UPCC top winner in Spain fest

Manila, Philippines -  The University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC), the state university’s official choir, conducted by Prof. Jai Sabas Aracama, recently won two top awards at the 30th anniversary of the Festival Internacional de Música de Cantonigròs in Catalonia, Spain.

As the country’s sole representative, UPCC bested 16 other international choirs to win the first prize in the Mixed Choirs, Folk Music category, and second prize in the Mixed Choirs category, being edged out of the top slot by a mere fraction of a point by Norway’s Grex Vocalis. This is UPCC’s triumphant return to Cantonigròs, after it also won top prizes in the same categories in 1994, with the late dean Rey Paguio as conductor.

UPCC was a crowd favorite throughout the entire festival from July 19 to 22. It was one of only three groups chosen to perform during the welcome ceremony and opening performance, and it received standing ovations for its rousing choreographed numbers on the July 20 International Evening Concert and the Festival’s Closing Concert.

UPCC has just come from two months of well-received performances in the US and Canada for its 20th International Concert Tour. It will hold concerts throughout Europe in the next three months. The tour is part of the year-long celebration of UPCC’s 50th anniversary SingKwenta, SingKwela, culminating in events that will bring together UPCC’s stellar alumni, supporters and friends through the years in a gala concert on Dec. 21 at the University Theater, UP Diliman, and Fellowship and Recognition Night on Dec. 22 at the Bahay ng Alumni, also in the UP campus.

The talented batch of UPCC follows from a long line of alumni who’ve become famous in the local and international music scenes, thanks in part to their stints with the group. UPCC has produced over a thousand alumni who have invaded almost all aspects of the Philippine music scene in the past 50 years.

Some of its “Who’s Who” include Noel Velasco (only Asian tenor to win the First Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition), Nolyn Cabahug (frequent Aliw awardee for Best Classical Singer of the Year), Jonathan Badon (voted Best Global Pinoy Performer), singer-comedian Nanette Inventor, former New Minstrels singers Annette Belen and Joseph Olfindo, Moy Ortiz of The CompanY and host-comedian Arnell Ignacio.

Many alumni went on to conduct their own multi-awarded choirs as well: UP Saring-Himig by George Hernandez; the UP Singing Ambassadors by Ed Manguiat; and the Ateneo Glee Club under Joel Navarro. For the ethnic and folk music scene: Edru Abraham and his wife Becky Demetillo put up Kontra-Gapi while Heber Bartolome was the founder of Banyuhay.

 Some alumni who went on to conquer musical theater is Chinggoy Alonzo while UPCC alumni also proliferated in the various stagings of Miss Saigon, including Leila Florentino-Aubert, Angel Suguitan, Mia Ongkiko, Lyon Roque and Noel Driz.

And of course, who doesn’t know Maestro Ryan Cayabyab? Then there’s Raul Sunico (current dean of the UST Conservatory of Music and CCP president), violinist John Lesaca and flutist Tony Maigue. A number of prominent UPCC alumni have also flourished in the academe including Dr. Mauricia Borromeo, past UPCM dean and former UPCC pianist; Dr. Montet Acoymo, past UPCM dean; and Dr. Ramon Santos, former UPCM dean and former assisting conductor of the UP Mixed Chorus.

For details on UPCC and its 50th anniversary events, visit www.upconcertchorus.org or www.facebook.com/upconcertchorus.