SICFest & Sym 2026 concludes with Grand Prix finale
- BT
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KUCHING, 22 June 2026: The Sarawak International Choral Festival and Symposium (SICFest & Sym) 2026 drew to a close yesterday afternoon at voco Hotel by IHG in Kuching, with Liceo U High School Glee Club from the Philippines securing the festival’s highest honour, the Grand Prix Championship in addition to 3 separate categories.
Organised by the Kuching Choral Society and the Young Choral Academy, the 3rd edition of the festival welcomed over 1,200 registered participants to Kuching from June 18 to 21, including delegates, juries, conductors and 11 international choirs from 6 countries, including the USA, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, reflecting the festival’s growing international recognition and Sarawak’s emergence as a hub for choral arts. In addition to international choirs, the festival was also joined by choirs from different states in Malaysia, namely Johor, Perak, Selangor, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.
The last day of the festival yesterday saw finalists competing for the Grand Prix Championship title, each choir performing a total of 2 songs at the concert in front of distinguished adjudicators, including SICFest & Sym Artistic Director, Susanna Saw, Dr. Paul Head from USA, Thailand’s leading choral conductor, Dr. Pawasut Jodi Piriyapongrat, composer and founder of Voices of Singapore, Dr. Darius Lim, award-winning Indonesian composer, Dr. Ken Steven, and choir conductors, Koh Tian Yi and Esther Ting from Malaysia. The finalists include the Little Voice Choir (Indonesia), Paduan Suara Mahasiswa Universitas Nusa Cendana “Bella Cantare” (Indonesia), A.M.C Ladies Chorus (Malaysia), Heng Ee Choir (Malaysia), The Male-Efficient (Malaysia), St. Joseph’s Private School Chamber Choir (Malaysia) and the Liceo U
High School Glee Club and Alumni (the Philippines).
Later in the afternoon, the Closing Ceremony took place, and was graced by the TYT Governor of Sarawak, Tun Pehin Sri Dr. Haji Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar and his wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Hajjah Fauziah binti Mohd Sanusi, as well as Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and his wife, Datin Sri Hajah Zuraini Abd Jabbar, Deputy Minister of Tourism Sarawak, Datuk Sebastian Ting, Deputy Minister of Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy State Secretary, Datu Hii Chang Kee, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Morshidi Fredrick, CEO of Sarawak Tourism Board, Dr. Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, Acting CEO of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), Jason Tan, Kuching Choral Society Chairman as well as SICFest & Sym Director, Benedict J.C. Lo.
“The State Government firmly believes that the arts are an essential pillar of a progressive, inclusive and culturally vibrant society. Festivals such as SICFest & Sym do more than showcase artistic excellence, they provide opportunities for learning, cultural exchange, talent development and international friendship and remind us that while we may come from different countries, cultures and traditions, we can still find common ground through music,” said Dato Sri Abdul Karim when addressing the audience.
The coveted Grand Prix Trophy was subsequently presented by Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi and Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah to the overall champion choir, Liceo U High School Glee Club and Alumni, who delivered an outstanding performance that captivated both the adjudicators and audience alike.
A celebration of Sarawak’s rich choral heritage, the festival serves as a platform for local and international choirs to showcase their talents, share cultural experiences and foster meaningful connections through the power of choral music. For more information on SICFest & Sym, check out https://www.sic-fest.com/.
