The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED) and the Philippine Madrigal Singers (MADz) through the Andrea O. Veneracion Sing Philippines Foundation Inc. (AOVSPFI) – in partnership with the Negros Cultural Foundation, Holy Name University (HNU), one of CCP’s Kaisa sa Sining Regional Arts Center in Visayas – will hold the Visayas leg of Sing Philippines Youth Choir (SPYC) regional music camp with outreach concerts featuring the SPYC tour group of 2019 to 2020, in Bohol from December 14 to 19.
The project was launched in June 2014 by the MADz and the CCP CED.
To date, SPYC has 155 choristers/members from 72 provinces/local communities across the country, bringing to life the vision of National Artist and MADz founder Andrea Veneracion of a nation singing in harmony and united in songs.
Composed of 40 singers selected from SPYC Batches 1 to 3, the SPYC tour group members come from 24 provinces/communities all over the country.
The week-long music camp in Bohol, which is the Visayas leg, includes sessions on singing and breathing techniques, enhancing capabilities of the singer and enabling them to contribute strongly to their respective voice sections.
The pool of trainors is led by MADz choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio together with MADz alumni.
The outreach concerts are held at the CPG Park in Tagbilaran City, 6:30 p.m. on December 15 and in Talibon Cathedral, 7:00 p.m. on December 17. These two concerts are co-presented with the Holy Name University, Provincial Government of Bohol, City Government of Tagbilaran and the Diocese of Talibon.
The Mindanao leg of the music camp is slated for March 9-14, 2020 in General Santos City.
The next strategic goals of the SPYC organizers is to further advance the music training (through music camps in the regions) of a pre-auditioned group from the three batches, present them in local outreach performances this year, present them in an international concert tour in 2020 and finally have them participate in one of the prestigious choral competition in Europe in 2020.