February 25, 2008 | 12:00am
As the month of hearts comes to an end, in Ayala Center Cebu, the romantic music keeps on playing. The internationally-acclaimed choir, The UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA), will serenade shoppers at the Ayala Activity Center today, Feb. 25 at 4pm.
This well-loved group has received accolades from competitions in Europe, and has traveled worldwide, including the US and Asian countries. The UPSA has performed music from different styles: classical music, international songs, spirituals, ethnic, Broadway, pop, jazz, gospel, inspirational songs and rock. As ambassadors of Philippine culture, the UPSA incorporates cultural dances, costumes and traditions from various regions in the Philippines as part of its repertoire.
It was initially formed as the Kalayaan Choral Crowd, a freshman dormitory choir of the Kalayaan Residence Hall at the University of the Philippines’ Diliman campus. It was later reorganized as the University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors in 1980. Edgardo Manguiat, winner of the Dirigentenpreis (Conductor’s Award) in the 2nd Johannes Brahms Int’l. Choir Competition in Germany, is the founder and conductor of The U.P. Singing Ambassadors (UPSA). He was a former member of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC).
