THE UP CONCERT CHORUS (aka "KORUS") singing one of their award winning pieces

Описание: THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC) won the Grand Prize in the recent sixth International Krakow Choir Festival Cracovia Cantans in Poland.

Adjudged the Best Choir of the festival after receiving the highest score in the final tally by the jury panel — all respected authorities in choral music. The UPCC received a statuette, the “Golden Polyhymnia (Muse of Choral Art)” and a cash prize. UPCC also carried the distinction of being the only Asian choir that participated in the festival. Their costumes, evocative of the Pintados Kasadya-An Festival of Leyte, by Edgar San Diego, awed not only the audience and judges, but the other contestants as well.

The UPCC or Korus — the official choir of the University of the Philippines — has been honored as an Aliw Entertainment Hall of Fame awardee for Best Choral Group (after winning Best Choral Group of the Year multiple and consecutive times), has received a Cecil Award (the Philippine version of the Grammy Awards) for its recording of Ryan Cayabyab’s Misa and has consistently won top prizes in international choral competitions.

UPCC was the only Asian choir in the festival, which had 24 choirs from 10 countries competing.

For winning the Grand Prize, the choir received the statuette Golden Polyhymnia (Muse of Choral Art) and cash.
Earlier, UPCC had received the top prize in the Adult Mixed Chorus category, besting nine other choirs—two each from Norway, Sweden and Finland; and one each from Hungary, Czech Republic and Estonia.

UPCC also got 2nd Prize in the Folk, Popular and Gospel Music category.

For the adult mixed category, UPCC, conducted by Janet Sabas-Aracama, rendered Kinley Lange’s “Esto les Digo”; Josef Rheineberger’s “Abendlied”; Moses G. Hogan’s “Elijah Rock”; and John August M. Pamintuan’s “Ummah Salih.”
For the second category, the UPCC sang Filipino compositions such as Benny Fruto Castillon’s “Kruhay”; Bayang Barrios and Mike Villegas’ “Bagong Umaga” (arranged by Joel Cruz); Garry Valenciano’s “Hataw Na” (Tereza Barrozo, arranger), and Lennon-McCartney’s “Let It Be” (Ryan Cayabyab, arranger).

Through the 52 years of scintillating performances, UPCC has “produced” world-class Korus alumni who have invaded almost all aspects of the Philippine music scene. Here are some of the UPCC “who’s who”:

Among the UPCC tenors of note are Noel Velasco (only Asian tenor to win the First Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition), Aliw awardees for Best Classical Singer Nolyn Cabahug, Jonathan Badon, Montet Acoymo, Frankie Aseniero, Dodo Crisol and Jonathan Malicsi. The noted UPCC sopranos include Evelyn Mandac, Nanette Moscardon-Maigue, Kitchy Valdellon-Molina and Lisa Cabahug. Jai Sabas-Aracama is an acclaimed alto, while Fredo Gutierrez and Gamaliel Viray are in the list of respected baritones.

Nanette Inventor, the Tux (originally made up of all UPCC alumni among them Manny Aquino, Bob Serrano, Buboy Madrilejos, Rey Magnaye and Popo Suanes), the Opera (with Sushi Reyes, Manolo Tanquilut, Zebedee Zuñiga and yours truly before I became Backroom’s Singing Lawyer), Moy Ortiz (of The CompanY), singer-comedian Arnell Ignacio, Boy Camara, former New Minstrels singers Annette Belen and Joseph Olfindo are all UPCC alumni.
Before Chinggoy Alonzo became a character actor, he was a UPCC soloist. UPCC alumni also proliferated in Miss Saigon, including Leila Florentino-Aubert, Angel Suguitan and Mia Ongkiko who all played Kim, Lyon Roque as Thuy and Noel Driz. Husband-and-wife Lionel Guico and Cynthia Culig-Guico (Aliw awardee for Best Actress in a Musical), and veteran stage performers Kay Balajadia, John Glenn Gaerlan, Melanie Dijunco and singing sweethearts Raymond and Jeanel Roldan are all UPCCers.

Former dean of the UP College of Music, Rey Paguio, was the longest-serving conductor of the UPCC. Many Korus alumni also went on to conduct their own excellent choirs. These include the UP Singing Ambassadors with Ed Manguiat, UP Saring-Himig with George Hernandez and the Ateneo de Manila University Glee Club under Joel Navarro. Joel also sang the popular Metro Pop song Swerte Swerte Lang.

Edru Abraham and his wife Becky Demetillo-Abraham put up Kontra-Gapi that performs ethnic music. Heber Bartolome was the founder of Banyuhay and interpreter of Metro Pop finalist Tayo’y Mga Pinoy.

Who doesn’t know Ryan Cayabyab or Mr. C — an institution in Filipino music? He composed Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika, the first Metro Pop grand prize winner. Charo Unite composed UPCC’s favorite May Bukas Pa, as well as the Metro Pop winner Lupa.

UPCC was established in 1962, during the incumbency of UP president Carlos P. Romulo. Its members come from students and alumni from the different colleges of the state university