Credit: Elza Osmane, Chronicle.lu
On Sunday 8 March 2026, Luxembourg’s multinational choir, Voices International (VI), presented a sing-along concert at Philharmonie Luxembourg in the Kirchberg district.
Titled “Lëtz Sing”, the concert took place together with the International School of Luxembourg Choir. Despite the sunny weather outside, it attracted a fully booked Grand Auditorium of more than 1,300 people.
The audience welcomed the choir with loud applause as the singers entered the stage. The choir members wore black outfits complemented by colourful scarves tied around their necks. The performance brought together 46 vocalists from the International School of Luxembourg Choir alongside the VI Choir of around 200 singers.
Ezgi Göktürk, a Turkish-born pianist based in Luxembourg, accompanied the concert, while James Libbey, Artistic Director of VI, conducted the choir and guided the audience throughout the 90 minute concert.
Before the music began, the conductor addressed the audience and invited everyone to sing along. He guided the audience through a short vocal exercise with the choir and briefly introduced the different vocal sections, including soprano, alto, tenor and bass.
He revealed that preparations for the concert had started in January 2026, with rehearsals taking place every Monday evening in the lead up to the performance.
At the front of the Grand Auditorium, the Philharmonie’s iconic grand organ stood covered by a large screen that displayed titles and lyrics for each song. “I invite you to sing,” James Libbey said before the first piece. He added that the evening may form “the largest choir in Luxembourg". The audience followed along, while the auditorium’s excellent acoustics supported the concert.
The repertoire opened with the French classic Les Champs Élysées by Pierre Delanoë and Mike Wilshaw, which soon echoed through the auditorium, with a blend of choir voices, musicians and audience members singing from their seats.
The programme featured nine songs spanning several musical styles and generations. Alongside the opening number, the repertoire included Africa by Toto, Shake It Off by Taylor Swift, Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day, and Viva La Vida by Coldplay. The programme also featured Jolene by Dolly Parton, the Italian song Volare by Domenico Modugno and Franco Migliacci, Billy Joel’s And So It Goes, as well as ABBA’s classic Mamma Mia.
Throughout the concert, the conductor maintained an ongoing dialogue with both the singers and the audience. Attendees of all ages, including children, families, young adults and couples, joined in freely, reflecting the diversity present both on stage and in the hall.
To decide the closing piece, James Libbey invited the public to vote by measuring the volume of their applause for several song options. The audience ultimately chose to repeat Africa by Toto once more as the evening’s finale piece.
Voices International rehearses every Monday evening at the International School of Luxembourg, bringing together singers from more than 40 countries.
The choir’s next concert is scheduled for Saturday 13 June 2026. Tickets and further information are available at www.voicesinternational.lu
