Competing against choirs from around the world in the prestigious ‘Adult Choir’ category, Kosovo’s Siparantum Choir has made a triumphant appearance at the 2024 “Sing for Gold – The World Choral Cup” in Barcelona, winning both a Gold Medal and a Special Award for Best Contemporary Program and Stage Performance. 

The Siparantum Choir from Peja/Pec, a city in western Kosovo, competed in the ‘Adult Choir’ category, performing works by both Albanian and international composers from diverse stylistic periods.

The choir’s director, Memli Kelmendi, expressed the choir’s dedication and pride in representing Kosovo at such a high level. 

“The World Choral Cup is one of the most important platforms for choral music worldwide, and we are honored to have the opportunity to represent Kosovo at this event. We have worked with immense dedication to bring a top-level performance, and we hope to be successful again this time,” Kelmendi wrote in a press statement.

The Kosovo choir’s participation had symbolic significance as well, as Spain still does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state. 

Prior to the awards ceremony, the Siparantum Choir joined a parade with flags from 32 participating countries.

Kosovo’s Minister of Culture Hajrulla Ceku congratulated the team for bringing these two awards to Kosovo.

“As always, extraordinary. A Gold Medal and the Special Award for Best Contemporary Program and Stage Performance at the Sing for Gold Festival – The World Choral Cup, in Barcelona,” Ceku wrote on X.

Kori Siparantum i sjell Kosovës dy çmime nga Spanja 🇽🇰💙

Si gjithmonë të jashtëzakonshëm. Medalje e Artë🏅dhe Çmimi special për programin bashkëkohor më të mirë dhe interpretim në skenë në Festivalin Sing for Gold – The World Choral Cup, në Barcelonë.

Urime Memli dhe ekipi! pic.twitter.com/zz6VJ1QLzf

— Hajrulla Çeku (@HCeku) October 27, 2024

“Sing for Gold” is a choral competition and festival that invites choirs from around the world to participate in various performances and contests. The event culminates in the awarding of the prestigious World Choral Cup, making it a highly sought-after achievement for participating choirs. Since 2012 Calella and Barcelona have emerged as the preferred destinations for choir competitions and festivals.

The Siparantum Choir was established in 2017 when a group of volunteers united with a shared passion for singing and a mission to showcase Kosovo’s diverse cultural heritage on a global platform. Since 2018, Memli Kelmendi has represented Kosovo in the World Choir Council and was appointed as Kosovo’s national Ambassador to the International Federation of Choir Conductors, ICCF, in 2022.

Siparantum Choir has already built a strong reputation in the choral world, having won 14 international awards to date and ranking among the world’s top 25 in the ‘Chamber Choirs & Vocal Ensembles’ category, according to Interkultur’s World Ranking List.