UP’s Awitan 2013 keeps magical tradition

MANILA, Philippines - Chorale generally brings out the best Christmas energy in people, and it was no different for this year’s Awitan Choir Festival. The choir competition for the various amateur choral groups of UP Diliman has been around since 1965, making last Thursday’s event its 48th year.

Presented by the UP Chemical Engineering Society and held at Miriam College’s Marian Auditorium, it was attended by students eager to support their fellows and devoted to the tradition of the event.

The competition was certainly stiff, where each group was tasked to sing two numbers—one Christmas song and one 90’s song—with 10 minutes of performance time.

The 90’s theme allowed for beautifully interpreted renditions of top hits in the decade, made popular by the likes of the Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, and N*SYNC. Groups made creative work of their choices and exercised their performance chops with enthusiasm.

The judging panel, a quartet of accomplished masters Gideon Bendicion, Ma. Lourdes Hermo, Arwin Tan, and Joy Nilo, seemed to enjoy themselves greatly for the evening.

The audience, too, was not shy about showing support for their favourites, and at some point the hosts even joked that it could have been a cheering competition. The night was also blessed with intermission treats, such as performances by Frischorale (of the Santuario De San Pedro Bautista in Quezon City) and the UP Street Dance Club.

Defending champions UP IE Club’s iChoir took first place with a moving rendition of ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ and an energetic version of the Backstreet Boys’ ‘Everybody’. UP Circuit followed in second place with ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and ‘I Do (Cherish You)’ (a Mark Wills song popularised in the nineties by boy band 98°); UP CURSOR rounded off third place with ‘Sing We All Noel’ and another Backstreet Boys single, ‘Shape of My Heart’. All the night’s performers, however, had good reason to feel the high spirits of the season, as they essentially animated the magic of the UP tradition that is Awitan. Overall, it was a night that celebrated the power of voices—enchanting, uplifting, unified.

All the night’s performances were recorded and can be heard on the UPKEM Soundcloud [https://soundcloud.com/upkem/sets/awitan-2013].