Royal College of Music
Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall
The celebrated concert hall of the Royal College of Music - hover to see the college's iconic facade.
July 14-17, 2027 · London
Sing for the Crown!
The world's finest choirs gather in the capital of music to win the London Choral Crown.
London SW114-17 JulyChoral Comp. 2027
Free · London 2027
Official Booklet & Entry Guide
Programme, venues, jury, fees and how to enter - all in one PDF.
Sing for the Crown ✦London, UK ✦July 14-17, 2027 ✦Choirs of the World, One Stage ✦Entries Now Open ✦
British heritage · The stages
Majestic venues
Session schedules and venue allocation will be announced after registration. Additional venues may be added as the programme develops.
St Paul's · Covent Garden
The Actors' Church
A historic sanctuary at the heart of London's theatreland - hover to see the church from outside.
Royal College of Music
Britten Theatre
The Royal College of Music's elegant theatre - hover to see the building.
Four days of choral celebration
- 14July
Arrival & Opening Ceremony
Choir registration and accreditation, followed by the official Opening Ceremony with the festive parade of flags.
- 15July
Competition Day 1
Categories B, C and E, plus Festival Participation (F). Evening meet-and-greets and cultural exchange.
- 16July
Competition Day 2 & Workshops
Categories A and D, with masterclasses and sessions led by international choral experts.
- 17July
Grand Prix & Gala Concert
The Grand Prix Show, winner announcements, the Gala Concert and the official Crowning Ceremony.
Choir Registration
Entries now open - London, July 14-17, 2027
Repertoire & categories
Four pieces. Fifteen minutes.
Each choir performs exactly 4 pieces with a total performance time not exceeding 15 minutes.
Choirs with a secular music repertoire. All choirs may participate - no age or vocal subdivision limits (equal voices and mixed voices). 'Equal voices' describes the vocal type (e.g. SSAA or TTBB), not the gender of the singers.
- 1A composition from the choir's homeland / national musical heritage.
- 2A classical masterwork (composer born before 1900).
- 3An original composition by a contemporary, living composer (no arrangements of non-choral works).
- 4A free choice piece.
At least 2 of 4 pieces a cappella.
The Crown
Crafted for one conductor each year
Engraved with the name of the competition and, on the reverse, the year 2027. The Grand Prix winner's conductor is crowned in the Britten Theatre and takes a seat on the 2028 International Jury.
The Grand Prix
The road to the crown
- Qualification. 1st place in Categories A, B, C, D and E with at least 85.00 points automatically qualifies. 2nd-place choirs achieving at least 85.00 points may be admitted at the sole discretion of the International Jury.
- Multiple wins. A choir that wins two or more categories participates in the Grand Prix only once, representing the category in which it obtained the highest score. In the remaining category, the next-placed choir with at least 85.00 points may be admitted at the sole discretion of the International Jury.
- Format. 2 pieces, total singing time not exceeding 7 minutes.
- A cappella. All Grand Prix pieces strictly a cappella.
- The Crown. The winning choir's conductor is awarded a specially crafted crown. The crown never leaves the competition - it is not taken home, but handed on each year. Its holder also becomes a member of the following year's jury and personally passes the crown to the next year's winner.
Evaluation - average 100 points
The choir performs a program of 4 pieces; each jury member evaluates the entire choral performance as a whole using four main criteria - each worth a maximum of 100 points.
- Intonation100
- Sound Quality100
- Fidelity to the Score100
- Artistic Impression100
International jury
Globally recognised experts
Our jury consists of globally recognised conductors, composers and music experts.
Latest updates
Competition news
28 October 2026
John Rutter sends a message to choirs of the London Choral Competition 2027
Sir John Rutter, one of the world's most performed choral composers, has recorded a personal message for choirs preparing for the London Choral Competition 2027, 14-17 July 2027 in London.
Read the article
28 October 2026
Royal College of Music: the historic home of the London Choral Competition 2027
Founded in 1882 and set opposite the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington, the Royal College of Music hosts the London Choral Competition 2027 in its Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall and Britten Theatre.
Read the article
In collaboration
Our global choral partners
Eesti Kooriühing · Koor&Stem · Association of British Choral Directors