Singaporean composer-conductor Dr Darius Lim has made history as the first Asian composer to be celebrated in the Walking in Beauty concert series at the iconic Berlin Philharmonie. The special edition titled Songs of Dreams, presented by CHORALSPACE, puts a global spotlight on Lim’s visionary choral artistry.
Lim will make his Berlin Philharmonie debut on 13 December 2026 at the Kammermusiksaal. This landmark moment not only honours Lim’s prolific body of work but also places Singapore’s choral scene on one of classical music’s most prestigious international stages.
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Titled after Lim’s newly released album on Naxos Records — the world’s largest classical music label — Songs of Dreams features a selection of his most evocative and globally performed compositions. Known for his theatrical, luminous, and emotionally rich choral works, Lim leads a combined international choir including the Voices of Singapore Choral Society, creating what organisers describe as a "dreamlike musical realm where imagination and reality converge".
Notably, Lim was also the first Singaporean composer to release an album under Naxos Records.
Outside of Berlin, Darius Lim is a cultural force at home. As Founder and Artistic Director of Voices of Singapore (VOS), he leads one of the country’s largest singing organisations with over 30 choirs and nearly 2,000 members. From community choirs supporting children with special needs to award-winning state choirs, VOS is redefining choral music as a tool for empowerment, connection, and national identity.
Lim’s influence extends globally too — as a board member of the International Federation for Choral Music and a guest at international competitions and symposiums. His compositions have been performed by ensembles such as Voces8 and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and featured at global events including the World Symposium on Choral Music in Istanbul.
Applications for choirs and singers are now open — Singapore-based participants can register via Voices of Singapore, while international choirs may apply at choralspace.org
