Cayman Compass reported that the Cayman Youth Choir performed at the International Choral Festival Verona Garda Estate in Lake Garda, Italy, from June 25‑28, 2026. The ensemble, part of CayMusicA’s student education programme and led by John Gray High School music teacher Naomi Allnut, includes roughly 125 singers from more than 30 island schools.
Twenty‑three singers ages 12 to 20 made the trip, representing John Gray High and other schools such as Cayman Prep, St. Ignatius Catholic, CF School, the University College of the Cayman Islands, Lighthouse School and several homeschooled students. Each participant raised over $1,000 through community fundraisers, with additional support from the Ministry of Trade and Tourism, the Department of Sports, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage, and CayMusicA.
The festival’s concerts were held in four churches: San Martino Vescovo Parish in Peschiera del Garda, San Pietro Apostolo Parish in Caldiero, Santa Maria Annunziata Parish in Roncà, and San Bartolomeo Apostolo Parish in San Bortolo delle Montagne. The choir performed alongside adult choirs from around the world and received standing ovations at every venue.
Program highlights included a Bob Marley arrangement, a Simon & Garfunkel classic, a cappella works by Jennifer Lucy Cook and Charles Trenet, and Cayman‑specific pieces by Beneil Miller and Aunt Julia Hydes. Allnut noted the reverberant acoustics challenged the singers but also created emotional moments. She said the group may aim for a similar international trip every two years. The choir remains open to all youth, free of charge and without auditions.
For more information, visit caymancompass.com.