Almost 400 talented individuals and groups applied for a chance to perform at this year's ChildAid concert.

The concert, into its ninth year, was established to raise funds for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and the Business Times Budding Artists Fund and jointly organized by the two Singapore Press Holdings newspapers.

Among the 28 acts which were picked to audition on Friday, were an acapella crew known as "ITE That Acapella Group".

Their manager, Christabel Lim, 33, said: "I chose to push my singers for this opportunity because our after our ITE Show Choir took part in ChildAid last year, I saw a vast improvement in their confidence and discipline. Some of our students are also beneficiaries of the Pocket Money Fund, so I felt that it would be good for us to give back to society." There will be a second audition on Saturday for approximately 17 acts. ChildAid 2012 raised a record-breaking $2.08 million last year.