Thai School Choir Wins First Gold at World Choir Games

Chulada Choir of Chulalongkorn University Demonstration Secondary School took gold in Sweden, the first Thai secondary school choir to do so.

Chulalongkorn University reports that the Chulada Choir of its Demonstration Secondary School won the gold medal in the Youth Choirs of Equal Voices category at the 14th World Choir Games, held August 10–16, 2026, in Helsingborg, Sweden. The ensemble also took silver in the Sacred Choral Music a Cappella category. According to the university, this marks a new chapter in Thailand's choral music history: Chulada is the first secondary school choir from the country ever to win a World Choir Games gold medal, a result the institution says demonstrates the ability of Thai youth to perform at an international level.

The World Choir Games, per Chulalongkorn University's announcement, is an Olympic-level international choral competition held every two years, rotating host countries, with hundreds of choirs participating in each edition — making it one of the most prestigious contests in the global choral community. For a secondary school ensemble to break through in that field is the kind of result singing enthusiasts talk about, and the university frames the gold as reflecting the dedication and musical skill of the young singers rather than an established powerhouse's routine trophy.

Following the Games, Chulalongkorn University says the choir continued its role as an ambassador of Thai culture with a special concert titled "Stjärnljus – Chulada Choir Live in Stockholm," held Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Sophia Church in Stockholm. The university reports the event drew a warm welcome from Swedish audiences and the Thai community in Sweden, with support from the Royal Thai Embassy in Stockholm — turning the competitive victory into a cultural showcase within days.

The result, as covered by Chulalongkorn University, resets expectations for what youth ensembles from Thailand can achieve on the world stage, and the silver in sacred a cappella suggests the choir's range extends beyond the equal-voices youth category. Separately, the pack's second item shows the choral calendar keeps moving elsewhere: hannibal.net reports Quincy University will give a free fall choral concert on October 6 at 7 p.m. in St. Francis Solanus Chapel, featuring the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and a cappella group Hawks of Harmony, with repertoire from Gerald Finzi, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Claude Debussy, George Gershwin, and Eric Whitacre's "Sing Gently," plus a free Music Visit Day on October 12 with scholarship auditions.