DLSU Chorale wins Grand Prix at Busan Chorale Festival and Competition

The De La Salle University Chorale was hailed the 2023 Grand Prix Champion at the Busan Chorale Festival and Competition held in South Korea last 21 October.

The group took home the 20,000,000 cash prize (almost P1,000,000). They also bagged the Ethnic and Classical Mixed & Equal categories. Choirmaster Jose Emmanuel "Joel" Aquino won Best Conductor.

"As our Busan trip comes to an end, we would like to thank our family and friends, the DLSU Culture & Arts Office, the DLSU Admin for the guidance and support for our group throughout the competition, to everyone who helped make this tour possible. And most of all, we give thanks to our Creator who brought us all together in this wonderful art. We hope to see you again!

"Congratulations to our fellow Filipino choristers who joined us in bringing pride to our country. Mabuhay po kayo and we wish for your success!" DLSU Chorale wrote on Facebook.

Another group from the Philippines, DYCI Dagalak, took home the second prize for the Classical Mixed and Equal category and first prize for the Pop and Acapella as another Filipino contingent  City of Voice Chamber singers was named third place in the Pop and Acapella and Youth categories.

Best Presentation Award went to South Korea's Saha-gu Children's Choir and Busan Mayer's Award also to South Korea's Haeundae-gu Juvenile Chorus group.

In 2022, Sing Philippines Youth Choir won Silver on the Classical Mixed and Equal category while Villanueva Chorale emerged with the gold in the Pop & Acapella category.

This year's edition saw five countries participating, composed of 54 teams and a total of 2,450 attendees.

The Busan Choral Festival and Competition was first held from 11 to 12 November 2005 with 11 countries on the list, participated by 29 teams and 1,200 people.