The Tygerberg Children's Choir and Stellenbosch University Choir have been named World Champions at the World Choir Games in China.

The brilliant Tygerberg Children's Choir, conducted by Hennie Loock, was crowned World Champion and obtained two gold medals in two categories at the 6th World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China: Music of the Religions (88,6%) and Folklore (92,8%). They came 4th with 81, 6% and earned another gold medal in the Children's Choirs division.

Stellenbosch University Choir with its leader Andre van der Merwe obtained the following: World Champion and gold medals in two categories: Mixed Choirs (95,2%) and Musica Contemporanea (92%).

This means that these shining export products of the Western Cape obtained a whopping four first places with gold medals plus one more gold for the Tygerberg Children's Choir.

The university choir competed in 2 categories and the children's choir in 3.

The 6th World Choir Games opened on Thursday, 15 July 2010 in the southern Chinese city of Shaoxing. The organisers from the German INTERKULTUR Foundation and the Chinese city of Shaoxing were delighted that 472 choirs from 83 nations with more than 20 000 participants came to these unique choir games, the world's biggest choral competition, which is held in the spirit of the Olympic ideal.

At 7pm.local time, 10 000 guests, including 1 000 leading personalities from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, music, art and Shaoxing's 65 twinned cities, attended the grand opening ceremony, at which the President of the World Choir Games, Günter Titsch (INTERKULTUR, based in Frankfurt, Germany), Zhang Jinru (Party Secretary of the City of Shaoxing) and Qian Jianmin (Mayor of the City of Shaoxing) officially welcomed the participants and launched the World Choir Games. The World Choir Games are organised jointly by INTERKULTUR and the host city of Shaoxing.

Over 12 days, from 15 July to 26 July, the choirs of the world meet in China for music and song under the INTERKULTUR motto, "Singing together brings nations together." Host nation China boasts the largest contingent, with 276 participating choirs. A further 196 choirs from around the world are taking part. For example, the nations of South Africa, Australia, the USA and Mexico, Austria and Germany, Indonesia and Malaysia are all being represented by singers and musicians. In addition to competition performances, the choirs also meet for friendship concerts in the theatres, halls and public squares of Shaoxing.

Shaoxing, often called as the 'Venice of the East' because of its beautiful waterways, is also celebrating the 2 500th anniversary of its founding in 2010 and is putting its best face forward for its international guests. 400 choirs' assistants and 750 volunteers from all over China are here to make sure their international guests have the most pleasant stay possible. The citizens of Shaoxing are looking forward to greeting visitors from Africa, Australia, Europe, North, Central and South America and the rest of Asia. These visitors transform the southern Chinese city into a colourful, intercultural centre of music and international goodwill.

Until 26 July 2010, the participating ensembles at the World Choir Games will engage in peaceful competition for gold, silver and bronze medals under the motto "Participation is the highest honour."

INTERKULTUR has ties to 120 000 choirs made up of 4.8 million choral singers around the world. In the twenty years since it was established, more than 5 000 choirs and some 230 000 singers from 100 nations have taken part in the World Choir Games and INTERKULTUR's regional choir competitions. The World Choir Games (WCG), which are dedicated to the founding Olympic ideal, take place every two years on a different continent. The next WCG will be held in 2012 in Cincinnati, USA.