KU School of Music Chamber Choir takes high prize at international competition

LAWRENCE — The KU Chamber Choir, part of the University of Kansas School of Music, has won top honors at an international choir competition in Slovakia.

This summer, the choir traveled to the Zilina Voce Magna international choir competition, where Jayhawks won first prize in the Mixed Choir category as well as the overall Grand Prix, the highest distinction of the event. The prestigious choir competition is held annually in Slovakia and features choir ensembles from around the globe. The festival features significant cultural collaboration, guest performers and historical venues.

The choir performed the following repertoire for the first round of the Voce Magna International Choir Competition in Zilina, Slovakia:

• “Caedmon’s Hymn,” by American composer Blake Wilson 
• “Factum est silentium,” by English composer Richard Dering
• “Libera me,” by Slovenian composer Nana Forte 
• “Get Away, Jordan,” arranged by American composer Stacey Gibbs.

The choir moved to the Grand Prix round, where it performed:

• “Gloria Patri,” by Indonesian composer Budi Susanto Yohanes.
• “Come To Me,” by Filipino composer Ily Matthew Maniano.

 The jury panel was presided by Jiri Skopal, conductor of the renowned Jitro Choir in the Czech Republic.

The KU Chamber Choir has enjoyed great success in the last several years in the international stage, also winning the Preveza International Choir Competition in July 2023 and the Cracovia Cantans International Choir Competition in Krakow, Poland, in June 2025.