Las Piñas Boys Choir wins 2 golds in 5th World Choir Games in Austria

Another superb performance by the Las Piñas Boys Choir (LPBC) in the ongoing 5th World Choir Games in Garz, Austria allowed the group to bag two gold medals in two categories: the Musica Sacra (Music of the Religion) and Children’s Choir.

“The opening song of the Las Piñas Boys Choir was so inspiring and breathtaking,” said Fr. Didoy Molina in the LPBC’s daily blog. “I can even feel the crowd holding their breath after the song. And then Armando (the conductor) proceeded to lead the boys in their next repertoire, and song after song, the silence of the crowd was deafening if not eerie, a reaction and attention I believe given only now among the competing choirs.”

Molina said that “when the boys ended with the rousing Halleluia, the applause was long and loud. Some even gave the boys a standing ovation. It was the LPBC at their best!”

Last Saturday, Fr. Joey de Moy, the Chaplain of the Filipino Catholic Community, proudly announced after the mass at the opening of the Barrio Fiesta Celebration in Vienna, that the LPBC got the gold for the Musica Sacra category.

The more than 1,000 Pinoys who attended the barrio fiesta celebration was also proud to hear that the group won the gold prize for the Children’s Choir category.

The Las Piñas Boys Choir (LPBC) is a well-known group in the Philippines and in international choir competitions.

Under the artistic direction of Professor Armando Salarza, the group is a regular performer in the annual Bamboo Organ International Music Festival. It emerged champion at the 2005 Vivere Choral Competition.

The 5th World Choir Games, which started July 9, 2008 has 441 registered choirs from 93 nations and around 20,000 active participants, including four choir groups from the Philippines–Coro Ilocano, Kilyawan Boys Choir, Himig Singer and Las Pinas Boys Choir.

The Choir Games 2008, which will end July 19, is the largest competition in the history of choir music. The participating choirs demonstrate their abilities before 71 international jurors in more than 600 performances in 28 different categories.

More than 1,000 concerts in Garz and its vicinity will take place, including friendship, gala, and special concerts.

Two-thirds of the participants are children, teenagers and young adults.

Source: ABS-CBNNEws.com