Feature
The Philippine Madrigal Singers in New York City
by Leo Paolo Leal for Vocal Area Network
Posted September 30, 2011

The Philippine Madrigal SingersThe Philippine Madrigal Singers (www.philippinemadrigalsingers.com) and its choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio have been on a six-month concert tour since April, visiting cities in the United States, Canada and South America. They will make their last tour stop in New York City on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 8 PM before they go home to the Philippines. The group will be making its Merkin Concert Hall with a concert featuring works by Stroope, Flecha and Malachevsky, along with Filipino composers such as Cayabyab, Alcala, Eleria and Pamintuan, to name a few. The concert will open with special guest The Salvatones, directed by Daniel Brondel.

The Philippine Madrigal Singers are one of the world's most acclaimed choirs, having won several choral competitions around the world. Founded in 1963 by Professor Andrea O. Veneracion, the "Madz," as they are fondly called, just recently represented the Philippines at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. They hold the distinction of winning the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice, first in 1997 and later in 2007. Most recently, the choir was awarded UNESCO Artists for Peace, for putting their fame and influence at the service of UNESCO's ideals and efforts to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace. The ensemble performs a wide repertoire of various styles and forms but their specialization and focus on the madrigal idiom has inspired their unique set-up of singing--seated in a semi-circle, without a conductor.

Under the direction of Mark Anthony Carpio since 2001, the choir continues to maintain an active outreach and concert tour schedule, performing in far-flung areas of the Philippines seldom reached by choral artists. With an average of two overseas concert tours a year, the UP Madrigal Singers are the country's most active ambassadors of goodwill and perhaps one of the world's most-traveled choirs. Mark graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Music with a degree in piano performance. He joined the Philippine Madrigal Singers as a tenor; he continued to grow as the choir's assistant choirmaster. He is currently a faculty member of the college's Choral Conducting Department.

Tickets are priced at $30 balcony / $35 orchestra and are available at the Kaufman Center box office by calling 212-501-3300 or online at kaufman-center.org/merkin-concert-hall/event/philippine-madrigal-singers/.


Leo Paolo Leal is a professional singer in New York and an alumnus of The Philippine Madrigal Singers.
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