Quam Optime — at its best
In its 32 years of existence, the UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA) has always aimed to be just that — at its best — with its audience’s greatest satisfaction in mind.
Inspired by UPSA founder and conductor, Ed Manguiat, every member has lived by the philosophy of singing from the heart. “Above anything else, we sing to share... we sing to inspire... Singing from the heart is the only way we know how to give our audience the best,” says alumna member Leah Tapia. Years of training under Manguiat or “Kuya Ed” as he is fondly called, has helped put these singers’ hearts in the right place.
“I’ve seen them do their best, not only in their concerts and other big events, but even in small gatherings when they sing for friends. And I know that they give the same performance during their outreach programs in hospitals, homes for the aged, and orphanages,” shares UPSA sponsor Lou Tansengco.
UPSA brings this music with them as they represent the country in the Bela Bartok International Choir Competition in Debrecen, Hungary and the International Guido d’Arezzo Polyphonic Contest in Arezzo, Italy in July and August, respectively. The choral group won the Grand Prize for Arezzo in 2001 and top prizes in Debrecen in 2008. This year, UPSA aims to win the Grand Prize in at least one of these very challenging competitions, to qualify for the most prestigious European Choral Grand Prix in 2013.
In preparation for UPSA’s 2012 European Tour and Competitions, the group is once again set to give its best performance in a farewell concert series entitled, Quam Optime, which will feature new and commissioned contemporary compositions by top Filipino composers in the likes of Nilo Alcala, John August Pamintuan, Francisco Feliciano, Chino Toledo, Alejandro Consolacion II, Christine Muyco, Arnel de Pano, Robert Delgado, Eudy Palaruan and some of their competition pieces by European composers like Béla Bartok, Vytautas Mi_ kinis, József Karai and Peter Tóth to name a few.
Catch UPSA at these dates: today, June 30 (7 p.m.) Gt-toyota Asian Center Auditorium, UP Diliman; July 5 (Thurs, 7 p.m.), Abelardo Hall Auditorium, UP College of Music; July 8 (Sun, 7 p.m.), Philam Life Auditorium, UN Avenue, Manila.
For more details or ticket reservations, contact: (02) 9249378; 0917- 5509994/ 0943- 3566528/ 0918-5472546; website www.upsingingambassadors.com; WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/THEUPSINGINGAMBASSADORS