Dagupan children's choir is 2017 national champion

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1017202
• Tuesday, November 27, 2017 7:22 pm

By Leonardo Micua (PNA)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The people of Dagupan rejoiced when the Balon Dagupan Children’s Choir (BDCC) was declared champion in the 2017 National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Children’s Choir category held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines main theater on Sunday (November 26).

This was disclosed by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez when she welcomed members of BDCC on their arrival after the competition.

"You made the city and people proud because of your achievement," she told them.

BDCC bested other choral groups like the Davao Girls Choir and Miriam College Middle School Chorus of the National Capital Region (NCR) which were both declared second placers, while the Calasiao Children’s Choir, also of Pangasinan, was declared the third prize winner.

The competitions were held during the National Music Week and National Finals Weeks starting November 23.

Fernandez noted that this is the third year in a row that BDCC won national and even international acclaims after being formed in 2015.

The BDCC, with City Music Consultant Virginia Llamas Mendoza, was formed by Fernandez to advance and develop the talents of young children in the field of music especially in singing.

It is composed of students from different public and private schools in the city aged 8 to 13 years old.

BDCC was semifinalist in the first contest that the group joined in 2015 -- the Manila Broadcasting Company National Choral Competitions.

In 2016, it was declared champion in the 1st Malaysia International Children’s Choir Festival, their first international competition.

In that same competition, the BDCC also bagged two major awards -- the Most Promising Overseas Choir and another, the Mayor’s Award, for its rendition of the "O Sanctissima and Orde E", their two winning pieces.

For winning the championship in Malaysia last year, BDCC was honored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) in the 9th Aning Dangal last February 27 during the 2017 National Arts Month and by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry Incorporated during the 30th Awit Awards on November 19.

BDCC is composed of Aaron Van M. Meneses of West Central Elementary School; Adanna P. Villamil, Alleya Vanna M. Meneses, Alloida Yssa Bele P. De Guzman, and April Joy G. Oliveras of Saint John Cathedral School; Alexa R. Torres and Angel M. Gutlay of JJDVS Tech-Voc Secondary School; Althea Lei Jewei L. De Leon, Bianca Yvessa A. Sindayen, Celeste N. Goroza, Drixsey Maye De Venecia, Gensheal Ira P. Hortaleza, Sohee M. Cho and Tiffany B. Cabrera of Dagupan City National High School;

Andrei Von M. Hortaleza of Malued Elementary School; Angelica S. Bustillo and Juriel Gianna Verania of East Central Integrated School; Brent Paolo S. Sotto of Edna’s School; Chrystelle Jeyd Q. Mejia of LNU Creative Montessori Center; Jann Klein Ll. Mendoza of La Marea Academy; Janine Mae D. Munoz of Bolosan Elementary School; Joseph Raphael C. Lim and Mary Krystal Nicole O. Llamas of Saint Albert the Great School.