One of America’s most celebrated gatherings of young singers, the Golden Gate International Children’s and Youth Choral Festival attracts choirs from all over the world to perform, compete, and build international friendship.

 

Founded in 1991, the Golden Gate Festival is organised every three years by the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir in the San Francisco Bay Area. It remains the only opportunity for children’s and youth choirs to meet and compete on an international field in the United States. Since its founding, the event has brought more than 3,000 young musicians over 20 countries together in friendship and harmony, performing for more than 50,000 audience members from throughout Northern California.

 

The Festival places special emphasis on building community among singers. Daily rehearsals of the massed choirs, special events - including a boat cruise of San Francisco Bay, and a dance following the final concert - provide opportunities for singers and adults to make friends and meet colleagues in a supportive environment. A hallmark of the Golden Gate Festival is the hospitality offered by the local community in the form of homestays for visiting international singers - an expression of goodwill that underlies the spirit of the festival.