CINCINNATI — For anyone who has been in a choir or simply loves music, Cincinnati is the place to be for the World Choir Games.

How many opportunities do we in the Midwest get to mingle with thousands of people from around the world, listen to their languages, see their colorful native costumes and hear their wonderful music?

Downtown Cincinnati is reverberating with human voices: There are choirs on Fountain Square, choirs rehearsing in the hallways and on the streets, choirs in churches and schools and arts centers. It makes you want to burst into song, even if you can’t carry a tune!

It’s the first time the international event has been held in America. It involves 362 choirs and 15,000 participants. The event kicked off July 4 with a festive procession of nations and continues through July 14. It’s the largest cultural event in the history of the Queen City; close to 5,000 signed up just to volunteer.

For $15, you can buy a one-day flex pass and drop in at competitions all day long — barbershop and show choirs, folklore and jazz, pop and gospel, spiritual, sacred. At the open competitions, any choir is welcome; the championship competitions are for those who have previously attained a gold status.

“The champions will give you chills and goose bumps,” says Kim Mann, artistic coordinator for the governing body of the World Choir Games.

Choirs come to this competition for expert advice and feedback.

That’s exactly why Barbara Sletto of Des Moines, Iowa, brought 21 singers to Ohio. They’re all between 15 and 22 years of age.

“We’ve never competed before and philosophically I’m not one to take students to competitions, but this is very special and we were excited to see what it’s all about,” said Sletto, who had just finished rehearsing with her group.

“We’re here to learn from other choirs,” she explained.

“We’re singing a piece from Israel and we requested a coaching session and they’ve assigned us to a well-known Israeli conductor who is here. I’m nervous but excited!”

Even if you’re a walker, it’s worth the 50 cents to hop on the shuttle that circles the venues — you’ll be face-to-face with people from around the globe.

“Let me see if I can pronounce it right, is it Namaskaram?” an American gentleman asked the group from India who had just boarded the bus.

“NAMASKARAM!” they all shouted back to him.

“It means ‘hello’ in Tamil,” one of the men explained. “We sing in 14 different Indian languages.”

In addition to the competitions, there are workshops and Celebration Concerts, free Friendship concerts and Champions Concerts.

A Parade of Nations will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday and closing ceremonies are July 14.

At award ceremonies, bronze, silver and gold medals are announced — the winning teams rush to the stage where their country’s flag is raised and their national anthem is played.

Choirs are judged in four categories: intonation, fidelity to the score, sound quality and artistic interpretation. Judges are seated at lighted tables in a row midway back in the theater. They come from around the world.

“Choral music is a way of living,” says Maria Emma Meligopoulou, an adjudicator from Greece.

“Music gives you internal energy and no matter what language you speak, through music you can be together and understand one another.”

Says judge Aida Swenson of Indonesia: “I feel it’s my duty to bring togetherness through music — especially for children. My mission is to help people live in harmony.”

For more information on the World Choir Games: www. 2012worldchoirgames.com.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@coxohio.com.