The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Singers have made history by winning the Grand Prize at the 2024 Grieg International Choir Festival, becoming the first Filipino and Asian group to ever secure this prestigious honor in the competition’s ten editions.
The UST Singers of the Philippines triumphed among 31 choirs from 10 nations during the event, held from September 26-29 in Bergen, Norway. Their remarkable achievement includes winning First Place in the Mixed Choir category, besting nine other choirs from Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Poland, and Slovakia.
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The Filipino choir narrowly missed another top prize in the Folk Music category, finishing just 0.33 points behind the Czech Republic’s winning score of 24.
Led by conductor Fidel Calalang Jr. from the UST Conservatory of Music, the UST Singers secured the following accolades:
- Grand Prix Winner
- First Place, Mixed Choir (24.33 points)
- 2nd Place, Folk Music (23.67 points)
Access the competition results here:
Founded in 1992 by Prof. Calalang Jr., the UST Singers are a multi-awarded mixed choral ensemble of students and alumni from various colleges of Asia’s oldest university, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas.
The group has earned numerous international honors from its 37 International Concert Tours, including a historic first 3-peat win at the Choir of the World Championships in the UK and a Grand Prize victory at the Florence International Choral Competition in Italy.
SEE UST professor Fidel Calalang bags Academia Musica Prize in Austria
The UST Singers performed notable Filipino compositions at the Grieg festival’s Grand Prix round, including award-winning US-based composer Nilo Alcala’s “Sagayan,” based on traditional Southern Philippine kulintang music.
WATCH the UST Singers perform Sagayan here:
The Philippine choral group also performed “Daluyong,” a tribute to the victims of SuperTyphoon Yolanda which struck the country in 2013. The music was composed Ily Matthew Maniano and lyrics by Joey Vargas.
WATCH the UST Singers perform Daluyong here:
Philippine Ambassador to Norway Enrico Fos and his wife, Myla, were among those who witnessed and celebrated this historic victory. “It was a proud moment for the Philippines and the Filipinos here in Norway and elsewhere to witness a world-class performance of the UST Singers,” Ambassador Fos shared with Good News Pilipinas.
“It’s also heartwarming to see our kababayans in Bergen and neighboring towns who were there not only to cheer but also provide housing, food, and logistics support to the choir, giving life to the spirit of Bayanihan,” the Philippine official shared.
WATCH snippets of the UST Singers performance at the 10th Grieg International Choir Festival here:
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