Andrea Veneracion

Infobox musical artist

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Name = Andrea Veneracion
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Background = non_performing_personnel
Birth_name = Andrea Ofilada Veneracion
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Born = birth date and age|1928|07|11
Died =
Origin = Quezon City, Philippines
Instrument = voice
Genre = choral music, classical music, folk music, pop music
Occupation = conductor, composer, arranger, singer
Years_active = 1963-2001 (as choirmaster for the Philippine Madrigal Singers)
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Associated_acts = Philippine Madrigal Singers "(also known as "the Madz")"
URL = [http://www.philippinemadrigalsingers.com (official Madz site)]
Current_members =
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Notable_instruments =

Andrea Ofilada Veneracion (born July 11, 1928 in Manila) is a Filipino choral conductor who is a National Artist for Music in the Philippines. She is the founding conductor of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. She also sat as a juror in international choral competitions.

Biography

She was born in Manila on July 11, 1928. She earned her first two music degrees at the University of the Philippines Diliman and went to Indiana University to pursue her Master's Degree in Vocal Pedagogy, where she first encountered the art of madrigal-singing.

Upon her return to the Philippines, she established a singing group composed of faculty members and students. This group would later become officially known in 1963 as the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Early on, she established the traditions for which the Madrigals are known for: unlike most choirs, the Madrigals were seated (instead of standing) in a semi-circle formation, and instead of using hand signals, the conductor "conducts" using subtle facial gestures.

Under her direction, the Philippine Madrigal Singers won major awards in international choral competitions, including the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in 1997; the choir later went on to win the grand prize ten years later under the direction of her successor Mark Anthony Carpio, the first and, as of 2007, the only time that a choir won the European Grand Prix twice. [http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=85002] "Madrigal Singers win European Grand Prix for the second time". The Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 27, 2007.]

Some of her choristers later went on to establish careers as well-known choral composers, conductors and arrangers in the Philippines; among these include Ryan Cayabyab, Edgardo Nepomuceno, Eudenice Palaruan, Joel Navarro, Jonathan Velasco and Arnold Zamora.

She is also the founding choirmaster and first conductor of the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music (AILM) Chorale. [http://home.planet.nl/~centr017/html/march_2006.html Filipinas and Dutch discuss together the role of political participation in integration] Bayanihan March 2006]

For her contributions to the development of choral singing in the Philippines, Veneracion was named National Artist for Music in 1999, the highest cultural awards bestowed by the Philippine government for an individual. In addition, under her helm, the Philippine Madrigal Singers were named as the resident choral group of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

In 2001, she retired as the conductor of the Madrigals. She personally selected Mark Anthony Carpio, her then-assistant conductor, to be her successor.

In December, 2005, she suffered a stroke, rendering her unable to speak. The Madz performed a series of benefit concerts, the proceeds of which were donated to Veneracion's family. [ [http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/june/25/yehey/weekend/20060625week4.html The Sweet Sound of Victory] - The Manila Times, June 25, 2006.] [ [http://www.yehey.com/lifestyle/culture.aspx?artid=18366 For the Love of a Founder] - Yehey! Lifestye article]

Awards

:"For a list of awards won by the Philippine Madrigal Singers, see Philippine Madrigal Singers"
*1999 - National Artist of the Philippines for Music - currently the only awardee for choral music.
*2001 - Distinguished Alumni Service award - awarded by Indiana University.

References

External links

* [http://philippinemadrigalsingers.com/founder.html The Philippine Madrigal Singers] - Prof. Veneracion's profile from the Madrigal's official website.
* [http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about_cultarts/cultprofile/natarts/music/veneracion.php Andrea Veneracion] - profile from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
* [http://www.kathaumixw.org/main/bio/2002/madrigal.htm International Choral Kathaumixw] - profile
* [http://alumni.indiana.edu/clubs/international/newsletterv4n2.html Indiana University Alumni Club Newsletter] - profile of Prof. Veneracion

See also

*Michael Dadap
*Oscar Yatco