Conductor: Romel A. Lomarda

uplb ensemble 480

Programme

Preliminary Round

Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672): Selig sind die Toten
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847): Aus Tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir
Nilo Alcala II (1978): Dayo Dayo Kupita
Josefino Toledo (1959): Kor Dei

Final Round

Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594): S’io esca vivo de dubiossi scogli
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958): Three Shakespeare Songs
Jude Edgard Balsamo (1977): Angele Dei
Saunder Choi (1988): Leron, Leron sinta
Josefino Chino Toledo (1959): Kor Dei

 

The University of the Philippines Los Baños Choral Ensemble (UPLBCE) envisions to become a paragon of artistic excellence in choral music by providing venues for development of each member's artistry; educating the members and the audience with various musical genres; bringing the art form to various types of individuals; and taking part in the work of preservation and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.

Founded in 1991 by former members of the UP Rural High School Glee Club whose sole desire was to sing together long after high school, the UPLBCE is composed of students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the different colleges, schools, and institutes of the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The UPLBCE aims to promote artistic awareness through choral music amidst a highly scientific community.

The ensemble's repertoire ranges from early renaissance music to more contemporary choral masterpieces. It also includes folk music from all across the world. Standards, Pop, Ballad, Novelty Songs, and even a few from the Alternative Pop Music genre adapted for choral singing are also part of the group's list of songs.

Over the years, CE has been exposed to diverse musical productions, participating in command performances, choral concerts, festivals, and competitions. The group has travelled on successful concert tours in Germany, Belgium, Australia, and France. In 1998, the group had the opportunity to represent the country in one of the most prestigious choral competitions in Europe – the Tolosa International Choral Competition in Tolosa, Spain. After a long hiatus from the international choral scene, the UPLB CE participated in the 1st Institut Teknologi Bandung International Choir Competitions held in July 2010 in Bandung, Indonesia where the group won four (4) Gold Medals and the Folkloric Award for Best Interpretation of an Indonesian Song by a Foreign Choir. A year after, the UPLB Choral Ensemble was declared Grand Champion besting choirs from China, Singapore, Indonesia, and Hongkong in the 5th "A Voyage of Song" International Choral Festival held in Zhuhai, People's Republic of China. They also bagged the category prizes for the Chamber Choir and Open Mixed Choir categories and a Gold Certificate for the Folksong Category. In 2012, the UPLB Choral Ensemble received 2 Gold Medals in both the Romantic and Contemporary Music categories at the 28th Takarazuka International Chamber Choir Contest held at the Vega Hall, Takarazuka, Japan.

At the home front, the UPLBCE has bagged numerous top prizes in choral competition sponsored by the different organizations such as the Rotary Club, Instituto Cervantes, and the Knights of Columbus. In 2009, the group received the most number of awards as it won top prizes in various major local choral competitions such as the 1st European Union Choral Competition, the 1st Philippine National Choral Competition, and the most prestigious National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) where it won 3rd place in the College Choir Category. The UPLB Choral Ensemble is also the 2-time Grand Champion of MUSICA FEUROPA: The European Union Choral Competition for 2010 and 2011. MUSICA FEUROPA is an annual choral competition sponsored by the European Union delegation in the Philippines. 2012 became a milestone year for the group when it won back-to-back championship at the 2012 National Music Competitions for Young Artists Choir Category C and at the Philippine Gaming Corporation Krismas Karol Kantahan Kontest besting the top choral groups in the country.

Led by its present conductor, Mr. Romel Lomarda, the UPLBCE regularly performs at functions and events both inside and outside the confines of the university. The group also happens to be part of the Madz et al network. Through these activities and regular concerts, CE aims to further its goal of promoting the appreciation of choral music in its local community.

 

Homepage: https://www.facebook.com/uplbchoralensemble