We arrived in Cardiff on Saturday just as 70,000 football fans poured out of the Millennium Stadium following a thrilling FA Cup final! We forced our way through the crowds and managed to carry out our site visit without too many incidents. Unfortunately a hotel full of celebrating football fans meant that the Choir of the Year team didn't get much sleep before our own big day in Cardiff!

This was the busiest audition day in this year's competition and over 1000 people arrived to take part at the New Theatre. It was an exciting day with a guest appearance from Radio 3 presenter Petroc Trelawny who was there all day supporting the choirs along with Radio 3 Editor Edward Blakeman and David Jackson, Head of Music at BBC Wales.

The morning saw performances from choirs in the Children's Category: Caerphilly Children's Choir, The Downs School Choir, Millfield Preparatory School Junior Chamber Choir, Hazlegrove Chamber Choir, Maltman's Singers, Millfield Preparatory School Senior Chamber Choir, Stoke Brunswick School Choir, Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir and Fulham Prep School Chamber Choir.

The programme was varied with a range of music including songs from the shows as well as traditional and spiritual pieces but the most popular composer of the session was definitely Bob Chilcott (who was a judge at last year's Finals) with over half of the choirs performing at least one Chilcott piece.

Michael Morwood was our workshop leader for the day and the singing he and the New Theatre crowd produced would have rivalled (in loudness!) that of the packed Millennium Stadium of the day before. However, there was complete silence as Petroc led the judges Gillian Dibden and Ken Burton onto stage to announce the results. We're used to plenty of cheering when the winners are announced and the Cardiff crowd didn't disappoint as Hazlegrove Chamber Choir, Maltman's Singers and Fulham Prep School Chamber Choir were named as Choirs of the Day in the Children's Category.

We then had to get everyone out as quickly as possible to make room for the Youth, Adult and Open Choirs who were lined up around the block waiting to come into theatre.

Circuit 16 kicked off the Youth Choirs, followed by Kinder Children's Choir, High Wycombe Youth Choir, Vivace Girls' Choir, Scunthorpe Cooperative Senior Choir, Davison Community Youth Choir, Melisma from St Margaret's School, Exeter and Ragazze. The Open category was next with Cathays Methodist Community Choir and Kinder Youth Choir. The Adults were represented by Great Western Chorus and Serinette Ladies' Choir who wrapped up a fantastic singing session.

Kinder Children's Choir performed with guest conductor John Pryce-Jones as their conductor Joyce Ellis was not well enough to direct them and Great Western chorus were led by Craig Kehoe who doesn't usually direct the chorus. The changes in direction didn't seem to faze Kinder Children's Choir who were named Youth Choir of the Day along with Circuit 16, Scunthorpe Cooperative Senior Choir and Melisma, from St Margaret's School Exeter. Great Western Chorus took the adult title and Kinder Youth Choir were named Open Choir of the Day.

We'll be back at Cardiff again next weekend (along with thousands of rugby and football fans!) so watch this space for further updates - or better still book a free ticket and come along.

We're also auditioning choirs in Belfast next weekend so if you're in Northern Ireland come and support your local choir at the Methodist College.

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