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  Ateneo Chamber Singers

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VIENNA, AUSTRIA

First stop of the Paghayo European Tour.   We were hosted by Tita Joy Amomonpon and her generous friends.

​Performances:
1. Courtesy Call at Philippine Embassy (July 11)
2. Concert Katholische Kirche Maria von Maria Bergel (July 11)
3. Mass and garden concert:  
Pfarre Mariabrunn (July 13)
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At the Philippine Embassy in Vienna.
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With Ambassador Lourdes O. Yparraguirre.
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Concert at Katholische Kirche Maria von Maria Bergel

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"Our very first concert was not quite what we wanted it to be.  We sounded tired and perhaps still adjusting from having traveled so far.  During our rehearsal we struggle with mistakes, intonation and so on.  Sir Jojo then told us something that struck us all: he said it was as if we had lost our mojo, something we already had when we left Manila.  He told us we already knew what to do, and that we simply needed to believe in ourselves.  Something clicked in us when he said that and all of a sudden, the next songs we rehearsed were back on pitch, and we were in fighting form once again." - Trina Belamide, ACS alto


​"Visiting Vienna was a very memorable journey. Like many of us in the choir, it was my first time to visit Vienna. All the stories that I've heard about the greatness of this city were just teasers to what turned out to be a wonderful trip in this history-filled city.

"A visit to Vienna will not be complete without the trip to the old and magnificent buildings which make Vienna the great city that it is. From the Schonbrunn Palace, the Vienna Opera House, the Stephansplatz, the Imperial Palace "Hofburg", the commanding Parliament Building and all the other beautiful places of Vienna, it was really a dream destination to be.

"What made Vienna more beautiful is meeting new people. The Ateneo Chamber Singer's concert leg was organized by the Visayan Organization in Vienna, headed by its President, Tita Joy Amomonpon. From the time that the foster families welcomed us to their homes, I immediately felt the warmth and comfort of a Filipino household. They fed us really well, the provided warms beds, the chatted with us with great enthusiasm. 

"During the ACS's Garden Concert that we had in front of a mixed audience of Austrians and Filipinos, the heavy applause and the loud cheers from these new-found friends and supporters made our songs soar higher in this sunny Sunday morning.

"Within this short time in Vienna, we were able to visit a new place: Bratislava in Slovak Republic. Being only 45 minutes away from Vienna, the day trip to Bratislava allowed us to discover the charming castles, appetizing cuisine and meeting new friends in this country.  When it was time to depart Vienna, our hearts
bled with sadness because we had to leave our foster families and new-found friends. But the memories will always be in our hearts and minds of this marvelous journey in Vienna."
-  Alex Amado, ACS tenor
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Garden Concert at Pfarre Mariabrunn.
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A tearful farewell to our hosts in Vienna.
"Because singing involves a lot of physical work, I always makes sure that I am healthy and in tip-top condition before a concert. That however was not what happened right before we flew to Riga, Latvia to compete at the World Choir Games. I suffered from severe throat congestion after getting drenched in the rain on our first day in Vienna. But instead of sulking, I appreciated the advantage that a congested throat can sometimes do to a second bass like me – it produces a fantastic basso profundo sound of the Darth Vader kind! It just so happened that many of the pieces that we performed at the competitions were peculiarly low for basses. And I was able to hit those low B’s and sustained low D flat with so much ease. Praise God for his sovereignty! What was meant to harm, God used for good!" - Rainier Pagcaliwagan, ACS bass

RIGA, LATVIA

Victory at the World Choir Games!!!

We were declared Category Champion for the Musica Sacra a capella category of the World Choir Games and also won the 2nd Highest Gold Medal for the Mixed Chamber Category!

Performances:
1. Musica Sacra A Capella Competition Proper, St. Peter's Church (July 16)
2. Concert at Sigulda Castle grounds (July 17)
3. Mixed Chamber Competition Proper, Great Hall of the Latvian University (July 18)
4. Champions' Concert, Great Hall of the Latvian University (July 19)


Video links:

Champions' Concert in Riga, Latvia. (our set begins at around the 42:00 mark)

Announcement of Category Championship, Arena Riga, Latvia

Parade of Nations, Riga, Latvia.
Our winning performance of Dulce Lumen at St. Peter's Church in Riga​
"Riga was beautiful and unforgettable. With its cobble-stoned streets, lush parks, and decrepit buildings, it had such a medieval charm. The people, seemingly aloof and foreign, were actually quite warm and friendly. Many of us surrendered to this quaint city as our anxiety grew with the coming competitions.  

​"We had our individual worries and concerns, having spent about a year preparing: hours and hours of rigorous practice, memorization, and rain-and-traffic-ridden commutes. Interesting how all these were eventually forgotten by the time we stood in front of a wondering audience; with four tables spaced equidistant at the fore.

"I remember feeling disparate emotions before entering the stage—self-doubt, excitement, wonder, gratitude, worry, nervousness—to only subside when our conductor raised his arms to begin. As soon as the first note came out, it felt like nothing else mattered. We were all possessed by the music, driven by something intrinsic and natural. It was cathartic to let go of so much welled-up passion and substantiate hours of pain-staking labor.
Inside the Arena, amid a cacophony of choirs from more than 70 nations, we joined in the celebrations with unease. As the category winners were announced one by one, we were delirious. Some of us sat silent and tense, while others were in some feverish rave.  15 names in and we haven’t been called yet! Questions seemed to linger:  Were we on pitch then? Did the judges notice that we missed a cue? Did we sing well? What made it all worse was the realization that the singing was done and we couldn’t go back. There was no choice really but to wait. It was excruciating!

"And then, we were called.

"We all cheered wildly and leapt off our seats. We won! We won! Amid a flurry of screams, jumps, tears, and tight hugs, we rushed to the stage to collect our prize. It was euphoric to hear our national anthem played to an arena of more than 12,000 choristers, standing, looking up as the Philippine flag rose above us all.

"Riga is indeed unforgettable. The memory of the city, with its many charms (long walks included); the emotions; the performances; the competitions we experienced will certainly be cherished and remembered fondly for a lifetim
e
." - Leo Locsin, ACS bass
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Our Mixed Chamber performance at the Great Hall of the Latvian University.
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The Philippine flag was raised as the Lupang Hinirang was played at the Arena after ACS was declared Category Champion.
Announcement of winners for the Musica Sacra Category.
".12 of a point. That’s the difference between us and category champion, Venezuela in the Mixed Chamber category with 93.75 points to our 93.63. If this was an Olympic event, the umpires would have had to review the videos and put it on slow-mo to see whose nose touched the finish line first. But it is what it is, and Venezuela’s nose did touch the line first. By .12 of a point.   Having said that, thinking about our mixed chamber performance, it was more than the competition, really.  Singing in the Great Hall of  the Latvian University felt like a homecoming.  It was as if the hall was saying,  “There you are. I’ve been waiting for you”. Aba Po Santa Mariang Reyna had never sounded so glorious and heartfelt as it did.  The pleasure of singing in the AULA and,  seeing how profoundly our music touched the people watching, that was the prize for me. It would have been nice to hear our National Anthem play in the arena again but winning would just have been the cherry on top." - Aleli Salazar, ACS alto

"When I found out that ACS was coming to Europe to compete in Latvia and Spain, there was no question in my mind that I had to be there. I traveled from Amsterdam to Riga with my husband and 15 month-old daughter Tala to be with ACS for the week, and the journey was more than worth it. To be enveloped in their lush, warm sound; to be embraced by my ACS family as if seven years hadn’t passed since I left; to feel my heart soften, my spirit elevate and my mind clear as they sang; to sit in the audience, my heart brimming with pride, as murmurs of admiration swelled around me; and to shriek my lungs out at their victory. It’s a journey I wouldn’t hesitate to do again, in a heartbeat!" - Deepa Paul Plazo, former ACS soprano




"After the Champions' Concert yesterday, a Swedish girl from the audience approached us, with tears streaming down her face, and remarked:

'Are you from the choir from the Philippines? I'm never like this, but I cannot stop crying because of your music.' Her friends were there too, and it was clear they were also moved by the performance. She asked for a photo and bid goodbye, saying: 'Thank you for your singing. Thank you for giving me the most memorable day of my life.'
We are but instruments of His melody and His music, and hearing these words makes my heart overflow with so much joy and gratitude."
- Dom Bulan, ACS tenor
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TORREVIEJA, SPAIN

Another victory in Torrevieja, Spain!!!

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We won First Prize in the Habaneras Category, the biggest prize of the competition!

Performances:
1. Competition proper at Eras de Sal (July 21)
2. Announcement of Winners at Eras de Sal (July 25)




"We were the talk of the town after our performance.  The Spanish audience congratulated us after the competition, and in the days that followed, the waiters at the hotel, the cleaning people were saying we did so well, and even the owner of the laundry service we went to in town said she had a friend who watched us and thought we were the best. Nakakataba ng puso.”
- Von de Guzman, tenor



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View from Cabo Cervera, our hotel in Torrevieja.

Videos:

Our performance during the competition:
Announcement of Winners:
"PAGHAYO was not just a competition tour for all of us in ACS.  It turned out to be a bakasyon grande for many of us too.  The competition schedule got us competing on first day in Torrevieja, Spain, giving us almost a week of free time while waiting for the announcement..   We then had two major discoveries - the BEACH and the SUMMER SALE.  Our hotel was steps away from the Mediterranean coast which started with cliffs and rocks that led to the beautiful Playa del Mata.  After basking under the summer sun, many of us would take a quick cab ride to the Habaneras Shopping Center where International and Spanish brands like Zara were cutting prices by more than half."   - Lester Tanquilut, ACS tenor
"It was the announcement of winners already, and some of us went inside the theater to watch. There were no allotted seats for us, so we had to find random empty seats all over the audience area. I, along with other girls, found the whole back-right row of the orchestra area with only two elderly men occupying the inner aisle seats. We hadn't settled in yet when the host started announcing winners - and she was saying everything in Spanish. That whole moment was a blur as we scrambled for our seats and everything we could hear was in a language we couldn't really understand.  

"At that moment, all I could think of was, "What's happening?" As I sat on the chair next to the elderly gentlemen with my frazzled face (I'm pretty sure all of us looked like this), my new seatmate started talking to me - in Spanish. I turned to him and said, "I'm sorry I don't understand. I don't speak Spanish." To which he replied, pointing to the host onstage, "Oh okay, so you don't understand what she's saying." What a pleasant surprise it was to have an English-speaking Spaniard as a seatmate! I shook my head in reply.

"Members of some choirs were cheering already for awards won, and we still had no idea what was going on. My seatmate then explained to me that all the choirs that performed that night were going to receive some sort of award. He said that as long as we weren't called as the announcements moved on, we should be happy.

"The awards announced that came first were only "special awards". The major awards would surely come at the end. We waited as more special awards were being given out. The next time my seatmate would translate something would be the point where cash prizes were tied up with the awards. It started with public's choice, then best conductor. The next announcements were barely understandable, with the winning choirs' noise overpowering the voice of my translator. He finally said something I understood - "For me it's you. You will be the winner!" "Gracias, muchas gracias!", I said, nodding, with a wide smile.

"​The winners of the Polifonia category have already been announced at this point. We awaited the winners of the Habaneras category. Third place went to a group from Ukraine, second went to an all-male choir from Madrid. My translator then turned to me with a knowing smile. "This is it! For twelve thousand euros." And just like that, in about a quarter of a second, our name was called out. We won. WE WON!!!! I jumped from my seat and waved my flaglet vigorously to the point that the stick broke. Who wouldn't be ecstatic - we got the top prize! After all the hugs and tears of joy, I thanked my translator one last time. Then the ACS gathered with all the other winning choirs for a tutti song, "Amor Esto Es Amor", which was the contest piece of the event. Ah, it was a wonderful night indeed.
" - Martha Flores, ACS soprano

PUIG-REIG AND BARCELONA, SPAIN

35 years ago, our conductor Jonathan Velasco first came to Puig Reig as member of Saringhimig Singers. He was a teenage chorister back then.  That trip paved the way for numerous other Filipino choirs to experience the picturesque beauty and charm of this town and share their music.  This time he returned as a conductor, bringing his own choir to meet the very people who had become his friends.  We were very happy to meet them and sing for them.


Performances in Puig Reig and Barcelona:
1.
Pavello D'Esports de Puig Reig Catalunia (July 29)
2. Sta. Maria del Mar Basilica Barcelona (July 30)




"Jay & I were so blessed to be hosted, for the first and only time on this tour, in Puig-Reig. We didn’t only have a host mom & dad---we had a whole family! For a few days, we experienced being part of the Santamaria Family: we had Papa Ramon & Mama Ester, brother Ramon & sister Alba, lolo Miquel & lola Carme & niece Vinyet. May Tito & Tita pa yan, actually!

Through their family, we experienced the same warmth & good-natured lokohan not unlike what we experience in our own families back home. We felt an instant connection even if only our brother & sister spoke English! It really was a blessing to have experienced the charming town of Puig-Reig, their yummy llonganiza & their appreciation for music
."

- Aui Tamayo, ACS soprano



"The people of Puig-Reig were such an appreciative audience. We were touched when they gave us a rousing standing ovation at the end of the program." - Angelique Lazo-Mayuga, ACS soprano


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Our concert in Sta. Maria del Mar Basilica, Barcelona.
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Photo op at the Sagrada Familia.
"It was such a blessing to sing, not just in the Santa Maria del Mar Basilica in Barcelona, but in the world famous Sagrada Familia as well.  Our hosts organized a free tour for us of this magnificent church, and no less than the rector himself Fr. Lluis Bonet, served as our tour guide.  Our tour became somewhat of a pilgrimage as he lead us to various parts of the church and asked us to sing in each one, which we happily did as a form of prayer.  How many people get to pray in such a special way in such a beautiful place?  We were surprised at how we managed to sing well without having vocalized!  It was truly a moving and unforgettable experience for us."  - Bitchik Panlilio-Dimalanta, ACS alto

MONTSERRAT and
MANRESA, SPAIN

We ended our tour by performing in Montserrat and in Manresa on July 31, the very Feast Day of St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus.  It is said that St. Ignatius' stay in these place were turning points in his life.  We performed the world premiere of a piece based on St. Ignatius’ Prayer for Generosity titled “Señor,” written especially for this occasion by Gianpaolo Eleria, one of our very own resident composers. Here's what he has to say about it:

" 'Señor' was always going to be the final installment of my "Ignatian Series" compositions. It was pure coincidence that the work (which is a setting of St. Ignatius’ Prayer for Generosity in Spanish) ended up being performed at Santuari Cova de Sant Ignasi, Manresa, Spain. It was also certainly not part of the plan for me to have been there to witness the performance. Yet, part of me believes that this was all meant to happen.
" 'Señor' was always going to be last because it took me a long time to understand the prayer. Why would anyone pray particularly for generosity? Wouldn’t one find more use in praying for something "bigger" --- compassion or love, perhaps? The value of generosity, the selfless, condition-free act of giving, didn’t become apparent to me until I experienced what it was like to receive. Throughout the loneliness of living abroad, away from friends and family, and the professional challenges of becoming an educator and a musical leader and the grief brought about by losing my parents, I experienced receiving overwhelming amounts of love, kinship, trust and affirmation. This blessed experience of unexpectedly receiving all these things helped me see that one of the best things one can do for another is to give and to give generously.

"The Ateneo Chamber Singers’ journey to Europe is a story of generosity too. As a 'choral groupie' I was witness to their memorable moments these past few weeks. What made it truly special for me was knowing the story behind the show. Many acts of generosity and kindness paved the way to Europe, both from the members as well as their families, who have freely shared their moms, dads, wives, siblings with the choir. There was generosity in braving storms and mind-numbing traffic, just to get to octet rehearsals, in being open to growth, both musically and spiritually, in setting aside differences for the sake of the ensemble, in choosing to celebrate life in the face of infirmities, in giving one’s everything to a performance despite being exhausted or dehydrated, in letting go of pitch anxiety to appreciate having given a meaningful performance, in celebrating each others' personal milestones and breakthroughs. At the end of the day — literally at the end of the tour — hearing the choir sing a prayer for generosity made the tour make so much more sense to me. This trip was never about winning. It was never about receiving praise. It was always about giving. It was about leaving the audiences with performances that were prayers too, moments that they will remember and cherish for a long time to come."
- Gianpaolo Eleria, ACS resident composer
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Performances:
1. Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey (July 31)
2. Concert at Cova Sant Ignasi in Manresa (July 31)


PRESS RELEASES, ARTICLES, OTHER INFORMATION:

Malaya - http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/living/ateneo-chamber-singers-win-top-prize-spain
Philippine Daily Inquirer - http://m.inquirer.net/lifestyle/?id=168336
Interaksyon - http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/video--world-choir-games-gold-medalist-ateneo-chamber-singers-perform-crucifixus

Ateneo Alumni Relations http://www.admu.edu.ph/alumni/news/ateneo-chamber-singers-win-top-prize-torrevieja-spain


"Gotcha" by Jarius Bondoc (bottom article) http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2014/07/25/1350086/govt-rewards-ph-trams-owner


Choirs in the News - article by Baby Gil in Philippine Star http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2014/06/25/1338644/choirs-news


World Choir Games website.

Habaneras Y Polyfonia website.



This competition tour would not be possible without the invaluable help and support of
the Ateneo de Manila University and Jesuit Communications.

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We thank our generous sponsors for partnering with us!

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And our heartfelt thanks go out to all our friends!

Cesar Esperat, Jr.
Irene Gallardo
Steve Mayfield
Yiying Olaguera
Rosario Salarzon
Splash Corporation
Home and Jenny Nuqui
Cybonn Ang
Ed and Rina Tobias
Dodjie Simon
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.
PHINMA Corporation
Rowena Lejano
Tina Tan Soliven
Myra Bacud
Raquel Diaz
Joseph Dean Tolentino
Ruth Cabahit
Veneranda Glover
Myrna Ungson
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jones
Nica Mañalac
Vincent Yiu
Jacqueline Ong
Mary Grace Montoya
Ben and Lucing Naguit
Marvin Mendoza
Rezon Rei Ty
Ma. Rosario Santos
Mark Quiwa
Doreen Cometa-Carter
Leila Baroña
Brian Ocfemia
Meg Flores
Jun Flores
Ramona Maria Morala

Estela Ojeda
Evelyn Escober
Marvin Mendoza
Frix Del Rosario
Antonio Zeta
Chris Legayada
Renato Agapito
Flor Arboleda
Jenelyn Almonte
Andrew Ong


Pargum Consolidated
Mark Mercado
Charlo Cedro
Salvador Cachola
Floriano Salvador
Irene Bausas
Darren Aliga

Jane and Ernivic Caparroso
Jerico Manalac

Victoria Lambengco
Concepcion Go
Veronica Tan
Rogemille Castillo
Phyllip Sam Salvador
Abdul and Belen Rajagukguk
Teresa Seggerman

Aida Aviso
Sabeniano Caliao
Andrew Dysangco

Candace Brooks
Christian Rafanan

Yolanda Berenguer
Eduardo Enriquez
Atty. Marivic Espiritu
Dolores Punzalan-Santos

Ethelyne Acebedo
Pridelyn Francisco
Kevin Panganiban
Katrina Agustin
Edwyn and Gladys Gallego

Agnes Herenia
Antonio and Irene Quentanano
Kim Ocfemia
Stephen Beltran
Ida Jacob
Dr. Zaldy Capeso
Dr. Lucile Venturanza
Annette Desamito
Ely Cruz
Luzviminda Luacan
Engr. Al Sabado
Yvette Poblador
Nanette Quines
Dennis Josue
Dana Kitsch
Bernardita Alba

Isabel Golez
Ernie and Jho Golez
Olivia Sanidad

Niña Sanidad
Lenny Legal-Stockwell
Melfred and Arlene Hernandez
Bea Zobel de Ayala
Medical CIty
Marilyn Reyes
Luzcel Tuazon-Miranda
Bessie Quitevis
Dorcas Ito
Imelda De Forest
Ardjames Sta. Lucia
Ruby Annie Ragudo
Edmy Harim Wahiman

Elsa Desiderio
Ana Takemoto
Carly and Marvin Sanidad

Mr. and Mrs. Angelo Palma
Richard and Gwen Razon

Bobby and Alexis Rodgrigo
Carlos Mutuc
Mr. and Mrs. Tamayo
Aliga family

Rosalinda Gando
Edwin Santayana

Alex Resurrecio
Gloria Fabilaran
Alma Kort
Myrna and Ariel Calalang

Aurora Lim
Ivan Sanchez
Jessie Ian Albanez
Ellen Chua
Dr. and Mrs. Norman Aliga
Violy Piedad
Honorato Samson
Ronilo C. Matias
Mayor Kit Nieto
Dr. Olga Abellanosa
Solina Elliot
Yvette Pineda
Nita Calpatura

Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Esquivel
Esquivias Conlu Yabut Law Office
Ruth Dimagmaliw
Rico and Nini Obeso
Wilbert and Gladys Galang

Department of Tourism
Vicente Panlilio
Rina Tobias
Roy de Ocampo
Jun and Pia Sy
Christopher Salanguit
Bonito Singson
Corazon Herrera
Michael Aquitana
Dorothy Jane Bahia
Cynthia Ong
Novabelle Herrera
Michael Fronda
Lando and Rose Carandang
Camille Tan
Michele Marasigan
Medina Lopez
Nazer and Aimee Superficial
Carmela Mamaril
Abdulla Mambuay
Bartolome Tomas
RJ Bowling c/o Dr. Raquel Victoria
Maris Lunt
Eric Michael Constantino
Richa Bensurto
Sheila Bathan
Hajie Velasco
Joey Mercado
Stephen Chan
Gregorio Lamug
Zeny Amado
Pia Facundo
Marose Palma-Samela
Handel Francisco
Marky Canios
Ronato R. Ermita
Danny Yao
Edith Luacan
Gen. and Dr. Marcelo Navarro
Ronald and Alijah Raz
Fernando Alonso
Jose Mari Chan

Very special thanks to Ammon Velasco for our beautiful costumes!

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  • home
  • about the ACS
    • VUELO
    • PAGHAYO
    • THREE Festival
  • conductor and members
  • gallery
  • recorded live
  • discography
  • contact us