The Philippine Madrigal Singers, popularly known as the Madz, was proclaimed the best choir in the world after topping the 2007 European Choral Grand Prix in Arezzo, Italy.
Madz is the only choir to ever win the distinction twice, first winning the honor in 1997 in Tours, France. The European Choral Grand Prix was established in 1989.
The group bested four other championship choirs from Cuba, Hungary, Russia, and Taiwan. They earned the right to compete in this year’s Grand Prix by winning the Florilége Vocal de Tours in France last year.
Winners of choral competitions held annually in Arezzo and Gorizia, Italy; Varna, Bulgaria; Tolosa, Spain; Tours, France; and Debrecan, Hungary automatically qualify for the next year’s European Choral Grand Prix. The site of the Grand Prix is rotated among the six cities.
The Grand Prix winner, or laureate, receives a diploma, trophy, cash prize up to 4,000 euros and other prizes determined by the organizing city. Strict competition rules prohibit the laureate from competing in international choral competitions for the next two years.
The Madz was organized in 1963 by National Artist for Music Andrea O. Veneracion as the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers, composed of students, faculty and alumni of the university.
Following a Renaissance tradition, they sing in a semicircle without a conductor. The Madz has an extensive repertoire that ranges from classic choral masterpieces to avant-garde compositions, Renaissance madrigals to folk, pop and humorous novelty numbers.
The group hit the international stage in 1969 at the 1st Choruses of the World Festival at the Lincoln Center in New York, and has performed to critical and popular acclaim all over the world. They have won top prizes in practically all international choral competitions, and have nearly 40 Philippine and international recordings. They have performed before royalty and heads of state, including Pope Paul VI, King Juan Carlos of Spain and American Presidents Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon.
Tags: Competitions, Entertainment
