Let the Peoples Sing 2024 was the 47th edition of the international choral competition Let the Peoples Sing. It was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as host broadcaster. For the first time in the contest, the finalists competed live from their own countries, with the performances assessed by an eight-member jury voting from the BBC in London. This was the first time since 2003 that the city of London hosted the contest, having done so for the inaugural contest in 1961 until 1982, and once again in 2001 and 2003. The final was presented by Ian Skelly and Suzi Digby.
Eight choirs from seven countries participated, with Finland being the only country who competed in both adult's and children/youth's categories. The winner was Copenhagen Girls' Choir from Denmark. The adult category was won by Hägersten A Cappella from Sweden and the inaugural Youth Jury prize was won by from Switzerland.
Location For the first time since the contest's inception, the finalists competed live from their own countries. However, their performances were assessed by an eight-member jury voting from the British Broadcasting Corporation in London.
Format Competing countries who are members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) radio organizations were eligible to compete in the contest, who can enter choir groups in two categories, adult and children/youth.
The competition was organized in two rounds: semi-finals and finals. The EBU jury for the semi-finals took place remotely and based their result on audio listening only, while the EBU international jury convened face-to-face at the BBC in London to listen live on air to the eight finalists and decide on the winner.
In the semi-final, each choral group submitted a recording of 10–20 minutes, consisting of at least three contrasting pieces of music, at least two pieces must be sung a cappella. The recording must include pieces of music from at least two different stylistic periods or musical genres/styles and must be performed in one take and cannot be edited.
The final was held in the form of a public concert organised and broadcast live by the EBU radio organizations that entered choirs selected as finalists. Each choral group performed an 8-10 minute programme of music, which were different from that of the semi-finals and which was performed completely acoustically. There were no restrictions as to periods and styles.
The winning choir was presented the Silver Rose Bowl. For the first time in the contest's history, the winning children/youth choir was also awarded the Youth Jury prize by the representatives from the European Choral Association Youth Committee.
Jury members On 30 June 2024, the EBU announced the jury for the final:
Jonathan Manners – BBC Singers producer (co-chair) – Yle journalist (co-chair) Bob Chilcott – conductor and composer (guest juror) Pumeza Matshikiza – soprano (guest juror) Natalia Popudribko – Radio Kultura head of the Art Fund Department of Chief Editorial Office for Music Programmes Albert Torrens – programme editor – Latvijas Radio 3 Klasika composer and music producer Susanne Vongries – manageress
Participating countries The official list of participants was published on 4 February 2024 and included seven countries, with Finland being the only country who competed in both categories. Copenhagen Girls Choir from Denmark won the competition and received the Silver Rose Bowl, with Hägersten A Cappella from Sweden winning the adult category and from Switzerland winning the Youth Jury prize. BarbAros, the 2019 winner, performed as an interval act.
Draw Country Choir Song(s) Conductor Children's/youth category 1 BNR Children's Choir "Now Is the Month of Maying" – Thomas Morley "Northern Lights" – Ola Gjeilo "" – Dimitar Hristov Hristo Nedyalkov 2 "Celtic Dance" – Kirby Shaw "Ceremony After a Fire Raid" – "" – Traditional "Las giallinas" – Curò Mani-Vital "Kruhay" – Benny F. Castillon Christian Klucker 3 Copenhagen Girls Choir "" – Matti Borg "" – Maurice Duruflé "" – Karin Rehnqvist Anne-Terese Sales 4 Chorus Iucundus "" – Soila Sariola "I Shall Pass Through This World" – Margaret Bonds "" – Jaakko Mäntyjärvi Adult category 5 Encore "" – Karin Tuul "Adrift! A Little Boat Adrift!" – Tõnu Kõrvits "" – Mart Saar Karin Tuul 6 "" – "And I Saw" – Timothy C. Takach "" – Jukka Linkola Kaija Viitasalo 7 Juventus "" – "" – Evija Skuke Valdis Tomsons 8 Hägersten A Cappella "" – Frank Martin "Let Him Kiss Me" – Sven-David Sandström "Pluck the Fruit and Taste the Pleasure" – Libby Larsen Kerstin Börjeson
Broadcasts + Broadcasters in participating countries Country Broadcaster Channel(s) Commentator(s) BNR Hristo Botev Radio DR DR P2 Esben Tange ERR Klassikaraadio and Ivo Heinloo Yle Noora Hirn and Riikka Holopainen LR Latvijas Radio P3 Inta Pīrāga SR Sveriges Radio P2 Jack Lantz RTR Radio RTR SRF Radio SRF 2 Kultur Patricia Moreno
+ Broadcasters in non-participating countries Country Broadcaster Channel(s) Commentator(s) HR hr2-kultur Susanne Herzog WDR WDR 3 RÚV Rás 1 Ása Briem RTÉ RTÉ lyric fm rowspan="3" NRK NRK Klassisk Suspilne Radio Culture
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