VARIOUS university choral groups trained with a renowned South Korean conductor in a choral clinic held on Jan. 26 at the Benavides Auditorium.
Choral clinician Jae-Joon Lee taught four choral groups in a choral master class part of the UST Singers’ “Choral Master Series 2024,” which it organized together with the Conservatory of Music.
“It’s an afternoon of learning and listening to choirs because [in] this master class, our guest clinician will work and critique to develop [them], and at the same time, make the choirs improve,” said Fidel Calalang Jr., founder and choirmaster of the UST Singers.
The Mapua Cardinal Singers, Letran Singing Ambassadors, Himig Roseña of Colegio de Sta. Rosa-Makati, and the CEU Singers Manila participated in the clinic.
They each performed one composition, which was later critiqued by the South Korean conductor.
The Mapua Cardinals Singers sang a rendition of “Magnificat,” the canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, while The Letran Singing Ambassadors performed “Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord” composed by Alejandro Consolacion II.
Himig Roseña performed “Come, Come Let’s Begin” by Thomas Weelkes while the CEU Singers Manila sang “Panis Angelicus” by César Franck and Sylvester Wager.
“[At their age], there is a lot of room for music-making and for improving the craft,” Calalang told the Varsitarian.
“This choral master series gives all these choirs new opportunities to be better, to develop their talent, and to expose their abilities so that they can be of function to their respective schools and their communities,” he added.
Lee is the artistic director of the United States-based International Youth Orchestra Study Group. He is also the music director and conductor of the Daegu Genius Youth Orchestra in South Korea, one of the most notable youth orchestras in the world.
Prior to the choral clinic, the South Korean conductor held an orchestral conducting master class featuring the UST Symphony Orchestra and student conductors from the Conservatory of Music. With reports from Sofiah Shelimae J. Aldovino
