MANILA, Philippines - Most of you have probably heard of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC) or Korus, the official choir of the University of the Philippines. But if you’re one of a few who haven’t and have been living under an incredibly big rock, the group has actually been making waves in the music scene for the past 50 years. This year, they are celebrating their 50th year dubbed “SingKwenta SingKwela,” a series of activities highlighted by a six-month-long international tour to key cities in the US, Canada, and Europe. This will kick off with a Pamamaalam Concert and Alumni Night on March 31, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, at the Philam Life Auditorium.
Since 1962, when then-UP president Carlos P. Romulo helped to establish the UP Mixed Chorus (first conducted by Ramon Tapales, the first dean of the UP College of Music) that later on evolved into the UP Concert Chorus under the late great conductor, Rey T. Paguio in 1969, the group has metamorphosed from a simple choral ensemble performing for the university’s cultural presentations to a musical force of national and international stature.
UPCC has been honored as an ALIW Entertainment Hall of Fame Awardee for Best Choral Group (after winning Best Choral Group of the Year multiple and consecutive times), has received a CECIL Award (Philippine’s version of the Grammy Awards) for its recording of Ryan Cayabyab’s Misa, and has consistently won top prizes in international choral competitions.
Through 50 golden years of scintillating performances, UPCC has “produced” over a thousand alumni which have invaded almost all aspects of the Philippine music scene in the past 50 years. Some of their “Who’s Who” include sopranos Evelyn Mandac, Nanette Moscardon-Maigue, Kitchy Valdellon-Molina, and Lisa Cabahug. Jai Sabas-Aracama is a noted alto, aside from being the conductor and artistic director of the current UPCC. Noel Velasco (only Asian tenor to win the First Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition), Nolyn Cabahug (frequent Aliw Awardee for Best Classical Singer of the year and who became the face of classical singing in the Philippines when he did the memorable lozenge commercial), Jonathan Badon (called Philippines’ “Prince of Popera” and voted Best Global Pinoy Performer in 2010), Frankie Aseniero, Dodo Crisol, and Jonathan Malicsi are noted tenors.
Many UPCC alumni have also been fixtures in Pinoy pop. There’s Nanette Inventor (who will be performing in the March 31 concert). The first male a capella group in the Philippines, Tux, was originally made up of all UPCC alumni (among them, Manny Aquino, Bob Serrano, Buboy Madrilejos, Rey Magnaye, Popo Suañes). Opera is the backup quartet of choice and does session music for most of the top Philippine performers. Again, the different generations of Opera have been largely UPCC alumni (Sushi Reyes, Manolo Tanquilut, Zebedee Zuñiga, and Dot R. Balasbas-Gancayco, Backroom’s singing lawyer and overall chair of the UP Concert Chorus 50th anniversary celebration as well). Boy Camara played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and was the kilabot ng kolehiyala during his stint with Gentle Rain. Former New Minstrels singers, Annette Belen and Joseph Olfindo, Moy Ortiz of The Company, and singer-comedian Arnell Ignacio are also proud alumni.
The UPCC has also had its fair share of esteemed conductors. Former dean of the UP College of Music, Rey T.Paguio, was the longest-serving conductor of UPCC. In his 30 years (1969-1999) leading UPCC, he molded the group through countless performances, 13 international concert tours, and composed and staged three works, including the opera, Mayo, Bisperas ng Liwanag, based on National Artist Nick Joaquin’s short-story “May Day Eve.” Many Korus alumni went on to conduct their own excellent and multi-awarded choirs as well UP Saring-Himig, led by George Hernandez; the UP Singing Ambassadors with Ed Manguiat; and, the Ateneo de Manila University Glee Club under Joel Navarro.
For the ethnic and folk music scene, Edu Abraham and his wife Becky Demetillo-Abraham put up Kontra-Gapi, short for Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino. Heber Bartolome was the founder of Banyuhay, that performed original compositions in a “unique synthesis of rock and blues, and Philippine ethnic rhythms.”
And then, there are the alumni who went on to conquer musical theater. Chinggoy Alonzo is one of the country’s top character actors for film and telenovela. He later starred as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady and dozens of other musicals. UPCC alumni also proliferated in the various stagings of Miss Saigon, including Leila Florentino-Aubert (Kim), Angel Suguitan (Kim), Mia Ongkiko (Kim), Lyon Roque (Thuy), and Noel Driz. Husband-and-wife performers Lionel Guico and Cynthia Culig-Guico (Aliw Awardee for Best Actress in a Musical), and veteran stage performers Kay Balajadia and John Glenn Gaerlan are all UPCC alumni.
And of course, who doesn’t know Ryan Cayabyab or Mr. C — an institution in OPM? He is the genius behind Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika among other musical oeuvres. Charo Unite, known in circles as the first lady of Philippine jingle-writing, composed one of UPCC’s favorites May Bukas Pa, as well as Metro Pop winner, Lupa. There there’s Jun Latonio, musical director and composer of Mike de Leon’s Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising.
Instrumentalists include pianists Raul Sunico (current dean of the UST Conservatory of Music and CCP president), and violinists (John Lesaca), and flutists (Tony Maigue), while a number of prominent UPCC alumni have become academes and stayed in the UP College of Music (UPCM) in various capacities. UPCC Alumni honorees Dr. Mauricia Borromeo, past UPCM dean and former UPCC pianist; Dr. Montet Acoymo, past UPCM dean; Dr. Ramon Santos, former UPCM dean and former assisting conductor of the UP Mixed Chorus; Prof. Kitchy Valdellon-Molina, chair of the UPCM Voice, Music Theater and Dance Department; and Prof. Jai Sabas-Aracama, former chair of the Conducting and Choral Ensemble Department are among them.
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To experience the UPCC magic, catch “SingKwenta, SingKwela!” on March 31 at the Philam Life Auditorium — merely the first salvo of other 50th anniversary events throughout the year. The events are presented by the Friends of Korus Foundation Inc. Tickets available at the gate are P300 each. Students and senior citizens can avail of the discounted rate of P200 upon presenting valid IDs. To reserve your tickets, contact Eenna at 0915-7481351 or Audrey at 0917-6283739, or visit www.upconcertchorus.org or www.facebook.com/upconcertchorus.