CCTV9英语新闻：Riga holds biggest edition of choral music event（在线收听）

It's the biggest in the events’ history. Since the beginning, the World Choir Games have been known as the Olympics of Choral Music, contributing to peace and mutual understanding internationally.

Highlights include competitions in 29 categories, culminating in the Awards Ceremonies, where the Champions are announced. A panel of more than 80 jurors representing the world’s most popular experts in choral music evaluate the performances, hold workshops and join the symposium.

"One of the main events is the Great Celebration Concert on July 13th, held on the huge open air stage at Meza parks.15,000 Latvian and international singers perform together, visualizing the slogan of the World Choir Games: "Singing together brings nations together," Fred Sjoberg, Artistic advisor of World Choir Games said.

Choirs from all over the world also celebrate a colourful festival of music and peaceful competition. 8,000 participants dressed in traditional costumes perform in the old town of Riga, giving the audience insight into the global choral music movement. 

82 Chinese Choirs take part in the event, including 18 from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Some of them meet world standards, and have already won top awards at previous World Choir Games. The Guangdong experimental High School Choir has won 5 championships since the first Games were held.

"We've seen a lot of strong choir teams here this time. And there are many teams from China. For us it's a great chance to experience the world's top level. Although Choir singing is quite popular in China, we can learn from the Games about how to improve ourselves, and enrich people's cultural lives in our own way," Xie Mingjing, Conductor of Guangdong Experimental High School Chior said.

For those who joined first time as young Chinese competitors, this a good opportunity to get close to the highest level of choir art, and to show themselves on the World stage. 

Riga is the European capital of Culture 2014. This 800 years old city has a deep tradition of music and singing. The World choir Games also helps the city to attract more than 70000 participants and tourists from all over the world. Here standing in the atmosphere of flowers,music and friendship, made us looking forward to the next event in Sochi 2016.