THE University of Mindanao Chorale (UM Chorale) won multiple awards at the recently concluded Taipei International Choral Competition (TICC).
UM Chorale took first place in the Mixed Category and the Musica Sacra Category, was named Grand Prix Champion, and even nominated for the 2025 World Choral Championship. The competition took place from July 31 to August 2, 2024, in Taipei, Taiwan.
Christian Dominique “Tianny” Garay, UMC Alumnus (Tenor) and Social Media and Projects coordinator, told Sunstar Davao in a phone interview on Sunday morning, August 4, 2024, that the UM Chorale is composed of 29 singers and their conductor, Tim Atencio.
He shared that they began learning their repertoire in December 2023 and participated in Musikahan sa Tagum before the major competition. He added that the team did not expect to win and was not disheartened by the possibility of losing, saying that their main goal was to share the message of the songs they performed.
Some of the songs the group performed during the competition included "Daluyong" by Matthew Maniano with text by Joey Vargas; "Domine Deus Meus"; and "Arimaonga" by Nilo Alcala.
“Wala pod me na sad ug unsa man ang result kay amoa lang gyud is wala sa among huna-huna na dapat makadaog mi always pero amoa lang gyud is ma-share namo ang messages sa amoang song (We were not sad about the results; we did not think that we should always win. What we wanted was to share the message of our song),” he said.
After their success at the TICC, UM Chorale announced that they will start preparing for the Asia Choral Grand Prix 2025 and the World Choral Championship, dedicating themselves to improving their craft for every opportunity. Garay mentioned that their plan is to prepare for these two competitions, and once they return to the Philippines, they will rest for a month before learning their repertoire for the following year.
“The University of Mindanao Chorale extends our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported us. To our friends, family, mentors, and especially to the University of Mindanao, your support has always been our inspiration and strength,” UM Chorale wrote in their Facebook post on August 3, 2024.
Garay said that UM Chorale is planning to conduct fundraising projects and invitational performances to assist in their preparations for the upcoming international competitions in 2025.
The TICC is Taiwan's first international choral competition. It provides participants with tremendous experience in choral music, including high-quality competition, a panel of elite jurors, a series of workshops and masterclasses, and international concerts. RGP