Choirs in the news

Though still nursing jet lag from another successful European tour, the members of the Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz) is all ready to take to the local stage once again for one very special performance. This is A New Renaissance, the grand finale of the Madz’s 50th anniversary celebration titled So Far, So Gold. This will be held at the Bulwagang Nicanor Abelardo, the main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on June 28 at 8 p.m. and June 29, 5 p.m. Call the CCP 832-1125 or TicketWorld 891-9999 for tickets.

The Madz was formed as the UP Madrigal Singers by National Artist for Music Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion in 1963 as an interpreter of the medieval type of music called the madrigal. The group has since then become one of the most admired choirs in the world, not only as the winner of the most number of competitions but also because of many memorable performances here in the Philippines and in other countries.

The Madz’s So Far, So Gold year saw the launch of the first Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival presented by the CCP last August, 2013. This is the Philippines’ first international choral competition and was participated in by 20 choirs from seven countries. To close the year, the Madz is launching the Sing Philippines Youth Choir, a group made up of the best singers from choral groups from all over the Philippines. The year also saw the Madz on a successful tour of the US late summer, 2013 and recently of Europe where they performed in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy.

The Ateneo Chamber Singers (ACS) is inviting everyone to a special Mass at the Church of the Gesu at the Ateneo campus at 6 p.m. on June 28. The Mass will be followed by a mini-concert featuring the ACS. The event is a send-off gesture for the ACS that is leaving next month for Pahayo, the choir’s competition tour of Europe. The group will perform some of the numbers in its tour repertoire.

Pahayo means to go forth and set out on a journey. In this journey the ACS will be competing in the eighth World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia and in the 60th Habaneras y Polifonia in Torrevieja, Spain.  Headed by conductor Jonathan Velasco, the ACS hopes to bring the best that Philippine choral music has to offer to other parts of the world. 

The ACS members are also hopeful that they will be able to bring honors to our country once again. The last time that the group competed abroad was back on 2006. It represented the Philippines in Polyfolia in France and won first prize in the Polyphony Category of the 38th Tolosa Choral Contest held in Spain. Aside from the contests in Riga and Torrevieja, the ACS will also be performing in Vienna Austria and in Barcelona, Spain.

The part of the trip that ACS is greatly looking forward to is the visit to Manresa, the retreat house of St. Ignatius de Loyola, where the founder of the Society of Jesus spent time in prayer and in formulating what became the Spiritual Exercises of the Jesuits. The ACS will be performing in Manresa on the feast of St. Ignatius on July 31. The Ateneo University in the Philippines was founded by the Jesuits.

The ACS was founded by members of the Ateneo College Glee Club who were graduating from school. With their unique specialization in sacred choral music they have since then established a formidable presence in the Philippines and abroad and also developed a diverse repertoire that includes traditional and contemporary from various countries. 

The ACS’ Pahayo tour has the support of the Ateneo de Manila University, Jesuit Communications, San Miguel Corp., PAGCOR, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board.

MTV VJ Hunt sked

Update on the MTV VJ Hunt schedule. After that very successful turnout at the Ayala Center in Cebu, the hunt is set to visit the Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro on July 5.  Aspiring VJs from CDO and nearby areas can simply go to the MTV booth at Centrio from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the auditions. 

And now from MYX, the Filipino music channel, here are the Top 20 videos in this week’s Pinoy MYX Countdown: Right Where You Belong by Julie Ann San Jose; Kunwa-kunwari Lang, Kyla; Maybe This Time, Sarah Geronimo; Pag Napagod Na Ang Puso, Erik Santos; Natataranta, James Reid; Takip Silim, Gloc-9 feat. Regine Velasquez-Alcasid; Walang-wala, Banda ni Kleggy; Happier This Way, Save Me Hollywood; Pag May Time, Xian Lim; No Erase, James Reid and Nadine Lustre; Dahan-dahan, Maja Salvador; Night Owls, Slapshock; When I Was Your Man, Paolo Onesa; Gusto Kita, Angeline Quinto; We Can’t Be, Krissy; Puyat, Rjay Ty feat. Ron Henley; Plastic, Hazel Faith; Di Kayang Pilitin, Klarisse; and Never Knew Love Until I Met You, Janice Javier.