MBC national choral tilt at Star Theater

MANILA, Philippines - The best choirs from local schools, parishes and community groups nationwide are set to face off and determine the season’s best as Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) and Star City launch their “Paskong Pinoy” celebrations with the MBC National Choral Competitions.

Following rigorous auditions conducted by its stations Love Radio, Yes-FM, Easy Rock, and Hot FM in Laoag, Baguio, Pangasinan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao, MBC recently announced the roster of choirs that qualified for the semifinal round scheduled from Dec. 15 to 18 at the Star Theater.

A total of 90 choirs from all over the country auditioned in a three-week span which yielded a bumper crop of entries from Metro Manila, and equally outstanding participants from regions three, four, six, seven, 10, and 11.

MBC has asked the choirs to render one novelty song each apart from the designated contest piece, and to submit three additional elective works from which the judges will choose on the spot which number they would like the choir to sing. Participating choirs will then be judged according to musicality (40 percent), presentation (30 percent), and audience impact (30 percent).

Entries in the children’s choir division include Batasan Hills Elementary School – Quezon City, AUP Young Voices from Cavite, Juan Luna Elementary School-Manila, Oton Central Elementary School-Iloilo, Vox Angeli, Merryville Gawad Kalinga, SPED-Integrated School for Exceptional Children in Iloilo, Sinag Intermediate Chorale, Musika Ibarang from the Philippine High School for the Arts, Pasig Catholic College, Malate Catholic School, Holy Angels Children’s Choir of Mandaue, the Our Lady of Peace Children’s Choir, Mandaluyong’s DSWD Children’s Choir, and the ICC Children’s Choir from Cavite. Two-time champion Hiyas ng Pilipinas will again defend its title.

Collegiate choirs vying for the top prize in the open category are led by Mapua Concert Singers, PUP Bagong Himig Serenata, University of Makati, De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, Koro San Benildo, FEU Chorale, University of the Cordilleras, St Louis University, University of Baguio’s Bel Canto, Tarlac State University, University of the Visayas, Bukidnon State University, and MSU-IIT’s Octava Choral Society.

Parishes and church groups include Coro Animo, Coro de Sta Cecilia, San Antonio de Padua, Manila Adventist Medical Center Church, San Fabian Chorale of Pangasinan, and the San Jose Chorale of Davao.

Community groups include the Manila Chamber Singers, Musicainta of Rizal, Coro de Manila, and Koro Ilustrado of Makati.

Supported by Smart Communications, Century Tuna, Kawasaki, Purefoods, and M. Lhuillier, the semi-final round of the MBC National Choral Competition will be held at the Star Theater from Dec. 15 to 18, while the grand finals will take place at the Aliw Theater on Dec. 19. Showtime is at 7 p.m.