United Kingdom↗27 February 202701 day
Manchester2027
Manchester High School for Girls
A whole day of fresh ideas, uplifting workshops and music-making with your choir community.
Explore Manchester↗
WORLD VOICES FESTIVAL · FEEL THE MUSIC. FIND YOUR PEOPLE.
The world sounds
better together.
Inspiring choir workshops. Extraordinary stages. A shared love of singing.
Non-competitive UK and international choir festivals for choirs and individual singers.
10YEARS OF
BRINGING VOICES
TOGETHER
BRINGING VOICES
TOGETHER
No competition. Shared inspiration.
All choir stylesAll experience levelsNo competition. Just connection.WHERE WILL YOUR VOICE TAKE YOU?
Your choir.
Your next adventure.
Take your choir somewhere special.
Choose a day of inspiration or a whole
weekend of unforgettable music-making.
United Kingdom↗
Austria↗11–13 June 202703 days
Vienna2027
Vienna Konzerthaus & Ehrbar Saal
World-class venues, inspiring workshops and a shared finale in one of Europe’s great musical cities.
Explore Vienna↗
That feeling. Together.
New friendships.
Fresh inspiration.
Unforgettable music.
REAL VOICES. REAL CONNECTION.MORE THAN A FESTIVAL
Raise your voice.
Broaden your world.
That moment when hundreds of voices become one. That new idea you can’t wait to take back to rehearsal. That’s why we’re here.
Since 2016, we’ve brought choirs and individual singers together to learn, perform and develop. From our UK roots to the Berlin Philharmonie and beyond, the spirit stays the same: musical discovery in a welcoming, non-competitive atmosphere.
01
Learn from inspiring people
Explore vocal technique, new musical styles and performance with leading choral specialists.
02
Make the stage your own
Share your sound, discover other choirs and grow through constructive expert feedback.
03
Be part of something bigger
Connect across choirs, cultures and generations through the joy of making music together.
7,000+
SINGERS BROUGHT TOGETHER
300+
CHOIRS WELCOMED
30+
FESTIVAL EVENTS
10
YEARS OF INSPIRATION
UK ROOTS. WORLDWIDE CONNECTIONS.
Many places.
One international festival.
From festival halls across the UK to the iconic Berlin Philharmonie, we bring singers together across borders. Different countries, different traditions — a shared love of choral music.
WHERE WE’VE HELD FESTIVALS
Our festival
host locations.
We’ve held festival events in these UK locations:
- St Albans
- Manchester
- York
- Chichester
- Monmouth
- Exmouth
- Birmingham
WE’VE ALSO HELD A FESTIVAL ATBerlin Philharmonie
Berlin, Germany
WHERE OUR VISITING CHOIRS HAVE COME FROM
Choirs welcomed
from around the globe.
So far, choirs have travelled to join our festivals from:
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Iceland
- United States
- Germany
- India
A true international festival — a welcoming place to learn from each other, share our music and sing together.
Be part of our next chapterTHIS IS WHAT TOGETHER SOUNDS LIKE
You have to feel it.
▶STEP INSIDE WORLD VOICES FESTIVAL WATCH THE FILM ↗ST ALBANS 2026 · MOMENTS TO REMEMBER
This is what
belonging looks like.
From the first workshop to the final applause.
A glimpse of the music, laughter and connection
at our latest St Albans festival.
EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS. EXTRAORDINARY INSPIRATION.
Our workshop
leaders include…
Some of the most highly regarded, inspirational and top-class leaders in choral music have shared their expertise with our singers. Here are just a few of the outstanding people who have helped shape our festival over the years.
Abi Gilchrist
Audrey Matthis
Ayo Oyerinde
Bazil Meade
Ben Parry
Ben Sawyer
Carla Jane
Charles MacDougall
Craig Lees
Dan Ludford-Thomas
Daniel Thomas
Dominic Ellis-Peckham
Emily Dickens
Fola Phillip
Greg Beardsell
Greg Link
Howard Francis
James Davey
Jamie Wright
Joanna L'Estrange
Joanna Tomlinson
Karen Gibson
Katie Thomas
Ken Burton
Kevin Fox
Mark Delisser
Mat Wright
Matthew Roughley
Neil Ferriss
Nicholas Cleobury
Pete Churchill
Rachel Mason
Richard Eteson
Russell Scott
Stephanie Oyerinde
Steve Cook
Stuart Overington
Suzzie Vango
Ula Weber
Volney Morgan
Russell ScottFounder & Festival Director
MEET OUR FOUNDER · RUSSELL SCOTT
Bringing voices together.
Inspiring what comes next.
Russell Scott is a conductor, musical director, producer, singer, vocal coach and mentor with more than 45 years’ experience in the music industry.
His career spans classical music, musical theatre, pop and film, with conducting and performing credits at venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, London Palladium and Royal Festival Hall. His recording career includes more than 100,000 album sales and film soundtrack credits including Pirates of the Caribbean and Shrek 2.
As a producer, Russell has worked with leading writers including Tim Rice, Don Black, Stephen Schwartz and Leslie Bricusse. His production of Godspell in Concert at London’s Lyric Theatre went on to tour across the UK, and his recording work has taken him to Abbey Road and Angel Studios.
Alongside his performance and production work, Russell leads Next Stage Choir, taking singers on international tours and creating ambitious performance opportunities. As a vocal coach and mentor, he supports singers preparing for drama school and professional auditions, as well as choir leaders developing their musical and leadership skills. He also hosts The Choir Director Podcast, sharing practical ideas for stronger choirs and better rehearsals.
Russell founded World Voices Festival in 2016, originally as the UK Choir Festival, to bring singers together to learn, perform and develop. His vision continues to shape a welcoming, non-competitive festival where choirs can discover new ideas, work with exceptional leaders and share the joy of making music.
Learn.
Be inspired by fresh ideas and exceptional expertise.
Perform.
Share your music in a supportive, welcoming atmosphere.
Develop.
Grow in confidence and take inspiration back to your choir.
Start your choir’s next chapter
GOOD TO KNOW
Your voice
belongs here.
First time joining us? We’ll help you feel at home before you sing a note.
Ask us a question ↗Who can take part?+
Choirs and individual singers of all styles, sizes, ages and experience levels are welcome. From community choirs to school ensembles, gospel groups and choral societies, there is a place for you.
Is the festival a competition?+
No. The focus is learning, sharing and encouragement. Performing choirs receive constructive feedback from expert leaders, without rankings or prizes.
Can I come without a choir?+
Yes, individual singers are welcome. Check the booking options for your chosen festival, or get in touch for help joining us.
Can my choir be engaged to perform at the festival?+
World Voices Festival is a ticketed participation event. Choirs book to attend the full festival programme, including the workshops, and have the opportunity to perform as part of that experience. For weekend festivals, this means taking part throughout the weekend. We do not engage choirs to appear as professional guest performers.
Does my choir have to perform?+
Performing is encouraged but optional. It is a chance to share your music in a supportive setting. Performance formats vary by event.
Do we need to prepare music?+
Manchester workshop material is taught at the event. Vienna festival repertoire is sent in advance for choirs to prepare. Read the relevant event page for full details.
What about accessibility and travel?+
Please contact us before booking to discuss accessibility requirements. Manchester travel and accommodation are arranged independently. Vienna packages are managed by Concerts-Austria.
JOIN THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC
Help make the festival happen.
Bring your enthusiasm, meet like-minded people and help create an unforgettable welcome for our singers.