THE University of Mindanao Chorale grabbed the Competition Grand Prix of the 13th Busan Choral Festival held in Busan, South Korea, last September 9, 2017.
The Chorale under the baton of Peter Buaya took home the Gold for Classical Mixed and Ethnic categories, thus bringing home the $20,000 Grand Prix.
The other winners are:
Youth category: Ligao National High School Voice Chorale (Philippines)?, 1st place; Chun Cheon City Youth Choir (Korea), 2nd place; and Sacred Heart Canossian College Choir (China), third place.
Classical Mixed: Mapua Cardinal Singers (Philippines), second place; Camerata Chamber Choir (Korea), third place.
Pop/Gospel: Free.T (Korea), first place; Shine Harmony (Indonesia), second place; Hanbit Choir (Korea), third place.
Ethnic: Ligao National High School Voice Chorale (Philippines), second place; JOA Ladies Singers (Korea), third place.
Classical Equal: Bomnae Trinity Chamber Choir (Korea), first place; Mapo Women's Choir (Korea), second place; AZsingers (Japan), third place.
Conductor award: Gun-Yoon Lee (Korea)
Best presentation: Ligao National High School Voice Chorale (Philippines)
Young Singers Incentive Prize: Andong Boys & Girls Choir (Korea) and Busan Namgu Junior Choir (Korea).
This is the second international competition where UM Chorale won. The first was in Singapore.