MADZ Concludes Southeast Asian Tour by Captivating SG
The Philippine Madrigal Singers (MADZ) performs at the grand Concert Hall of the Esplanade on 23 June 2019 (Esplanade photo).
SINGAPORE 12 July 2019 – The Philippine Embassy in Singapore's Sentro Rizal, in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Esplanade, and Mandarin Orchard, successfully organized performances by the internationally-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers (MADZ) on 22-23 June 2019 to jointly celebrate the 121st Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence and 50 years of friendship between the Philippines and Singapore.
MADZ started their itinerary in Singapore on 22 June 2019 with a free workshop held at the Esplanade Recital Studio that was attended by 104 choir members and music enthusiasts, both Filipinos and Singaporeans. Participants were taught by MADZ various vocal and performance exercises and techniques that are useful even for ordinary professionals whose jobs require public speaking, such as teachers.
This was followed by a performance that same evening at the lobby of Mandarin Orchard for the opening of the Fiesta Filipino food festival that aims to promote Philippine cuisine in Singapore. MADZ performed the OPM “Ikaw” (You), Josh Groban’s “You Raise Me Up”, and the Brazilian hit song, “Mas que Nada”, that enthralled the diplomatic corps, media representatives, influencers, hotel guests, and the general public.
For their final performance in Singapore on 23 June 2019, MADZ gave a rousing performance at the very grand Concert Hall of the Esplanade for their Voices Series 2019. Filipinos, Singaporeans, and other expatriates watched the group sing classics such as “Alleluia”, contemporary pop like “True Colors,” Myanmar folk song “Ka Chin Myay Ko Lar Bar,” and the official theme song of the 2018 Asian Games held in Indonesia, “Meraih Bintang” (Reach for the Stars)
As a tribute to the golden anniversary of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Singapore, MADZ showcased the deep cultural and artistic links between the two countries when they performed the Singaporean song “Dayong Sampan” arranged by Dr. Zechariah Goh.
They paid a special tribute to MADZ alumnus and now Singapore-based, Prof. Eudenice Palaruan, who arranged the songs “O Naranniag a Bulan,” “Ahari,” and a Cebuano Medley, including “Rosas Pandan.”
“We are very proud to showcase an international talent like MADZ in a prestigious venue such as Esplanade. Hopefully, this would lead to similar collaborations in the future with our partners, such as NCCA, Esplanade, and even Mandarin Orchard, to allow us to conduct cultural diplomacy in Singapore at a much grander scale. The Philippines indeed is home to world-class talent and the richness of Philippine culture and heritage is something that we can all be proud of,” Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap said. END
A free workshop was conducted by MADZ at the Esplanade Recital Studio on 22 June 2019. Around 104 people participated. (Philippine Madrigal Singers photo)
The MADZ performed three songs at the lobby of Mandarin Orchard to officially open the Fiesta Filipino food festival last 22 June 2019. (UNTV Singapore photo)
Ambassador to Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap (in blazer), together with MADZ Choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio, (left of Ambassador Yap), pose with the rest of the members of MADZ during the reception hosted by the former at the foyer of Esplanade immediately after the concert. (Philippine Madrigal Singers photo)
For more information, visit https://www.singaporepe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.org.sg or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSingapore.