of the populace with the World Choir Games, the hosts offered an event of superlatives in every sense of the word. Never before was an event of the international choral scene given such attention by politics and the media as in Xiamen. For the first time a choir of ambassadors from 80 countries sang at the opening ceremony.
Patron: Zhang Changping, Vice Governor of the Fujian Province

GRAZ 2008 – FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA

The biggest and most successful choir competition of the world found its continuation in Austria. Graz, capital city of the province of Styria, is at the crossroads between different European cultures from the east and west, north and south. The unique old city centre is one of UNESCO's world cultural heritage sites. In the year 2003 Graz was the spectacular cultural capital of Europe and in 2008 it was the world's capital of choral singing.
Patron: Dr. Heinz Fischer, Federal President of the Republic of Austria