UST Singers continue winning streak in Europe music fests

Following an historic second Choir of the World title, the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Singers continued their winning streak by clinching the top prizes in two categories of the 28th International Music Festival in Catalonia, Spain last week. The UST Singers secured first-place awards in both Mixed Choir and Folk Song categories of the competition, besting 33 other choirs and dance groups from 22 countries and from the Catalan and Basque regions of Spain, according to a release posted on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). They beat the choirs from Slovenia and Indonesia, which finished second and third, respectively, in the same categories. The competition was held in Cantonigròs, a small rural town situated around 150 kilometers north of Barcelona. The UST Singers opened the festival on the evening of July 16 with a rendition of various folk and popular songs. “Their superlative performance was met with a rousing standing ovation from the audience, including mayors of Catalan towns in the area and members of the consular corps in Barcelona," the DFA stated. Philippine Consul General in Barcelona Eduardo de Vega, who attended the opening of the festival, said he was told by festival administrators that Philippine choirs have always distinguished themselves in the annual competition. The last Philippine choir to participate in Cantonigròs was the Philippine Normal University Choir, which secured the top spot in the Folk Song Category and ranked third place in the Mixed Choir category during the 2008 edition of the festival. A number of overseas Filipinos from Barcelona were present to support the UST Singers, and met with members of the choir and their Director, Prof. Fidel G. Calalang Jr., before their opening number. “(The UST Singers’) successive victories in European competitions are being followed with much excitement in the Philippines and continue to be a source of great pride for the Filipino nation," the release stated. Early this month, the UST Singers set a record when they copped the prestigious Choir of the World-Pavarotti Trophy in the 2010 Llangollen International Music Eistedfodd in North Wales. (See: UST Singers is Choir of the World for 2nd time) It was the first time in the competition’s 63-year history for a choir to win the title twice. The UST Singers first bagged the recognition in 1995 when they became the first and only Asian choir to win the award in the world’s oldest international choral competition.—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV