NAMYCA holds finals at CCP
MANILA, Philippines - The historic National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Foundation holds its 2011 finals from Nov.22 to 25 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) with an encouraging result of applicants from all over the country. With this year’s theme “Musika at Sayaw: Dangal ng Lahi,” six winners were selected in the Traditional Music ensemble category, out of the 23 groups that competed.
The six winners are Bolton Elementary from Davao, DepED Bulacan from Malolos, Dinupdop Ethnic from Ifugao, Likayan Children’s from Bontoc Mt. Province, P Kindat from GenSan, and Tiempo Elementary from Tabo, Abra. Contestants are elementary school students 7 to 12 years of age. Each group presented a local tradition of their cultural community involving musical performance. They will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 26, 6 p.m., at the CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater).
Meantime, the solo instruments category yielded 63 finalists out of 166 applications. In the group category, 12 qualified out of 76. National winners in the Ballet, Choir, Piano, Strings and Woodwinds competitions will perform at the Concert of NAMCYA Winners on Nov. 27, 6 p.m. at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater).
Presented by the CCP, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of Education (DepED), and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA), the annual search for NAMCYA winners was founded in 1973, to discover young artists in differing fields of music and performance. The rigid requirements requiring applicants to perform various pieces in district, provincial, and regional levels before reaching the national competitions, has resulted in such brilliant artists like pianist Cecile Licad, violinist Julian Quirit; tenor Noel Velasco; soprano Andion Fernandez; cellist Ramon Bolipata; and flautist Antonio Maigue.
Noted group winners include UP’s Singing Ambassadors, Concert Chorus, Cherubims and Seraphims; Ateneo’s College Glee Club, Davao’s Himig Singers, Loboc Children’s Choir, and St. Louie Baguio’s Glee Club.
Chairpersons of the various categories this year are Steve Villaruz for Dance (ballet), Tristan Ignacio for Choir, Carolyn Kleiner Cheng for Piano, Elaine Juliet Cajucom for Rondalla, Jorge Joy Sababan for Strings, Arnaldo Custodio for Woodwinds, and Dr. Jose Buenconsejo for Traditional Music Ensembles.
All competitions and concerts are free and open to the public. Seat reservations for the two winners’ concerts may be made in advance; however, tickets will only be distributed one hour before each performance.
