Whistling away to glory

Passionate whistlers gathered at a concert hall in Kawasaki in Japan on Sunday (July 17) to compete in the World Whistlers Convention. Fifty participants from six countries - Japan, India, Australia, Korea, the United States, and Venezuela - showcased their tunes to judges choosing either a classical or pop tune no longer than five minutes, and no shorter than two. Judges listened closely for precision in pitch, rhythm and tone quality and deducted points for unnecessary breathing noises. This was the first World Whistlers Convention and the organisers said it will henceforth be held once every other year.