In the summer of 2014: the Latvian City of Riga played host to the 8th annual World Choir Games. The Games continued in Riga from the 9th to the 19th of July, bringing together 27,000 choristers in 460 choirs from 73 countries in five continents.

 

Every day, choirs were competing in a broad variety of categories, as well as performing Friendship Concerts on four open-air stages in Riga: the culture chalet “Esplanade 2014”, in Vērmanes Park, on the “Origo Summer Stage” and in the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia.

 

Besides the various competitions, Friendship Concerts and workshops, the World Choir Games also included a number of special events: two Concerts of the World Choir Games Stars, concerts by “The King's Singers” and “The Real Group”, and a concert by the Baltic Boys’ Choirs together with composer Morten Lauridsen, as well as a unique performance at the Latvian National Opera by girls from “Latvian Voices”, the 2012 World Choir Games Champions, and Britain’s “The King's Singers”.

 

The first week of the World Choir Games closed with the Great Celebration Concert on the Mežaparks Open-Air Stage, featuring singers from all over Latvia and choirs from around the globe. And the second week of the World Choir Games opened with the Parade of Nations through Riga’s Old Town.

 

Latvian choirs were highly successful in the eighth World Choir Games – six choirs were titled Champions, many more won medals, and a number of choirs were awarded diplomas in the Open Competition.