Something you don’t hear every day…
The fourth year of the acclaimed City Of Derry International Choral Festival took place in the Maiden City last weekend, as thousands of musicians from all over Ireland, the UK and the rest of the world descended on Derry to sing, entertain and soak up the warm Irish welcome… and the not-quite-as-warm Autumn sunshine.
One of the best choirs in the world, The Sixteen, wowed on Thursday night, while German a capella group, SLIXS, entertained on Friday evening, but it was the International Competition – involving choirs from countries including Poland, Hungary, England, Ireland, Germany and from as far away as Indonesia – which really captured the enthralled audience’s imagination.
In fact, it was the aforementioned Indonesians – Bogor Agricultural University Student Choir, Agria Swara – making a whopping 24,000km round trip just to be in the city, who took home the top prize of the festival, the Oak Tree Of Derry Perpetual Trophy.
Just look how happy they were when they heard their name read out as winners…
Congratulations of Agria Swara (Bogor Uni) from Indonesia, on winning the @codichoral, & well done to all involved on a brilliant festival. pic.twitter.com/ILYsFqhyQF
— Lorcan Doherty (@lorcanphoto) October 24, 2016
To celebrate their victory and to close the festival in the most perfect of ways, the choir took to the stage one last time to perform a beautiful Irish lullaby, once made famous by Bing Crosby and more recently by The Simpsons; ‘Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That’s an Irish Lullaby)‘.
Simply beautiful, we’re sure you’ll agree…
