Auditions for int’l choral contest

MANILA, Philippines - Time and again, foreign promoters have seen the Philippines as a wellspring of musical talent. And in today’s age of YouTube successes and reality TV, musical programs mounted by the biggest broadcast networks overseas always manage to include singers of Filipino lineage.

Now, it’s the choral community’s turn. Interkultur Germany, the group behind the World Choir Games, which has long wanted to stage an international festival right here teams up with Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC), Star City, the Philippine Choral Directors Association (PCDA) and Globe Telecom in mounting Sing N Joy Manila at the Aliw and Star Theaters in December.

Audiences will be treated to stunning harmonies from the best choirs in the world in the classical, sacred music, folkloric and pop music genres.

MBC has announced qualifying auditions, which will be held on Aug. 10 and 11 at the Aliw Theater in Pasay; Aug. 17, Baguio; Aug. 24, Cebu; Aug. 31, Davao; and Sept. 7, Iloilo. Children’s choirs, as well as non-professional groups — mixed choruses, all-male and all-female ensembles — are invited to fill the slots open to local choirs, whose participation will be subsidized by MBC. Former champions of the MBS National Choral Competition from 2007 to 2012 have automatically been invited into the contest proper.

For details, log on to www.interkultur.com or e-mail [email protected]. For regional auditions, call 0917-5002109 (Baguio); 0917-6273018 (Cebu); 0917-7040527 (Davao); 0939-9090191 (Iloilo) and 0932-2875550 (Manila).