Phil. Madrigal Singers more popularly known as ‘Madz’ absolutely rocks! Photo by Jude Bautista

Written and photographed

By Jude Bautista

Their voices reached the notes perfectly in unison and as the cymbals portion of the ‘William Tell Overture’ came in one of them started to emulate the sound. His two empty hands coming together for an invisible pair of cymbals. The sound however was coming form his mouth, much like beat boxing. You can hear them crash together along with the flawlessly sung voices of the Philippine Madrigal Singers or ‘Madz’ for short. He was wildly swinging the imaginary cymbals. Later on he also used a co member’s belly as a bass drum. Don’t worry in spite of the pictures, no one was hurt. It was the intensity of the sounds coming out of his mouth and his motions that made everything so real. The pained facial expressions of the Madz singers around him also helped.

The bass drum is the nearest thing beside him. From left to right. Photo by Jude Bautista

They performed at the CCP for the Press launch of their 2011 Calendar of events. One of the up coming events soon is the first International Guitar Fest from January 27-30, followed by ‘Pasinaya’ multi arts festival on February 6^th. And the Phil Madrigal Singer’s February 12-13 concert at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Check out the full list of events below.

Catch Madz in CCP on February 12-13, 2011. Photo by Jude Bautista

Beat boxing was not something you’d expect from one of the most distinguished and successful chorale group in the Philippines. But they pulled it off with aplomb. They are the original chorale group that put our country on the map, decades before ‘Glee’ was aired. ‘Polka sa Nayon’, ‘Bahay Kubo (Chitchiritchit)’ were among the Filipino songs that earned the European Grand Prix in Choral Singing in Arezzo, Italy in 2007. According to the official Madz website, “…the first choir in the competition’s history to win it twice and the only Asian choir to do so”. Just last year they were also conferred the prestigious Guidoneum Award 2010 by the Fondazione Guido d’Arezzo in Italy.

Madz sing with perfect blending. Photo by Jude Bautista

Conductor John Pamintuan shared in his website, “Fondazione Guido d’Arezzo president Francesco Lusi said that the foundation has ‘followed attentively and with great pleasure the fruitful activities of the Madrigal Singers and are grateful for all that the Philippine Madrigal Singers have done for the choral world”.

Cultural Center of the Philippines Upcoming events:

Pic is From last year’s successful First International Guitar Festival. Photo provided by the CCP.

The 2011 PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL & COMPETITION will be held on January 27-30 and features guitar workshops, master classes and concerts of outstanding local and foreign guitarists, guitar ensembles, orchestra and display of world class guitars. Presented in cooperation with The Guitar Friends, the First Philippine International Guitar Competition will also be held at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater), Little Theater  Lobby and the Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino.

If you didn’t catch Sinulog, Pasinaya is just as good, happening on Feb 6. Photo provided by the CCP.

The annual PASINAYA (CCP OPEN HOUSE FESTIVAL), the one-day “See-all-you can, Pay what-you-can” multi-arts festival will be held on February 6, Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The festival will showcase a street dance spectacle featuring the grand champion of the Sinulog Festival, excerpts of CCP theater, music and dance shows, and a grand finale of a thousand voices singing the choral version of Jose Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios” accompanied by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the UST Symphony Orchestra.  The festival also features visual arts exhibits, activities for children and families, film screenings and arts and crafts fair.

Violinist Tianwa Yang is better than Vanessa Mae. Photo provided by the CCP.

In cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the International Theater Institute (ITI)-Philippines, a festival of monologues and one person shows entitled MONODRAMA MANILA will be held from February 8-18 at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) and Tanghalang Huseng Batute (Experimental Theater).

Volkswagen Foundation prize “Star of Tomorrow” and Prix Montblanc 2006 awardee, Chinese violinist TIANWA YANG performs with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra on February 11 with Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77. The concert also includes  Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony and  George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.  Maestro Olivier Ochanine conducts.

On February 12-13, the world acclaimed PHILIPPINE MADRIGAL SINGERS returns to the CCP stage with classical and contemporary repertoire at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater).

A DOUBLE A: DUO PIANO CONCERT featuring Berlin-based concert pianist and recording artist Abelardo Galang II and award-winning pianist and New York banking professional Jose Artemio Panganiban III return to the CCP stage on February 16 in a concert of works for two pianos by Brahms, Poulenc and Rachmaninoff at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater).

DON QUIXOTE, Miguel de Cervantes’s tale of love, valor and unflinching idealism will be interpreted in ballet by Ballet Philippines and guest dancer Connor Walsh of the Houston Ballet, to be performed on February 17-20 at the CCP Main Theater.