2009: A great year for the UV Chorale

CEBU, Philippines - The year 2009 ended on a high note for Cebu’s University of the Visayas Chorale as it brought home the top honors at the Manila Broadcasting Company National Choral Competition held last December 19 and 20 at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex in Manila.

 According to the MBC website, “Audience favorite UV, conducted by Anna Abeleda Piquero edged out a powerful St. Louis University Glee Club of Baguio City by a hairline, with De La Salle University’s Coro Animo and Makati City’s Koro Ilustrado rounding up the top four finishers.”

The news report also noted the fighting spirit of the UV Chorale, saying that “Arriving by boat just the day before — with three of its members sadly falling prey to hold uppers at the pier — the ensemble from Cebu showed Visayan spunk, rolling out humorous and vocally flawless performances that earned the admiration of audiences two nights in a row.”

 The MBC triumph is the third consecutive big win this year for the homegrown choir, which is made up of high school and college students who have adopted a disciplined regimen of no less than three hours of almost daily choral practice.

 The choir scored three gold medals in all categories it was entered at the Tomohon International Choir Competition in North Sulawesi, Indonesia last June, and emerged as one of the two top winners at the first-ever Cultural Center of the Philippines National Choir Competition last August.

 Ever since it joined its first competition in Busan, South Korea in 2007, the UV Chorale has made it its goal to bring pride not just to the university, but to Cebu as well through showcasing Cebuano musicality and showmanship in the national and international stage.

This year, in particular, has proved to be a trailblazing run for UV Chorale as it joined the country’s two biggest choral tilts to realize its goal to make its presence felt in the national choral scene that is dominated by Manila choirs.

 Projects in the offing this 2010 for the UV Chorale include the launch of two albums featuring the best of its classical, musica sacra, pop and Visayan repertoire.

The choir will also perform, alongside Visayan solo artists Pilita Corales, Dulce, and Raki Vega, at the Halad 2010, a Visayan concert and cultural showcase come January 13—a project of UV Chorale founder and Freeman chairman, Dr. Jose R. Gullas. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)