Voices of the South Children’s Choir

Voices of the South Children’s Choir (VSCC) is a community-based choir in Davao City, Philippines and composed of children with ages 8-16 years old whom studying from different schools. It was organized in 2011 to fulfill the dreams of the children to develop their talents and excel in the field of music.

Some of the VSCC members were finalists of the 2010 National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) under a school choir who competed in the Cultural Center of the Philippines. VSCC was declared as a national qualifier and semi-finalist for 2011 and 2012 MBC National Choral Competition. The choir also won 3rd place in the 2012 Himig Handog Competition, Musikahan sa Tagum National Competition. For two (2) consecutive years, in March 2012 and 2013, VSCC was among the awardees of the Davao City Mayor and Vice Mayor’s Award for Cultural and Arts for its role in the development of music among the children in the city.

VSCC joined local competitions such as Abreeza’s Melodies and Harmonies Christmas Choral Competition and Panaygon, Pasko Fiesta sa Dabaw last December 2012. Fortunately, the choir was able to grab the 1st prize for both the said competitions. Among the significant VSCC engagements were the children’s performances in the two well-known hotels in Davao City, namely, the Apo View Hotel, Royal Mandaya Hotel, Waterfront Insular Hotel.  The latest achievement of the group was winning in an international competition in Pattaya, Thailand last July 25-27, 2013, the “6th Grand Prix Pattaya 2013 International Choir Competition” – a Gold Medal for Folklore category and Silver Medal for Children’s category.

VSCC made their debut concert on July 13, 2013 at the CAP Mini-Auditorium to raise funds for the Thailand trip.  Upon their triumphant return, various singing invitations were offered, among these were a repeat concert at the Sto.Tomas provincial gym for its fiesta, a guesting at the One Night, One Passion….Music Concert organized by the Association of Practicing Musicians in Davao City, Inc. (APMDCI) at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, the launching of Jollibee’s “Maaga ang Pasko” at SM City Annex, and other engagements lined-up in the coming months.

VSCC is currently directed by the choir director of the 2009 NAMCYA Choir-C Champion and a member of the Philippine Choral Directors Association, Mr. Peter Ian C. Buaya.

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Apollo Male Chorus

The Apollo Male Chorus has grown to be not just only one of the oldest continuously performing male choruses in the United States since 1885, but also one of the better known and more widely traveled performing companies in the nation.

The group was first built as music community in the Upper Midwest. Thereafter, the Apollo Male Chorus burst on to the national scene in the middle of the last century when Lowell Thomas invited the Chorus to perform two pieces for his 1956 motion picture The Seven Wonders of the World; its performance of “This Is My Country” serves as the background of the film’s finale.

The Chorus went on to perform live at the Chicago premier of the movie. In 1957, the Chorus performed as part of the inaugural festivities launching President Dwight Eisenhower’s second term in office. The following year, the Chorus performed at the Brussels World’s Fair – Expo 58. The Chorus went on to perform at the International Choral Kathaumixw in Canada, and the Eisteddfod International Choral Competition in Wales – the first chorus in any category to place in the top three in their first appearance. The Chorus continues its tradition of offering world-class performances in the Twin Cities and throughout our region.

Their continuous performance triggered an increase of their motivation.

Throughout the years, the Chorus’s passion remains male choral singing and its goal is to promote male choral singing in their community. In 2012, the Chorus hosted the Northstar Male Choral Festival as a way to thank the Twin Cities community that has graciously supported it since then. This festival also served as an opportunity to promote male choral music, network with other ensembles, educate, and share its mutual love of music. Over 100 young men from Irondale High School, Coon Rapids High School, Minnehaha Academy, and the Minnesota Boychoir participated in the festival with Cantus as the guest ensemble. In 2013, the Northstar Male Choral Festival welcomes the Singing Statesmen from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

The group does always treasure the members. Many lifelong friendships have been formed over the years, while fathers and sons have made singing in Apollo a family tradition. The Apollo Male Chorus’s talented musical staff inspires and leads its members to grow their musical talents and share them with others. It is the Chorus’s sincerest desire that its love for choral music be strengthened by its experience and that friends and family be touched and inspired as well.

Truly, we can find comfort on our duties when we learn to love it and the people we work with. The Apollo Male Chorus members are living proof to that, which made them last for 117 years.

For more info visit http://yyaayy.com/