UK’s New National Amateur Choir Competition
167 Applications received
Thank you to everyone who applied for the first ever UK Choir of the Year.
We can’t wait to hear you all sing!
If you missed the deadline but wanted to apply, please contact us.
UK Choir of the Year Launch Concert · Cadogan Hall
The Adam Street Singers · Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir · Choir With No Name · Citi London Choir
Conductors: Phil Mitchell · Judge Dan Ludford-Thomas · Hannah Dunlop
Audio: The Adam Street Singers · Soloist: Rosie Cumber
Filmed by Gravity Media
UK Choir of the Year is a national amateur choral competition celebrating excellence in choral singing across the UK.
Open to choirs of all musical styles and genres, it is designed to be accessible, fair and artistically ambitious.
Built by a choir singer, for choir singers.
The Competition
Founded as a not-for-profit initiative, UK Choir of the Year has been created to provide a high-quality national platform for adult amateur choirs. (For eligibility, especially for students, see Rules & Guidelines).
It offers choirs the opportunity to perform, connect with peers, and share outstanding choral music with wider audiences.
This is not a choir festival, but a stand-alone competition in its own right.
Categories: Classical · Contemporary · Community.
For Category definitions, see Rules & Guidelines.
Access Bursaries available.
How the Competition Works
1. Submit an audition video of one song only of up to 6mins from the last 12 months, application form & £30 application fee - see Rules & Guidelines.
2. 18 choirs are selected to perform live at category finals and given feedback from our preliminary judges.
3. Category finals take place during the day at Milton Court, London, on 10 April 2027.
4. Category winners progress to the evening Grand Final.
5. The Grand Final is presented as a live concert, featuring a host, guest performances and performances from each category winner.
For more information take a look at the “Competition” tab.
Judged by
Will Todd • Dan Ludford-Thomas • Karen Gibson MBE • Alice Fearn
Preliminary round judges are Tori Longdon and Lauren Samuels
You can find their biographies here.
The Launch Concert
Did you join us at Cadogan Hall on 18 May 2026 for a special fundraising concert launching UK Choir of the Year?
Featuring three outstanding choirs performing a programme spanning classical, contemporary, musical theatre and gospel repertoire, the evening offered a glimpse of the energy and ambition behind the competition.
All proceeds support access bursaries and help bring the competition to life.
See our Media Gallery.
More Videos and photos can be found on our social media accounts. Follow for more!
If you missed it and would like to support the competition, click below.