From the 16th of June to the 19th I was in Umeå, Sweden.  During 2014 Umeå is the European Capital of Culture. The European Choral Festival, which was held here, invited the SICC (South Iceland Chamber Choir) to perform.  The choir are pictured above performing ‘Islands (Ynysoedd)’ in the Opera House in Umeå.  This concert was recorded for the Swedish classical music station P2, and required a short break to accommodate moving the microphones to capture this unconventional piece.  The audience responded well to both the choir and their choice of programme.  The festival was very well organised and the staff were helpful and friendly.  Most of the choirs were being hosted in the same hotel, so after the concerts the spontaneous entertainment often included bar-side sing-alongs!  It was a pleasure to attend such a welcoming event.