Youth Sings

Held every two years, Youth Sings is a two-level (regional and national rounds) competitive national advancement festival of children’s and youth choirs. The mission of the competition is to cultivate song as one of significant attributes of modern man culture, teaching appreciation of the beauty of music through singing and thus not only bringing about continuity in singing expression but also creating prerequisites for extending the listeners' base for classical music and orientation to higher cultural and spiritual values.

It is the oldest and of late also the only national competition of choirs in the area of children’s and youth choral singing in Slovakia. It was held for the first time as a non-competitive festival of children’s choirs in 1970. From its inception the main organiser and guarantor was the National Centre of Culture. From its third year the competition of children’s choirs (even year) began to take turns with the competition of youth choirs (odd year). The 39th year in 2008 was held as a competitive festival of youth choirs in Bratislava. The National Centre of Culture announces and is the expert guarantor of the competition; starting from 37th year the organisational aspects have been fully assumed by the local guarantor. An important co-organiser is the Music Fund, which regularly awards prizes for the interpretation of Slovak works. Participants are children and youth of particular types of schools: primary schools, basic art schools, and secondary schools (grammar schools, secondary vocational schools). Participation in the competition is subject to meeting the conditions of dramaturgy (as as a rule training in a compulsory composition, including a polyphonic composition and a composition by a Slovak author). An expert jury assesses the presentations of the competing choirs in the national round and selects the top three participants. In addition to the competition Youth Sings includes a concert by a guest artist, an educational concert by a school choir, a chorus on square concert, a seminar and a workshop.