Moscow is set to host more than 1,300 vocalists from over 167 groups at its first Open International A Cappella Competition on April 28 to May 9. The competition will be held at venues across the city during the Moscow Spring A Cappella Festival and will feature groups from Russia, Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Singapore, and Georgia, and more. 

Alexei Nemeryuk, the head of the Moscow Department of Trade and Services, said that though this is the first contest of its kind in Moscow, it has evoked great interest in both Russia and abroad.

Over three weeks, between March 9 and 31, we received almost 250 applications, some 167 were approved.

Footage from the Moscow Spring A Cappella Festival

Among the groups competing are THUMMp, MICappella, and The Alley Cats.

MICappella from Singapore

The event is new and kinda massive. None of the band members have even been to Russia before, so it's all new and exciting! We really don't know what to expect so we're preparing to just do a good show first and foremost. We'll be doing what we know we are comfortable with and try and play to our strengths. Hopefully, it will go well with audiences and judges over there!

Vocal Percussionist of MICappella Peter Huang

THUMMp from Michigan, USA

When asked what THUMMp expects in Moscow, group member Greg Vaden said, "We are definitely excited to be representing the United States at the Moscow Spring Festival with our unique style of classic rock, pop, and blues. It's a great way for us to be celebrating our 20th anniversary! 

We feel we are capable of winning, but aren't really sure what to expect at the festival. From what we've been told there will be a total of 31 stage locations with what I'm sure will be varying degrees of equipment available for use.

Alley Cats from California, USA

When asked how it feels to be a part of the Moscow Spring Festival, The Alley Cats said:

We believe music has no borders and the opportunity to perform in Russia right now is unique and we will savor every moment. It is also a feeling of gratitude and respect for what we have done as a group over the last 30 years it's a real honor to be chosen to attend.

There will be at least 15 groups from St. Petersburg, four from Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk each, and three from Belgorod and Nizhny Novgorod each. Other contestants will represent the Voronezh, Moscow, and Ryazan regions as well as Astrakhan, Blagoveshchensk, Volgograd, Kazan, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Petrozavodsk, Simferopol, and other cities.

The Moscow Spring A Capella Festival will run at 31 venues in the city, including rooftops and balconies of some buildings in the city center. Groups of all types will be performing in various styles such as pop, rock, jazz, blues, gospel, folk, Russian and foreign hits of the 20th century, as well as classical works.

Most of the contestants are small groups of up to five singers. However, during the competition the audience will get to experience larger groups of up to 30 people, including a choir of Moscow teachers from the Sretensky Monastery, a chamber choir from the Belgorod Philharmonic, and a chamber choir from the Astrakhan State Philharmonic.

Groups are allowed to have from three to 20 singers, and the age range of performers is 18-55. Only groups that have existed for more than 12 months are eligible. Elimination-round winners will perform to Muscovites and tourists at the Moscow Spring Festival. Contest winners will be chosen by the public and a jury and will receive monetary awards.

The selected contestants will compete in three categories: small, medium, and large vocal groups.

A grand prize will be awarded to the choir that receives the largest number of votes from the audience and a professional jury headed by songwriter Viktor Drobysh.

The Moscow Spring A Capella festival is part of the Moscow Spring Festival and Moscow Seasons street entertainment program, which offers street theater, creative workshops, and open-air sports competitions.

2016 Moscow Spring Festival