The VII Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition begins today, with some of the finest international young singers gathering to Helsinki to compete.

The first singer, baritone Hansung Yoo from South Korea, will perform today. In total 46 singers from 20 countries will perform during the event. The competition final takes place on August 13. 

Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) will cover the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition in collaboration with the Finnish Cultural Foundation. The whole competition can be streamed via YLE’s website here.  

The Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition counts among the most prestigious competitions of its kind in the world. It has a reputation for being one of the leading international singing competitions, and many of its former prizewinners, such as Olaf Bär, Elīna Garanča, René Pape, Andrea Rost and Julia Lezhneva have later risen to the top of the world of singing. Designed for outstanding young singers, it is known for its high standard, its exacting repertoire, its superb prizes and its prestigious Jury.

The competition is organised once every five years by the Finnish Cultural Foundation. The first competition was held in 1984. 

The winners of 2009 competition were Julia Lezhneva (Russia) and Kihwan Sim (South Korea).

Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition official website