The young singers of St Joseph’s Private Primary School, Kuching, have added another achievement to the school’s growing choral record after securing a Gold award in the Young Children’s Open category at the recently concluded Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod – International Choir Festival (MCE ICF) 2026.
The prestigious festival was held in Menara Ken Kuala Lumpur from August 19 to 23, bringing together choirs from Malaysia and overseas for a series of competitions, concerts and choral activities.
For the St Joseph’s Private Primary School Choir, the Gold result, more specifically Gold C, is the highest achievement by the choir at the prestigious MCE level, indirectly showcasing the young singers vocal discipline, musicality and confidence on an international platform.
They scored the award by gathering 80.79 points after performing the song Umbrella and Adoramus te.
The participation of St Joseph’s Private Primary School was particularly significant as the choir represented Kuching and Sarawak among a diverse field of young performers.
The school’s choir has also been involved in the wider choral community, including appearances connected to the Sarawak International Choral Festival and other performances in Kuching.
For the young members of the St Joseph’s Private Primary School Choir, the MCE ICF experience was about more than receiving an award.
Performing in a major festival allows young singers to develop stage confidence, learn from other choirs and gain exposure to different approaches to choral music. This time around, they also had a Choral Exchange with students from Hong Kong.
That said, St Joseph’s Private Primary School choir’s Gold achievement not only reflects the continuing strength of the school’s choral tradition, but also the school’s goal to push education beyond just textbooks.
About Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod – International Choir Festival (MCE ICF) 2026
The MCE ICF is regarded as one of Malaysia’s major choral festivals, providing opportunities for singers of different ages and backgrounds to compete and perform before international adjudicators.
The 2026 festival featured competitions across multiple categories, alongside concerts and opportunities for choirs to interact with other ensembles.
Participation at MCE 2026 therefore extended beyond the competition itself, giving the students the opportunity to experience a major choral festival environment and perform alongside choirs from different parts of Malaysia and other countries.
This 2026 edition the largest choral festival held in Malaysia with over 200 choir teams from various countries.