UV Chorale wins gold diploma in Italy choir fest

 CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) Chorale’s European bid is off to a good start, as the renowned group is currently making waves in their first stop in a series of international choral competitions.

Thirty one members of the homegrown UV Chorale, including their conductor Anna Tabitha-Piquero, are presently in the ancient Roman city of Rimini in Italy for the 2012 Rimini International Choral Competition.

UV Chorale won the second prize, or the equivalent of a Gold diploma, in the Sacred Music category. The competition began yesterday and will conclude this Sunday, Oct. 7.

The Cebu-based choir will compete next in the Folk or Gospel/Spiritual category. They are hoping to land a spot in the finals or Grand Prix, said UV Chorale’s tour manager Darwin Vargas.

The Rimini International Choral Competition’s official website lists the countries that UV Chorale is up against, which included Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia, Ukraine, Belarus, Japan, United Kingdom, Norway, Russia, Italy, Georgia, Macedonia, Estonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Russia, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Norway, Romania, Mexico and Hungary.

After Italy, UV Chorale is off to Barcelona, Spain on October 17-21 for the Cantaal Mar Choir Competition. On October 31- November 4, they will travel to another city in Spain for the 44th Tolosa Choir Competition.

UV Chorale is the only and first Cebuano choir to qualify and be invited to this series of competitions in different countries in Europe from October and November. 

They are also the first Cebuano choir invited to sing in one of the masses leading to the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod in Rome this October 21. (FREEMAN)