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Friday, March 29, 2024

Music draws crowds to Las Piñas for 4th chorale competition 

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Music lovers flocked to Las Piñas City to enjoy the symphony of voices from all over the country in the 4th Las Piñas Chorale competition sponsored by the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance). 

Amid the day’s melodies and tunes, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar expressed delight over the animated participation of choral groups nationwide in the annual competition, where seven groups showcased their talents in singing. 

“My heart is filled with pleasure over the successful turnout of this event. In a nation where technology has been the raging trend, it is heartwarming to see so many people immensely enjoying the music of these choral groups. This is a rare but welcoming sight,” said Villar, Managing Director of Villar SIPAG. 

Villar said the annual event seeks to continually reconnect the people to the gone days where everything was simple, easy and convenient; and to the era when music calms the mind and the soul.

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The crowd at the Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno in Las Pinas City cheered to the singing of the Alab Vocal Ensemble from Parañaque City, Quorista from Muntinlupa City, Chorus Vocales Philippines from Makati City, Tarlac Chamber Choir from Tarlac City, Philippine Normal University Chorale from Manila, The Summerwind Choir from Dasmariñas in Cavite, and Kawit Singing Ambassadors from Kawit, also in Cavite. 

From among the seven groups, the Philippine Normal University Chorale lorded the competition and won the Grand Champion trophy and a cash prize of P60, 000; Chorus Vocales Philippines was the first runner-up (trophy and a P40, 000 cash prize); and Alab Vocal Ensemble, second runner-up (trophy and P25, 000 cash prize). 

Sen. Cynthia Villar with the winners of 4th Las Piñas Chorale competition.

The rest of the groups got P10, 000 each as consolation winners. 

Each group was judged according to their Songs Interpretation (manner in which the piece is internalized and presented)–30 percent; Delivery (quality of voice, fluency, pronunciation, blending and harmony)–30 percent; Stage Presence (stage poise, eye contact and audience impact)–20 percent; Costume & Sounds (attire is related to concept, sound production, mixed voices)–10 percent; and Mastery of piece–10 percent. 

The groups performed the Villar SIPAG hymn “Sandata” as contest piece (70 percent), and side piece themed on inspiration and love (30 percent).

The performances were judged by the composer, conductor and director Jerry Dadap; Gregorio Asilo, Jr., Corporate Accounting of Savers Appliance Depot, the major event partner of Villar SIPAG for the 4th Las Piñas Chorale Festival; and Jack Uy. 

The 4th Las Pinas Chorale Festival is an annual event held in honor of St. Ezekiel Moreno, who was beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1975 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992. 

ABS-CBN won a Bronze World Medal in the 2018 New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Films (NYF) for its “To Love and To Serve” campaign in the Station/Image Promotion category of the prestigious international award-giving body. 

The TV spot created by ABS-CBN Creative Communication Management (CCM) expressed ABS-CBN’s gratitude for the honor to be part of the gestures of love in the Filipino family.

 The two and a half minute film showed many heartwarming vignettes. Among them were about a tricycle driver proudly bringing home a second-hand TV set to his family, a domestic helper loading pasalubong for loved ones in a balikbayan box, a father admiring his son’s design sketch for a gown, and Muslims and Christians setting aside differences in faith to pack relief goods for calamity victims. 

“To Love and To Serve” was conceptualized and produced by Christine Daria Estabillo, Maria Lourdes Parawan, and Raywin Tome, and directed by Paolo Ramos.  

ABS-CBN also won a Gold World Medal for the documentary “’Di Ka Pasisiil,”  while ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, won a Silver World Medal for “Bandurria,” the pilot episode of the documentary series “Local Legends.”

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Actor Richard Gutierrez and singer KZ Tandingan signed their respective exclusive two-year contracts with ABS-CBN recently. 

Fans of Richard can expect the actor to star in a Star Cinema film and is set to do a TV project. KZ’s followers, on the other hand, will continuously see her in the Sunday noontime variety show ASAP. She is also busy preparing for her major concert entitled Supreme KZ Tandingan.

“I am very excited and very thankful for the trust and the opportunities that will come my way as a Kapamilya,” shared former La Luna Sangre star Richard when asked how he felt upon signing the contract.

Kapamilya stars Richard Gutierrez and KZ Tandingan

Meanwhile, KZ, who recently made headlines with her participation in the Chinese singing competition Singer 2018, felt overwhelmed with the new blessing in her life. “I’m just really happy after everything I’ve been through. Ito ‘yung parang culmination ng lahat ng pinagdaanan ko sa buhay ko.”

Present in the signing were ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN COO of broadcast Cory Vidanes, Head of finance for broadcast and news and current affairs Cat Lopez, and Star Magic Head Johnny Manahan. They were joined by Richard’s mother and manager Annabelle Rama and KZ’s manager and President of Cornerstone Entertainment Erickson Raymundo.

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DVD Throwback

I recently visited Chen Kaige’s Ba wang bei ji (Farewell, My Concubine), the 1993 Chinese film adapted from the novel by Lilian Lee with Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, and Gong Li.

After watching it several times, I still found it a very compelling narrative of how politics could affect the lives of people, and in this case two men, Dieyi (Cheug) and Xiaolou (Zhang), both opera stars prior to the Cultural Revolution in China in the 1970s.

Dieyi, a son of a whore, was given to the care of an opera teacher. There he becomes attached to Xiaolou who would be his friend and stage brother. Their relationship is rattled when Juxian (Gong Li) comes between them.

It is a lengthy film, but Chen keeps his lens focused on the two major characters and how they were able to weather the unrest that rocked mainland China, from the Japanese invation to the communist takeover.

Cheung, who has become a gay icon since, died by suicide in April 2003 by jumping off the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong. A suicide note left by Cheung stated that he had been suffering from depression.

The film received the highest honors in Cannes in May 1993 with the Palm d’Or and also voted by the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as Golden Globe’s Best Foreign Film in February 1994.

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