The
group’s initial foray into the international scene took place
in 1969 at the First Choruses of the World Festival held at the Lincoln
Center in New York City with a critically-acclaimed performance that
marked the beginning of a distinguished and illustrious musical legacy.
To date, the Madz has consistently won top prizes in the most prestigious
choral competitions held at Spittal, Austria; Arezzo and Gorizia in
Italy; Neuchatel, Switzerland; Debrecen, Hungary; Varna, Bulgaria;
Tolosa, Spain and Marktoberdorf, Germany. It was in June of 1997 when
the Madz sealed their stature as the World’s Best Choir when
they bagged the grand prize at the ultimate competition of global
choral champions. The Philippine Madrigal Singers won over five other
prizewinning European choirs at the Grand Prix European de Chant Choral
Competition in Tours, France. Recently, the Madz won top prizes in
the Certamenes Internacional Habaneras y Polifonia held in Torrevieja,
Spain in 2004.
As
Philippine ambassadors of culture and goodwill, the Madz have had
the pleasure and privilege of giving command performances for royalty
and heads of state. These include Pope Paul 6th, Presidents Gerald
Ford and Richard Nixon, King Juan Carlos de Bourbon and Prime Minister
Lee Kuan Yew.
