After winning first prize honors in various categories, the Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz), under Artistic Director and Choirmaster, Mark Anthony Carpio, has been conferred the coveted Gran Premio in the Concorso 64th Polifonico Internazionale in Arezzo, Italy last August 27. The Madz is one of the resident companies of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
With this, the Madz earned one of only six berths for the 2017 European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, a battle of the champions of Europe’s six top choral competitions, which will be held next year in Tolosa, Spain. The choir holds the distinction of being the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix title twice before in 1997 and 2007.
One of the group’s award-‐winning performances in this competition was the Monographic Category, where it featured three works by one of its members, Ily Matthew Maniano. The group was also awarded the Best Execution of a Renaissance Piece and other awards by the public and the jury.
The Madz was organized in 1963 by National Artist for Music Andrea O. Veneracion as the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers, composed of students, faculty and alumni of the university.
Following a Renaissance tradition, the group sings in a semicircle without a conductor. It has an extensive repertoire that ranges from classical choral masterpieces to avant-garde compositions, renaissance madrigals to folk, pop and humorous novelty numbers.
