Nagaland Conservatory of Music wins Nagaland Choir Games

The Nagaland Choir Games 2025, organised by the Task Force for Music & Arts (TaFMA) in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and managed by the Nagaland Choir Games team, was held on December 9 at the Capital Cultural Hall, Kohima, as part of the 26th Hornbill Festival. The Nagaland Conservatory of Music (NCM) emerged as the winner of the competition. Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer presented the prizes to the winners.
Described as Nagaland’s first-ever Choir Games, the event marked a milestone in the state’s choral music scene. It aimed to celebrate choral music, culture and community, bringing together choirs from across Nagaland for both friendship concerts and competitive performances. The platform showcased the creative range, discipline and musical synergy of participating groups.
For their winning performance, the NCM received a prize of ₹10 lakh. Cantabile Choir and Harmonic Voices finished second and third, earning ₹5 lakh and ₹2.5 lakh respectively.
In the individual and special categories, Lipokmar Tzudir was named best conductor, while Celestial Harmonies from Tseminyu received the award for Best Uniform.
The other finalists in the competition were Tongpu Pur Mokokchung, Tetso College Department of Music, Celestial Harmonies (Tseminyu), The Anchored, Frontier Harmony Collective, and The Celestial Voices, each showcasing diverse choral styles and performances at the state-level event.
Ahead of the finale, the friendship concert featured performances by Kithagha Union Baptist Church Choir, Kuzhami Chakhesang Baptist Church Kohima Choir, Nourhe Khate, Nerhema Baptist Khriesarüü Krotho, Town Baptist Church Choir and Cantamus Choir, setting the tone for the festival of voices.