GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA — After a one-year delay, the 12th World Choir Games (WCG) returned to Korea in 2023 and was held from 03 July to 13 July 2023 at the Gangneung Arena in Gangneung City, Gangwon Province, South Korea. Several Philippine choral groups took active part and showcased the innate musical talent and artistry of Filipinos.
The Quezon City Performing Arts Development Foundation, Inc. (QC PADFI) received the Golden Diploma, the highest award in the Mixed Youth Choir Category and the Contemporary Music Mixed Voices Category.
The QCPADFI also performed at the Korean-Philippine Friendship Concert together with the Goyang Civic Choir Children’s Choir and the Goyang Civic Choir at the Oulim Theater in Goyang City and at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.
The Anima Christi Chorale of Lucena City, garnered two gold awards for the Musica Sacra A Capella: Golden Diploma I Award and the Golden Diploma IV Award for the Folklore A Capella Category of the Open Competition Level. The ACC was led by Choirmaster Mr. Joel A. Boragay.
The Capiz State University Main Chorale (CMC) pulled off two major awards the Golden Diploma IV Award for the Folklore A Capella Category of the Open Competition Level and the Silver Diploma VII Award for the College/University Choir Category.
CMC Advisor & Associate Professor Vivian Apuang said “It is indescribable, overwhelming and heartwarming to receive the award on a world stage, representing our university and the country,” John Michael Lauron and Ms Apuang are the CMC conductors.
The Saguday Chorale of Northwestern University of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte also received the Golden Diploma I Award in the Musica Sacra Category, and the Golden Diploma IV Award for the Folklore A Capella Category of the Open Competition Level.
Saguday Chorale is the official student choir of Northwestern University composed of 28 singers who represented the university and country. The choir’s conductor, Sherberk Cabrales, said that he was “humbled and honored” by the wins.
Another Ilocos Norte based choir, the Samiweng Singers of the Ilocos Norte National High School, also won two awards at the World Choir Games, the Gold V in Musica Contemporanea for the Mixed Choir’s Category and the Gold IV for Youth Choir of Mixed Voices Category. The conductors of Samiweng Singers and Saguday Chorale are twins – Sherween and Sherberk Cabrales, respectively.
The WCG, or the Olympics of Choir, is the largest global choir festival and competition, with over 25,000 singers from 308 participating groups, from 70 countries joining the activity.
For more information, visit https://www.seoulpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassy-seoul.com, or https://www.facebook.com/PHinKorea/.
