The Philippines will host the 1st Asia Grand Prix for Choral Singing in 2019.
This was announced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines Vice-President and Artistic Director Chris Millado, during the Closing and Awarding Ceremonies of the 3rd Andrea O. Veneracion (AOV) International Choral Festival on July 23.
Millado said that the Asia Grand Prix is 2019 will be one major highlights of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2019.
“The Asia Grand Prix for Choral Singing will further strengthen the network of choirs in the Asian region,” Millado said. “It will attract choirs from different parts of the world to come to Asia to hear the best choral singers. The Asia Grand Prix will allow choirs from Asia to participate in a competition of the highest standards in the region where they belong.”
Winners of the AOV International Choral Festival, the Bali International Choral Festival and the Singapore International Choral Festival in 2017 and 2018 will compete at the 1st Asian Grand Prix for Choral Singing.
AOV International Choral Festival winners slated to compete are: the Brawijaya University Student Choir from Indonesia and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Choral Ensemble.
The Brawijaya University Student Choir from Indonesia garnered the 1st Prize in the Folk Song and 2nd Prize in the Chamber Choir categories while the UPLB Choral Ensemble won the top prize in the Chamber Choir category in the 3rd AOV International Choral Festival.
The 1st Asia Grand Prix for Choral Singing will coincide with the 4th Andrea O. Veneracion (AOV) International Choral Festival in 2019.
This was confirmed during the meeting with Artistic Directors of international choral festivals from the Bali and the Singapore International Choral Festivals hosted by the Cultural Center of the Philippines on July 22.
In attendance during the meeting were the Singapore International Choral Festival Artistic Director Lim, Ai Hooi who came with her Associate Artistic Director Yong, Chee Foon; the Bali International Choral Festival Artistic Director Tommyanto Kandisaputra, the Philippine Madrigal Singers Artistic Director and choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio who came with the Madrigal Singers Executive Director Alfred Samonte; the Festival Director of the AOV International Choral Festival Melissa Corazon V. Mantaring and CCP Vice-President and Artistic Director Chris Millado.