MANILA Oct. 26, 2005 - The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) Chorale, conducted by Arwin Tan, won the Regional Competition of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) for the College Choir Category, besting eight other schools from Metro Manila. Second prize went to Technological Institute of the Philippines Choral Society, and third prize to UST Liturgikon. The other participating choirs were Bagong Himig (PUP), FEU Symphony Chorus, Lyceum Philippines Chorale, Mapua Concert Singers, University of Makati Chorale, and UST College of Science Glee Club. The competition was held on October 26, Wednesday, at the Philippine Cultural High School in Tondo, Manila.

The UA&P Chorale will represent the National Capital Region (NCR) in the NAMCYA National Finals to be held between November 22-26 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where they will be up against 15 other regional champions from all over the Philippines.

Last July, the UA&P Chorale bagged the three highest-ranking gold medals (first prizes) for the three categories they joined (Mixed Choirs, Chamber Choirs, and Mixed Youth Choirs), at the 23rd International Choral Festival of Preveza in Preveza, Greece. The International Jury Committee also awarded them a special prize for best performance of a folkloric song. The group, established in 1995, is the resident choral ensemble of the University of Asia and the Pacific (Pasig City, Philippines).

For the past 31 years, NAMCYA has been principally instrumental in discovering major music talents from all over the country. This project involves annually some 1 million young musicians, trainors, and administrators, in a long and tedious process of selecting the best among them from all sixteen regions of the Philippines. Competitions are held from the divisional up to the regional levels, from which the First Prize winners come to Manila to vie for national honors in the main categories of Choral Performance, Solo Voice and Instruments, Family Ensemble, and Chamber Music in both western art music and Philippine indigenous and folk music traditions. More info at http://www.namcya.org.ph.