World-famous PHL Madrigal Singers to perform in Malaysia July 1, 2

The world-famous Philippine Madrigal Singers (Madz) choir will perform in Malaysia on July 1 and 2 as part of their Asian goodwill tour, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday. Kicking off the choir's tour will be a performance at the Georgetown Festival (GTF) in Penang, Malaysia, a news release of the DFA said. The GTF is a month-long celebration of art, music, theater, dance opera and film to commemorate Georgetown's inscription on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage listing on July 7, 2008. For 2012, the GTF runs from June 15 to July 15. "The Philippine Madrigal Singers (have) exemplified musical excellence and virtuosity throughout the years.  The Philippines takes pride in presenting one of the world's best to Malaysia," Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Eduardo Malaya said. One of world's most awarded choirs Madz is one of the world's most awarded, having consistently won all the top prizes in most of the world's prestigious choral competitions. It has performed at the Arezzo and Gorizia in Italy, Marktoberdorf in Germany, Spittal in Austria, Neuchatel in Switzerland, Tours in France, Varna in Bulgaria, Debrecen in Hungary, Cantonigros, Tolosa and Torrevieja in Spain. The choir holds the distinction of being the first in the world to win the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice, in 1997 and 2007. More recently, the group was honored by the UNESCO as Artists for Peace. In September 2010, it was bestowed the Guidoneum Award by the Concorso Polifonico Guido d' Arrezo Foundation. The ensemble performs a wide repertoire of various styles and forms: renaissance, classical music, Filipino and international folk songs, contemporary and avant-garde music, opera and even popular music. Its specialization and focus on the madrigal idiom has inspired a unique setup of singing while seated in a semicircle, without a conductor. Madz was organized in 1963 by National Artist Professor Andrea Veneracion. It consists of students, faculty members and alumni from the different colleges of the University of the Philippines. Through the direction of Mark Anthony Carpio, the corps of composers and choral arrangers of the Madrigal Singers continue to produce innovative compositions and choral settings of Philippine, Asian, and international songs. Other events Malaysia is the second stop for the Madz' Asian Goodwill Concert Tour, which will also include concerts in Indonesia and Singapore. On July 3, the Madz will perform at the Philippine Embassy on a "by-invitation" only event on July 3. Expected to grace the event are Malaysian Tourism Minister Dato Sri' Dr. Ng Yen Yen as Guest of Honor, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the Filipino community and friends of the Embassy. After GTF, the Madz will hold a two-night concert at the Trinity Methodist Church in Petaling Jaya on July 5 and 6 for the Philippine Community Fund. - VVP, GMA News