Coro San Benildo, a Filipino choir group, won three prizes in the recently concluded 46th Florilège Vocal de Tours, the highly-anticipated, sole annual choral competition in France, which sees regular participation of large and small musical ensembles from all over the world.
Coro, the resident choral group of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), shared third place with Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers from Los Angeles, California in the Renaissance Category, and ranked Third Place in the International Mixed Vocal Ensemble. No First Prizes were handed out in these events.
The Filipino team likewise received the Prix de Public, the People’s Choice Award, which is presented to the audience’s most-admired group.
Rome’s Coro Musicanova garnered the contest’s Grand Prix de la Ville de Tours Champion’s honor, earning the right to compete in next year’s European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, which is considered to be the Olympics for choirs.
In a statement, Coro revealed that as they represented the country, the entire educational and enlightening experience let them hone their skills and talents. They are proud to come home not only with two laurels from the tournament, but also the People’s Choice Award.
Led by its choirmaster Lorenzo C. Gealogo, Coro San Benildo has also won in entirely different tournaments, such the 70th Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod held in Wales, where they were hailed Champions in the Youth Choir competition, second in the Adult Folk category, and a finalist in the culminating Choir of the World Event.