The Philippine Madrigal Singers

Mark Anthony Carpio is recognized as one of the most respected figures in choral music today. He is a faculty member of the Conducting and Choral Ensemble Department of the University of the Philippines College of Music, where he earned his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting and his Bachelor’s degree in Piano.

Mark Anthony Carpio became the second Choirmaster of acclaimed Philippine Madrigal Singers in 2001, when he was selected to succeed its founder, National Artist of the Philippines, Andrea O. Veneracion.  Mark has taken the already much-awarded choir to even greater heights, when he led them to win first prizes in the Habanera and Polyphony categories in the Certámen Internacional de Habaneras y Polifonia (Torrevieja, Spain, 2004), the Grand Prix in the 35th Florilege Vocal de Tours, France (2006), the Grand Prize in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Arrezo, Italy, 2007), and the Grand Prix in the 64th Concorso Polifonico Guido d’Arezzo (Arezzo, Italy, 2016).

Mark, a countertenor, is also a much sought-after choral clinician and conductor to the Consortium of Voices, a choral society consisting of the Kilyawan Boys Choir, Kilyawan Male Choir and the Voces Auroræ Girls Choir.

Recognized by the UNESCO as Artists for Peace for “putting their fame and influence to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace,” the Philippine Madrigal Singers is one of the most awarded choral groups in the world, having won all the top prizes in most of the world’s prestigious choral competitions, including the Grand Prix in the 2016 Concurso Internazionale di Guido d’ Arezzo, Arezzo, Italy. They hold the distinction of being the first choir in the world to win the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice (1997 and 2007) and the first Asian choir to be accorded the BrandLaureate Premiere Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (2012).

The group’s virtuosity across a vast repertoire range, its continuing promotion of Filipino choral works and the rousing and deeply emotional impact that each performance has on all audiences the world over, as they sing in the distinctive set-up of sitting in a semi-circle without a conductor, have established their reputation as a pioneering force in choral music and an inspirational role model for other choirs.

Founded in 1963, by National Artist for Music Professor Andrea O. Veneracion, the UP Madrigal Singers, now under designated successor Mark Anthony Carpio, demonstrate every day that choral music can be socially relevant and transformational. They have continued to touch hearts and souls of those who come to their performances and carried on various programs to nurture and develop future generations of conductors and choral singers all over the world.