Students from Lord Byng Secondary School returned home with international acclaim after taking home first place at the Golden Voices of Montserrat in Spain — one of the most prestigious choral competitions in the world.

 More than 800 participants from 27 countries competed this year, and Lord Byng was the only Canadian representative. It was also the first time in 40 years that Canada entered the competition, making the choir’s grand prize win a truly historic moment. Competing in the youth choir (ages 14-17) category, the Lord Byng Senior Chamber Choir captivated an international panel of judges with their artistry, precision and emotional depth. Choir director Lisa Lan, a Lord Byng alumna who graduated as a band student, described the win as a deeply meaningful full-circle moment. 

“It feels like a dream come true, to return to this school as a teacher and see my students achieve this extraordinary honour,” Lan said. “When I first started at Byng 17 years ago, it was my dream to build a choral program. Back then, we had just 14 students. Today, we have more than 300 students across six choirs.” 

The journey to Spain was both demanding and rewarding. The choir rehearsed for months, learning complex pieces in 10 different languages, plus dance choreography to prepare for the international stage. Grade 12 student Annie Song Wang shared that hearing their name called as winners was surreal.

“It didn’t feel real,” Song said. “We all worked so hard and couldn’t believe that we were representing Canada — and to win — was beyond anything we imagined.” 

Fellow student Shea Liu reflected on the power of the experience. 

“Meeting choirs from around the world and seeing their performances inspired us,” Liu said. “It was cool to see the other countries folklore and culture, and we brought our diversity to the stage. It was unexpected but we are so proud of everyone in the choir group.” 

Congratulations to the entire choir, Ms. Lan, and everyone who helped make this incredible achievement possible. You've made your school, your city and your country proud! 

Below is a small snippet of what the Byng Senior Choir performed in Spain.