MANILA – The Philippine Madrigal Singers have again validated their vocal virtuosity after performing and bagging awards at the recently-concluded 64th International Choral Competition Polifónico Guido d’Arezzo in Tuscany, Italy.
“It’s overwhelming. Up to now, we are very happy and pleased. No words can describe it… Nothing is more enjoyable than to see our hard work pay off,” Mark Anthony Carpio, the Madrigals’ choirmaster said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.
Most notable of the world-renowned chorale group’s awards from the competition was the Gran Premio Città di Arezzo given to them for their remarkable performances. They also received the Listening Committee’s Choice, Arezzo Colour’s Prize, and Listening Committee’s Choice and Public’s Choice awards; won first prize in Compulsory Program, Sacred Music, and Monographic Program categories; and rounded up second in the Secular Music category. Added to this long list is a Best Performance award in the Micrologus Prize Gregorian Chant: Monodic Medieval Liturgic category; a Guido d’Arezzo Trophy; and € 2,000 (CND$ 2,900).
The Madrigal Singers then snatched a spot to contend in the 2017 European Grand Prix for Choral Music in Tolosa, Spain. The competitors in the annual choral contest will be comprised of the winners of six European choral competitions: Bela Bartok International Choir Competition in Hungary, Concorso Cesare Augusto in Italy, Concurso Coral de Tolosa in Spain, International May Choir Competition in Bulgaria, Florilège Vocal de Tour in France, and the International Guido d’Arezzo, which the Philippine chorale won.
Notably, the Madrigals already finished atop the competition in 2007 and 1997, becoming the first and only choir to win the prestigious accolade twice.
“If they are successful in their bid in Tolosa in 2017, this will make them the only choir in the world to win the Grand Prix [three] times! Mabuhay ang Philippine Madrigal Singers (Long live the Philippine Madrigal Singers)! Mabuhay ang artistang Pilipino (Long live the Filipino artists)!” Chris Millado, vice president and artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, said in his Facebook account.
The lucky few who were able to watch the International Chorale Competition shared videos of the chorale group’s performances of John Pamintuan’s arrangement of “Peter Noster,” Z. Randall Stroope’s “We Beheld Once Again The Stars,” Nilo Alcala’s “Kaisa-isa Nyan,” a French madrigal and a German art song.
The Madrigal Singers, for their part, thanked everyone for their undying support and have been off to prepare for the big event.