28 June 2012 – The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said today that world-class Filipino acapella chorale, the Philippine Madrigal Singers (also known as the Madz) will be performing in Malaysia as part of their Asian Goodwill Tour.

"The Philippine Madrigal Singers has exemplified musical excellence and virtuosity throughout the years. The Philippines takes pride in presenting one of the world's best to Malaysia," Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya said.

The Madz will be performing on July 1 and 2 at the Georgetown Festival (GTF) in Penang as one of its featured performers. The GTF is a month-long celebration of art, music, theatre, dance opera and film to commemorate George Town's inscription on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage listing on 7 July 2008. This year's GTF is running from June 15 to July 15.

Another stop is a two-night concert at the Trinity Methodist Church in Petaling Jaya on July 5 and 6, in support of the Philippine Community Fund. Those interested may visit www.ilassotickets.com for ticket information.

The Madz will also perform at the Philippine Embassy on a "by-invitation" only event on July 3. Expected to grace the event is 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.

Malaysia is the MADZ's second stop for their Asian Goodwill Concert Tour, which will also include concerts in Indonesia and Singapore.

The MADZ was organized in 1963 by National Artist Professor Andrea O. Veneracion. The group is composed 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, thus contributing to the growth of world choral literature.

The choir is one of the world's most awarded, having consistently won all the top prizes in most of the world's prestigious choral competitions: 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. They hold the distinction of being the first choir 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. Similarly, they were bestowed the Guidoneum Award by the Concorso Polifonico Guido d' Arrezo Foundation in September 2010.

The ensemble performs a wide repertoire of various styles and forms: renaissance music, classical music, Filipino and international folksongs, contemporary and avant-garde music, opera and even popular music. Their specialization and focus on the madrigal idiom has inspired their unique set-up of singing while seated in a semi-circle, without a conductor. END