HUNDREDS of young singers are due to gather in Worcester next year when the city hosts an international festival.

The Worcester International Festival for Young Singers 2013 (WIFYS), the UK’s first-ever international festival for children’s and youth choirs, takes place from July 19 to 27.

The ground-breaking arts event will attract 400 young singers from some of the most outstanding youth choirs from the UK and all over the world.

Organised by Sing UK, the national singing organisation, WIFYS will establish the UK on the international map of similar events which are held in different countries across Europe, including Germany, Slovenia, France, Spain and Denmark.

WIFYS artistic director Malcolm Goldring said: “I’ve been conducting at events like this in other parts of Europe for years and I’ve been asked repeatedly, ‘Why don’t you have something like this in the UK?’ “When I was last working in Germany, I resolved to do something about it instead of simply shrugging my shoulders.”

Mr Goldring said Worcester was chosen for many reasons including its strong musical pedigree, its geographical location making it easy for choirs to reach, its attraction as a tourist destination, whether in the city, towns or countryside, and its already active interest in SingUK projects for local students. He said: “Now we can look forward to adding to this country’s international choral singing credentials with an arena here in Worcester for young people to collaborate in a non-competitive environment.”

The young singers will share their national musical traditions and cultures in the week-long event based in Worcester city centre.

These will include concerts, street singing and workshops culminating in a gala concert in Worcester Cathedral.

Four international choral conductors will also lead workshops that will see young people from different nations working together under a banner of Peace and Unity between Nations, reaffirming the mission of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat, of which Sing UK is a member.

WIFYS runs in Worcester is accepting registrations from choirs online at sing uk.org/wifys.