Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Philippine Madrigal Singers Cap Tour with European Gran Prix; Hold Record for Winning Tilt Twice















The Philippine Madrigal Singers has yet again triumphed as it bested four others in the 19th European Gran Prix for Choral Music in Arezzo, Italy at 10 pm Rome time, on August 27th, 2007. The 23-strong chamber choir, including choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio, overwhelmed the four top choirs in the world’s most prestigious and respected choral competition.

The obvious crowd favorite in their trademark seated crescent position, the University of the Philippines-based Madz distinguished their inimitable musical prowess from the other competitors by demonstrating their interpretational versatility with John August Pamintuan’s Pater Noster, Claude Le Jeune’s Revoici venir du printemps, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Jagdlied, Z. Randall Stroope’s We Beheld Once Again the Stars (Riveder le Stelle), and former Madz singer Nilo Alcala II’s Kaisa-isa Niyan. Known in the international choral world for creating a distinctive sound specific to a musical genre, the Madz’s interpretation of contemporary, French madrigal, Romantic and folk pieces, as well as the exposition of their ability to sing these in Latin, French, German, Italian, and Filipino have proven to the international jury that they are, inarguably, the best choir in the world. Again.

In 1997, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, under the helm of their founder, National Artist for Music Andrea O. Veneracion, took home the Gran Prix then held in Tours, France. The victory in Arezzo now makes the Madz the only choir in the world to have won the Gran Prix twice in its entire history. The most awarded choir in Asia now holds one more historical record.

The European Gran Prix is held every year in six revolving locations. These are Arezzo and Gorizia in Italy, Debrecen in Hungary, Tolosa in Spain, Tours in France, and Varna in Bulgaria. Each location produces its own international competition of which a grand prize winner is named. These winners then represent the respective locations in the European Gran Prix the following year. The Taipei Chamber Singers (Taipei, Taiwan) won the Bela Bartok International Choir Competition in Debrecen, Hungary; Cantemus (Nyíregyhàza, Hungary) won the Concorso Cesare Augusto (C.A.) Seghizzi in Gorizia, Italy; Schola Cantorum Coralina (Havana, Cuba) won the Concorso Polifónico Guido d'Arezzo in Arezzo, Italy; and Children's Choir Vesna (Moscow, Russia) won the Concurso Coral de Tolosa, Spain. The Madz won the Florilège Vocal de Tours in Tours, France. The International May Choir Competition in Varna, Bulgaria is held every two years. Varna did not have a competition last year, and was therefore not represented in this year's Grand Prix. (Photos courtesy of J. Bollozos, official photos to be posted soon)

20 comments:

Paolo B. said...

Congrats again! :)

Nice pictures...it's good to see that some of our kababayans in Italy also took the time of to watch your award-winning performance :D

bocceli said...

Grabe... nakakakilabot and nakakaiyak! Congrats sa inyong lahat from all your fans all over the world! :)

Michael said...

Help!!! We're begging on our hands and knees... May we please have the concert schedule of the Philippine Madrigal Singers in New York City this month (September 2007)? We are big fans of the Madz and we'll do anything - crawl over broken glass, sell our bodies, ANYTHING!! - to hear them in a live performance. We are still trembling from ecstasy after hearing their heart-stopping rendition of "We Beheld Once Again the Stars". Congratulations Philippine Madrigal Singers, 1997 & 2007 EGP champions, the most beautiful sound on earth and the greatest choir in the universe. Forever. Amen. The End. Thank you.

Giulia said...

CONGRATULATIONS GUYS! I thought of you on those days, no doubt you'll win, you are simply... inhuman, yesss! Great! Hope to have the chance to see you again.
Giulia, Belluno - Italy.

Michael said...

I attended your concert at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer last Sunday evening. WOW!!!! Beautiful sound, warm, luxurious textures, absolutely perfect singing. Every note and word that you sang came right from your hearts. Congratulations on your success. You are truly the best choir in the world.

We hope you'll come back again for more concerts in New York. We'll be waiting for you!

McDaryl said...

Brown and beautiful!

The Philippine Madrigal Singers has yet again proved that Filipinos are the world's greatest performing artists. Yes, Madz has brought glory and honor to the country by bagging the grand prize in the recently concluded European Grand Prix for Choral Music held in Arezzo, Italy. It was all because of the choral group's unparalleled musical vituosity, technical proficiency and soulful singing. Indeed, the Madrigals are this nation's pride and joy.

To Madz and to Maestro Mark Anthony Carpio, congratulations! May we hear endless awards and accomplishments in the future. We are very proud of each and every one of you. Thank you for reliving Philippine's legacy in music. You are truly and undeniably the citadel and bastion of choral music in the Philippines; simply the world's greatest. We love you, Madz!

Not only brown and beautiful... BEST as well!

Great pictures... moving...

|=[RaPtUsErUm]=| said...

Congratulations to the Philippine Madrigal Singers on another historic feat!

You guys are my inspiration and my dream. You never fail to rekindle my fondness to choral music. You guys prove that Filipino choral music bests among the bests!

Sana ma-train at makasali din ako sa inyo!!

God bless and more power to PMS!!!

- Boone

frbobzarate said...

HELLO from TOKYO!
This is Fr. Bob Zarate. I do not
know if you still remember me but
I met some of you after your
concert in Roppongi Hills last
December. Prof. Mark, o ayan ha!
Nakikinig din pala ang Diyos sa akin. You requested me to pray for all of you for this competition when we were there in Wendy's. I always thought of you guys in my heart when I was saying my mass last June and July... di ko kasi alam kung kailan ba talaga yung schedule. Basta nalaman ko na lang that the Lord has truly answered our prayers through GMA news.
You know, bihira ito, but people like you make me truly proud that I was born FILIPINO!
Mabuhay kayong lahat and here's continuing to pray for you all!

::..kiMmy_mO_kO..:: said...

You really did a good job last night at NKU! The best talaga kayo. Mangiyak ngiyak na nga mga audience nong kumakanta kayo e. Keep smiling! :)

-hello po kay ate BIANCA!!!

Unknown said...

wow, really nice!

one of the members of Madz, Melvir Ausente is my classmate in pre-school and highschool. I remember in pre-school he is already singing and performing on our school programs. such a chubby tyke with a powerful voice.I am so proud of him.

Analyn Hilado
California, USA

Unknown said...

wow, really nice!

one of the members of Madz, Melvir Ausente is my classmate in pre-school and highschool. I remember in pre-school he is already singing and performing on our school programs. such a chubby tyke with a powerful voice.I am so proud of him.

Analyn Hilado
California, USA

Bernardo "Berniemack Habagat" Arellano III said...

Its....grabe! Nanginginig at nakakaiyak ang kanta. Maganda ang pag-execute! Good job and congratulations to Madz.

By the way, is there already an album that contains those that have been performed in the Euro Grand Prix?

Anonymous said...

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Unknown said...

any news when is the next schedule of concert in either NY or NJ?

also, if you have the list of schedule for concerts in the philippines.

thanks!

Unknown said...

do you have plans of releasing an album anytime soon? :)

'G said...

Hi, to have found your blog, and hope to visit your redesigned website soon.

By the way, I've been searching to buy for the CD "Iyo Kailan Pa Man" but to no avail.

More power and thanks for continually bringing honor to our country.

-Aldo
http://mitexchange.blogspot.com

'G said...

Hi, to have found your blog, and hope to visit your redesigned website soon.

By the way, I've been searching to buy for the CD "Iyo Kailan Pa Man" but to no avail.

More power and thanks for continually bringing honor to our country.

-Aldo
http://mitexchange.blogspot.com

Cute Asian Guy In Toronto said...

Your winning of the grand prize of the 19th European Grand Prix for Choral Singing. Congratulations is just icing on the cake. You have always moved me with your music and no artistic endeavor in the world can ever replace the importance that you have played in my life as a lover of beautiful music!

May the music never stops. I will always look out for your success in the world.

Cheers,
Alex

gustavo said...

Hola, un abrazo grande desde Argentina. Les agradecería me informen como conseguir la letra o partitura del tema: "pasigin".
Muchas Gracias y éxitos!!!!

Designers Guild Fashion Online said...

We are really proud of having the Madrigal Choral. They are the best now in the world.


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