The SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School Alumni Choir has brought home top honors from Japan, clinching the Grand Prize and the event’s highest distinction, the “Kobe Choir Prize,” at the “Sing from Kobe 2026” International Choir Competition, marking the best result ever achieved by a Hong Kong choir at the event.
The choir outperformed 22 other ensembles from 12 countries and regions, and also emerged as the top winner in the Adult Choirs category, receiving a gold diploma with the highest score of 26.23 points across the entire competition.
Held from January 15 to 18 in Kobe, the competition saw 40 Lam Woo alumni spanning 30 graduating classes present a diverse repertoire that organizers said “impressed the international jury and set a remarkable artistic highlight at this year’s festival.”
Conductors alumni Gigi Wong (Class of 2002) and Theresa Lam (Class of 2014) said the contest marked the choir’s first-ever participation in an international competition since its founding 20 years ago. To prepare, members committed to an intensive 18-week training schedule, rehearsing about five hours each week.
They said the experience was meant not only to fulfill a long-held dream of the choir, but also to encourage more people who love choral singing to pursue their passion, regardless of how busy their work or daily lives may be.
One of the choir’s most talked-about performances was the Cantonese piece From the Chrysalis, a local composition inspired by diary entries from prisoners at Stanley Prison.
With lyrics by Chan Cheuk-fung, the work reflects on life and death, telling a story of rebirth and urging listeners to cherish life and transform hardship into freedom and brilliance.
The organizers’ recognition and the record-breaking score underscore what the conductors described as the choir’s collective dedication, musical maturity, and emotional depth, placing Hong Kong’s choral scene firmly in the international spotlight.
marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com
