Philippines' Best Choirmasters Leads Masterclass Series

The country's best choirmasters and conductors will spearhead the upcoming National Masterclass Series for Choral Conductors Regional Convention for Visayas and Mindanao slated on November 19 - 22, 2009 at the University of the Visayas in Cebu City.

Organized by the Philippine Choral Directors Association (PCDA), in cooperation with the University of the Visayas (UV), the main objective of this workshop is to offer basic and advanced training for local conductors, and provide an opportunity to raise their standards and awareness to the international level, while honing their skills, and making information available to a wide choral network.

The masterclass speakers for the Visayas and Mindanao series include:

Speaker	Topic
Ms. Anna Abeleda – Piquero, conductor, UV Chorale	Basic Conducting
Mr. Eudenice Palaruan, veteran arranger and conductor of the San Miguel Master Chorale	Advance Conducting
Mr. Edgardo Manguiat, founder and conductor of the U.P. Singing Ambassadors (UPSA)	Vocal Techniques
Msrg. Rudolfo “Rudy” Villanueva, famed writer, composer, and arranger	Visayan music for liturgy
Mr. Arwin Tan, conductor, Cultural Center of the Philippines Chorale and Novo Concertante	Solfege, Music Theory, and Choral Arranging
Mr. Leonyl Clarence Torres, Head, Junior Philippine Conductors' Association	Movement and Choreography

The first series of the National Masterclass was held last April 14 – 18, 2009 at the Saint Louis University (SLU) in Baguio City. Among the speakers during the event include PCDA President Jonathan Velasco, Interkultur Foundation Director for Asia Thomas Schuele, Philippine Male Singers conductor Robert Delgado, SLU – Center for Culture and the Arts Director Rebecca Nulud, University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers Conductor Mark Anthony Carpio, Mr. Arwin Tan, and Ms. Anna Piquero.

Interested participants can download the application form here. For more information, contact Mr. Leonyl Torres at (63920) 941-665 or Ms. Anna Piquero at (63917) 806-4358 or email choral_directors@yahoo.com.ph.

Singing the Songs in the Heart of a Child

The Loboc Children’s Choir sang the songs from their album “And a Child’s Heart Sings” to serenade the crowd gathered at the Onstage Cinema 1 at the Ayala Center Cebu last Oct. 24.

Held for the benefit of the San Nicolas Special Education (SPED) Center at Carlock, Cebu, and endorsed by the Philippine Pediatric Society, the concert was presented by Quota International of Metro Cebu, and in cooperation with Ayala Center Cebu, Smart, the Department of Tourism, Club Radio Cebu, Y 101 FM Cebu, and RCTV 36.

“And a Child’s Heart Sings” was sponsored by: Gold Sponsors: dyLA 909, Hotel Pier Cuatro, Ocean Fast Ferries Inc. (Ocean Jet), and the Freeman News; Silver Sponsors: Cebu Daily News, Island Souvenirs, Sun Star Cebu, and Sky Cable; Bronze Sponsors: City Graphics Cebu, Cebu Energy Development Corp., Frasec Ventures Corp., Bioderm, Casino Ethyl Alcohol, Saint Benedict Childhood Education Center, Efficascent Oil, and Little Angels Montessori School.’

Donors included AR Adlawan Construction, Biz Depot at SM, C6 General Merchandise, Café Laguna, Chinggoy and Baby Blanco, Coca Cola, FLC Builders and Developers, Geno and Frances Tritiletti, Homebakers, Jollibee, Mr. Adrian Artista, Paramount Property Ventures, Pink Flora, Postrio Cebu, and the Ravanses Family.

The concert was held at two different times – 3 pm (Matinee) at Php100 for the upper box and Php200 for the lower box and at 6 pm (Gala) at Php200 for the upper box and Php300 for the lower box.

The Loboc Children’s Choir is school-based choir composed of schoolchildren from the Loboc Central Elementary School, in Loboc, Bohol.

For more information, please visit www.lcconcert.tk.