Hong Kong Choir Makes History with Golden David Win

A historic breakthrough for music education in Hong Kong! In July this year, the St. Stephen's College Preparatory School Choir, representing Hong Kong, achieved remarkable success at the 12th Florence International Choir and Orchestra Festival held in Italy, winning four major awards, including the festival's highest honor, the "Grand Prix - The Golden David." This makes them the first Hong Kong choir to receive this prestigious award, marking a new chapter in Hong Kong's music education history.

This achievement not only showcases the students' outstanding artistic talent but also affirms the international standard of local music education. The internationally renowned choral organization CHORALLY has also published a congratulatory message on their official website, further recognising the efforts and capabilities of the St Stephen's choir members.

St. Stephen's College Preparatory School Choir performing

St. Stephen's College Preparatory School Choir delivers an outstanding performance at the iconic Basilica of Santa Trinita.

Historic Achievement: Hong Kong's First Golden David Award

The Florence International Choir and Orchestra Festival is renowned for its exceptional musical standards and cultural exchange, attracting choirs and orchestras from around the world for many years.

The competition took place from July 22 to 25, with 73 members from Grades 4 to 6 participating. The choir's impressive performance earned them four major awards, including:

• Grand Prix - The Golden David

• Gold Award in the Children's Choir Category

• Best Interpretation of Contemporary Repertoire

• Best Choreography

The "Golden David Award" is the highest honour of the festival, awarded to the choir with the highest scores and outstanding performance among all participating groups. The judging criteria for this award are extremely rigorous, and it is not given every year.

Previous Hong Kong participants have included the Hong Kong Treble Choir and Ying Wa Primary School Choir, but this is the first time a Hong Kong choir has won the "Grand Prix - The Golden David."

Professor Graham Lea-Cox, one of the adjudicators, particularly exclaimed, "It is rare for such young children to perform contemporary works at such a professional level. We look forward to your choir performing more contemporary Chinese pieces!"

Choir members proudly display the Golden David Award, marking a historic moment.

Principal's Remarks: An Unmatched Honor

Principal, Mr Kelvin Lo shares his joy over the award and educational philosophy.

Mr Kelvin Lo, Principal of St. Stephen's College Preparatory School expressed, "As the first Hong Kong choir to receive the 'Golden David Award,' we feel immensely honoured. This achievement is a testament to the success of our holistic education approach."

He extended special thanks to the school council and parents: "Over 150 parents travelled from Hong Kong to Italy to cheer for the children, and this support is truly touching. Many choir members have committed to training for six years, and due to the pandemic, this was their first international competition experience, making them cherish this opportunity even more."

Group photo after the prize-giving ceremony

He emphasised the importance of teamwork: "As the saying goes, 'It takes a village to raise a child.' The key to this victory lies in the close collaboration among students, teachers, and parents. Parents supported us on-site in Italy, teachers provided professional guidance, and students gave their all. This team spirit empowered the students to achieve their goals. This victory is not just a win in a music competition but a perfect realisation of our holistic education philosophy. Hong Kong students excel not only academically but are also multi-talented. We are committed to discovering each child's strengths and cultivating their confidence and team spirit. Through overseas competitions, students broaden their international perspective and learn humility and independence, which is the profound meaning of education."

Student Reflections: A Perfect Conclusion to Six Years

Sixth grader Savannah Poon shared, "This is our last chance to bring glory to our school as primary students. All our efforts have finally paid off, and I feel so touched!"

Fourth grader Naomi Loo shares her feelings about winning the award.

Thoughtful Preparation: Four Months of Cross-Cultural Training

Choir members diligently rehearse their competition pieces.

In preparation for the competition, the choir trained for four months, averaging two training sessions per week. They also invited international choral conductors to provide guidance, including Professor Leon Shiu-Wai Tong, Mr. Durányik László from Hungary, and Professor Urša Lah from Slovenia.

To meet the festival's requirements, the choir carefully prepared three pieces from different cultural backgrounds: the Zhuang folk song "Water Beetles," the Hungarian folk song "Katalinka," and the Italian piece "Wah-bah-dah-bah-doo-bee!"

Conductor's Insights: Practicing Cross-Cultural Music Education

Conductor, Ms Grace Yim guides choir members during rehearsal.

Conductor Ms Grace Yim pointed out that teaching cross-cultural pieces requires helping students deeply understand the background and emotions of the songs, not just the lyrics. For example, while teaching "Katalinka," historical context was added; while interpreting "Water Beetles," Chinese dance elements were integrated to make the performance more vibrant. She emphasised that choral education not only imparts music but also fosters teamwork and friendship, helping students develop essential life skills.

This international honuor sets an inspiring tone for the new academic year, not only bringing glory to the school but also showcasing the international standards of young musical talents in Hong Kong, establishing a new milestone for local music education.

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — An amateur pop choir that started with a couple dozen singers in a small Serbian town has found unexpected success across the country. Its motto? Anyone can sing.

While community choirs are common in other countries, they are relatively rare in Serbia. The no-stress and fun approach has attracted hundreds of people, mostly women of all ages.

Modeled after similar projects abroad, the choir is encouraging “everyone from 5 to 105” to join and sing for joy and stress relief.

Since starting out in a small town in central Serbia four years ago, Pop Hor has spread to 10 towns across the Balkan country with an ambition to grow further. There are no auditions or voice tests, and newcomers don’t have to know how to read music.

“People come as total amateurs, most of them say they have no clue about singing,” said Nenad Azanjac, who trained as a music teacher and who founded Pop Hor, or Pop Choir, with his wife.

Nevenka Bila, 72, said the choir has provided a much-needed positive contrast to the everyday reality of political tensions and pro-democracy protests in the troubled Balkan country.

“In this madness that we are living, where I spend half of my free time in the streets fighting for basic human rights, I found something that feels so good for me,” Bila said. “I discovered a new world.”

The group packs halls and venues across the country weekly to belt out popular tunes — mostly in Serbian, though sometimes they also sing songs by Croatian and Bosnian bands and singers. Though amateur, the choir often performs at festivals and events in Serbia and abroad.

“I never miss a class,” said Radmila Kozarac, a 62-year-old economist. The choir has changed her life for the better, she said, adding that she has made wonderful new friends and can’t wait for their after-class chat and coffee together.

The choir has had “a very positive effect on me, psychologically,” she said. "It is joyful, it reduces stress.”

Music is known for positive neurobiological and psychological effects, psychologist and Singidunum University professor Aleksandra Djuric said. In a group, she added, “we release the energy together, cortisol (levels) come down and positive hormones rise out of union and happiness.”

“I keep telling my students that we can’t be exposed on a daily basis to information, to be bombarded by information and follow everything all the time,” Djuric said. “We need to find a space to calm down, relax and connect.”

Serbia endured years of wars, international sanctions and economic crisis in the 1990s. The country remains politically divided and struggles economically. Youth-led protests against populist President Aleksandar Vucic erupted in 2024 over a train station tragedy blamed on widespread negligence and corruption in big state-run infrastructure projects.

Azanjac said many people have joined his choir after their therapists recommended singing as an anti-stress activity. They “find a sense of belonging here, they enjoy it,” he added, describing a ”feeling of togetherness."

“Singing comes second, socializing comes first," Azanjac said.

In total, some 2,000 people have sung with Pop Hor since it started in the town of Gornji Milanovac in 2022. Azanjac said he's not stopping there.

The plan is “to have the whole region sing," he said.

Choir members perform a song during a practice in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Choir members perform a song during a practice in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Choir members perform a song during a practice in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Nenad Azanjac, founder of Pop Choir, leads a song during a practice in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Choir members perform a song during a practice in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)