Written by Harold Deane Piog and Adrian Luiz Cariño
The University of Baguio’s resident choral group, the UB Voices Chorale, emerged with Gold Diplomas in all of the three categories they joined at the 2nd Sing Tarlac, Sing Choral Festival and Competition which was held last June 1 to 2, 2024 at the Kaisa Convention Hall. The three categories were Folk Song Category, Mixed Choir Category, and Musica Sacra Category. These Gold Diplomas paved the way for the group to achieve the top prizes in each category as the group was placed the Second Prize in the Folk Song Category and Third Prize in the Musica Sacra Category. The group is conducted by their choirmaster and the Artistic Director of the Office of Student Affairs, Mr. John Glenn Gaerlan.
The UB Voices Chorale was fortunate to join this year’s Sing Tarlac, Sing (STS) Choral Festival and Competition. The STS is held annually at the heart of Tarlac – Tarlac City. This competition is being joined by choral artists who are recognized in the national and international choral scene. The objective of the event is anchored on the vision of the late National Artist for Music Andrea Veneracion of having the entire Philippine Archipelago singing in chorus.
In its first-time experience, the UB Voices Chorale is the only choral group outside Manila that was able to bag the said awards along with the multi-awarded choral groups in Manila such as the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) Choral Society, University of Santo Tomas (UST) Coro Tomasino, University of the East (UE) Chorale, and Far Eastern University (FEU). It shows that the UB Voices Chorale is a force to be reckoned with outside Manila even in choral singing.
The UB Voices Chorale, founded in 1961, has been joining various local, national, and international competitions. Of the 41 group members, 11 were new, being the beginners to join in STS Choral Festival and Competition with the 30 regular members. As the competition concluded, the group is now set to prepare for their upcoming international competition in Asia this coming August 2024 competing against international choral artists.
