PH Meistersingers bag gold in int'l choral tilt

The Philippine Meistersingers recently clinched a gold finish at the Rimini International Choral Competition in Italy, becoming the first Filipino choir to qualify for the World Choral Championship through said competition.

The win would make them the second Filipino choir to qualify for the World Choral Championship.

In a statement, the group said it earned the festival’s top honor—the Grand Prix—after securing gold medals in both the Musica Sacra (Sacred) and Musica Profana (Secular) categories.

Competition judges praised the ensemble for its “disciplined blend and tonal control” in its sacred repertoire and highlighted the choir’s “rhythmic precision and expressive storytelling” in its secular performance.

“We’re grateful to God for this victory,” musical director Ramon Molina Lijauco Jr. said.

“More than a competition, it became a journey of faith for all of us, especially our younger members who rose to the challenge and proved what Filipinos can offer to the world stage,” he added.

The Meistersingers performed works by Filipino-American composer Nilo Alcala II and topped choirs from the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Indonesia, Romania, and Poland.

“The European choirs had a distinct and beautiful sound, but the judges told us we stood out for how we shaped our interpretation—the blend, the intelligence of the repertoire, and the unity between the choir and conductor,” Lijauco added.

With their Rimini win, the Philippine Meistersingers will compete against champions from Tokyo and Taipei at the World Choral Championship in Kraków, Poland, in 2026.

“We now have to begin preparing our repertoire and raising funds so we can return to Europe for the finals,” Lijauco said.—MCG, GMA Integrated News