UL Lafayette Chamber Singers named semifinalists in international music competition

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Chamber Singers have earned international recognition again, advancing as semifinalists in the 2026 Petrichor International Music Competition.

The Chamber Singers were selected in the competition’s large ensemble category, which included professional and nonprofessional orchestras, bands and choirs from around the world. The full list of semifinalists and competition results is available here. 

The recognition adds to an international record that includes top finishes in competitions in Italy, Wales and the Netherlands. 

Dr. William Plummer, director of Choral Activities and an associate professor in the School of Music in the College of the Arts, said the breadth of the Petrichor competition makes the recognition particularly meaningful.

"Our undergraduate choral students' ability to compete against and perform alongside professional ensembles and graduate-level ensembles from top institutions worldwide means that UL Lafayette has become a leader in pre-professional training for our choral students,” Plummer said. “The benefit of this training is also apparent after graduation — UL Lafayette choral students have been invited to perform with Grammy-winning choirs such as The Crossing, the Houston Chamber Choir, and The Thirteen, and many are leading outstanding choral programs of their own as educators at the elementary, high school or collegiate level."

In 2025, the Chamber Singers traveled to Europe to compete in the CantaRode International Choral Festival in Kerkrade, Netherlands. UL Lafayette was one of 10 choirs selected for the biennial competition and placed fifth overall and third among U.S. university choirs.

In 2022, the Chamber Singers won the Grand Prix award as best overall choir in a virtual competition held as part of the Michelangelo International Music Festival in Florence, Italy. The ensemble also earned top honors in the Youth and University Choirs and Sacred Music categories. A year earlier, the Chamber Singers won a virtual competition held as part of the International Choral Festival in Wales.

The Chamber Singers are an auditioned ensemble in the University’s School of Music. Plummer established the ensemble in 2012, and participation is open to University students regardless of major.

Learn more about the UL Lafayette School of Music.

Photo caption: Members of the internationally recognized University of Louisiana at Lafayette Chamber Singers perform during a campus holiday event in this 2025 photo. (Photo credit: Paul Kieu / University of Louisiana at Lafayette)