ABOUT US
Recognized by the UNESCO as Artists for Peace for “putting their fame and influence to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace,” the Philippine Madrigal Singers is one of the most awarded choral groups in the world, having won all the top prizes in most of the world’s prestigious choral competitions, including the Grand Prix in the 2016 Concurso Internazionale di Guido d’ Arezzo, Arezzo, Italy. They hold the distinction of being the first choir in the world to win the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice (1997 and 2007) and the first Asian choir to be accorded the BrandLaureate Premiere Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (2012).
The group’s virtuosity across a vast repertoire range, its continuing promotion of Filipino choral works, and the rousing and deeply emotional impact that each performance has on all audiences the world over as they sing in the distinctive
set-up of sitting in a semi-circle without a conductor, have established their reputation as a pioneering force
in choral music and an inspirational role model for other choirs.
Founded in 1963, by National Artist for Music Professor Andrea O. Veneracion, the UP Madrigal Singers,
now under designated successor Mark Anthony Carpio, demonstrate that choral music can be socially relevant
and transformational. They have continued to touch hearts and souls of those who come to their performances,
and carried on various programs to nurture and develop future generations of conductors and choral singers all over the world.
THE CHOIRMASTER
MARK ANTHONY CARPIO
Mark graduated from the University of the Philippines where he earned his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting
and his Bachelor’s degree in Piano.
In 2001, Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion, founder of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and Philippine National Artist for Music,
chose him to succeed her as choirmaster of the group. Since then, he has continuously led the already much-awarded choir
to even greater heights, including placing first in several prestigious choral competitions, such as the Certámen Internacional
de Habaneras y Polifonia (Torrevieja, Spain, 2004), the 35th Florilege Vocal de Tours, France (2006), the 19th European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Arrezo, Italy, 2007), and recently, the 64th Concorso Polifonico Guido d’Arezzo (Arezzo, Italy, 2016), making them qualify for the 29th European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Tolosa, Spain, 2017).
Mark has been frequently invited to give keynote addresses by prestigious international choral organizations such as the Singapore International Choral Festival, Satya Dharma Gita Choir Festival (Indonesia), Busan Choral Festival & Competition (Korea), Taiwan Choral Association, St. Angela Children and Youth Choir Festival (Indonesia), Belt and Road World Choir Festival (Hong Kong), The National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference (Louisiana, USA), Festival 500 Sharing The Voices (Canada), Lithuanian Conductors Summer Academy (Latvia), and the Cantus Angelicus, Festival of Choirs (Malaysia). Mark has given online workshops for the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Arizona ACDA Chapter, the Coral Brahms Colombia, Bridge Choral Collective Canada, and the University of Minnesota Duluth.
In the Philippines, he regularly collaborates with the Philippine Choral Directors Association, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, for music and choral education programs. He heads the Andrea O. Veneracion Sing Philippines Foundation, which spearheads choral music development initiatives including the Sing Philippines Youth Choir, whose singers come from all over the country.
Mark has adjudicated in different choral festivals and competitions around the world, including Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Italy and Latvia. Locally, he has been the chairman of the board of jurors of the biennial Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival and the 1st Asia Choral Grand Prix (2019). He has also been invited as guest conductor of the Crystal Children’s Choir (Taiwan), Taipei Ladies Singers, Taipei Philharmonic Youth Choir and the 1st Indonesia Youth Choir. Most recently, he conducted the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra with a chorus of 200 singers in a performance of Handel’s Messiah
He also directs the Pansol Choir, a community and church-based choral group who is the resident choir of the Parish of Sta. Maria Della Strada in Quezon City. In addition, he is also the Artistic Director of the Consortium of Voices, a choral society of young choristers, consisting of the Kilyawan Boys Choir, Kilyawan Male Choir and the Voces Auroræ Girls Choir.