After holding a series of send-off concerts in Manila before they embark on their European tour, the internationally acclaimed University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC) is in their final stages of preparations to bring their musical mastery to five countries in Europe, starting in the Netherlands.
The UPCC is set to perform at the Diligentia Theater in The Hague on 6 June 2024, 5:30 pm, as part of the celebrations of the 125th Anniversary of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the 126th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence. Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands H.E. J. Eduardo Malaya is the Acting President of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for term 2023-2024.
The concert with the theme “A Celebration of Peace and Justice” is conducted in partnership with the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Diplomat Magazine.
“The choir is excited to perform in The Hague particularly since this will be their first stop in their first international tour after the pandemic. In one of their send-off concerts in Manila, which I was able to watch, I was astonished by their artistry and high-caliber singing. UPCC’s repertoire which top bills songs celebrating peace, justice and fellowship are very apt for the celebrations that they will be featured in. We can’t wait to see them perform,” said Ambassador Malaya.
The University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC) is composed of some 30 university students who are passionate about music and the arts. Under the esteemed guidance of Conductor and Artistic Director, Professor Janet Sabas-Aracama, the UPCC has flourished into an internationally-recognized chorale group, garnering accolades and awards across various prestigious platforms through the years.
Established in 1962, the UPCC holds the singular honor of being invited eleven times to the prestigious Aberdeen International Youth Festival in Scotland and four times for command performances for H.M. Queen Elizabeth II. It also holds the distinction of having been chosen as one of the world’s best choirs at the 4th Lincoln Center International Choral Festival in New York.
The UPCC won the Grand Prix, Cracovia Cantans Choral Competition (Poland, 2015), and First Prize Folk Song Category, 16th Festival Internacional de Musica de Cantonigros (Spain, 2012).
From The Hague, the UPCC will proceed to Amsterdam, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Brno, Prague, Cascine (Italy), Zurich and Gambach (Germany).
