Los Cantantes de Manila
Los Cantantes de Manila is a community choir composed of students, young professionals and devout musicians. LCDM displays versatility of the Filipinos by performing serious music from the works of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy to the dance music of Beyoncé. Since its inception in February 2014, the choir learned new vocal techniques and were taught the virtues of dedication, respect, humility and loyalty.
Under the baton of the award-winning conductor, Mr. Darwin Vargas, LCDM won multiple competitions in the national choral scene in competitions like the MBC National Choral Competition, National Music Competitions for Young Artists, 3rd Las Pinas Choral Festival, and the Himig Handog Choral Competition in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
The group made a jumpstart in the international choral arena when they won the Grand Prize in the 2015 Busan International Choral Festival and Competition in Busan, South Korea, along with its Gold Prize in Classical/Mixed Choir Category and Silver Prize in Pop/A cappella category.
In 2017, LCDM joined the first Pop Choir Category of the International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf in Marktoberdorf, Germany and won the 1st Prize with an Achievement Level I (Excellent Performance at an International Level) rating. The group also reaped the following special prizes:
1. Sonderpreis der Walter und Charlotte Hamel Stiftung Prize (for a particularly outstanding, characteristic vocal presentation) 2. Oberdorfer Publikumspreis or Marktoberdorf Public Prize
+639771272410 | [email protected] | www.loscantantesdemanila.weebly.com #86 Santol St., Quezon City 1113
Recently, the group won two Gold Prizes at the Singapore International Choral Festival 2018 in the Musica Sacra and the Mixed Voices/Open categories.
LCDM was the featured choir in the 40th International Bamboo Organ Festival, performing Johannes Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor under Prof. Josef Doeller, former conductor of the world-renowned Vienna Boys’ Choir. It also received training about baroque music and Bach from Prof. Eudenice Palaruan, one of the most sought-after choral clinicians and music educators in the Philippines. In Germany, the group received pop and vocal training from Matthias Becker and Andrea Figalo, sought-after adjudicators, clinicians, and artists of the choral pop and vocal jazz scene.
Committed to its mission to be Filipino cultural ambassadors of goodwill, a two-time recipient of “Ani ng Dangal” award given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for its international accolades, Los Cantantes de Manila continuously harnesses its craft to promote goodwill and excellence through its God-given gift of ethereal music.
+639771272410 | [email protected] | www.loscantantesdemanila.weebly.com #86 Santol St., Quezon City 1113
Darwin B. Vargas Musical Director
His love for choral music started at an early age of 16 when he joined Victorino Mapa High School Youth Choir under the tutelage of Madz alumna, Ms. Aida Aldama-Gallardo. It was during those times when he became interested in the fine nuances of the art. Mr. Darwin Vargas, in his early college days, joined A Cappella Manila and was trained by the brothers Rodel and Noel Bugarin. He became the group's assistant choirmaster in 2004.
In 2005, he was invited to join the world-renowned University of the East Chorale under the baton of the award-winning conductor, Ms. Anna Tabita Abeleda-Piquero, ex-resident arranger and alumna of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. He became the group's president and tour manager until May of 2014. During his term, he brought UEC to 16 countries around the globe.
Exposure to European choirs and attending various workshops and masterclasses in Torrevieja, Spain, in Marktoberdorf, Germany and many more, under world-class pedagogues like Stojan Kuret, Volker Hempfling, Anders Eby and Prof. Kurt Suttner, developed his ear for refined choral sound.
Darwin was one of the organizers of several choral masterclasses in the Philippines featuring world- renowned conductors like Dr. Brady Allred, Vytautas Miskinis and Fred Sjöberg.
He conducted the Presidential Management Staff Chorale in Malacañang Palace in 2011-2013, BitMicro Choir in 2012, SMDC Chorale in 2013 and UCPB Makati Chorale in 2014.
In 2014, Darwin founded Los Cantantes de Manila, a community choir based in a small chapel in a slum in Manila. Under his baton, LCDM bagged 7 Grand Prizes already in several national and international competitions, including the Grand Prix in the 2015 Busan Choral Festival and the First Prize in the 15th Internationaler Kammerchor-Wettbewerb Marktoberdorf in June 2017.
In 2017, the Asian Development Bank Chorale and ALab Vocal Ensemble joined the roster of his choral groups.
Presently, Darwin Vargas conducts the world-renowned University of the East Chorale, enabling the choir to win the Grand Prix in the 11th Orientale Concentus 2017 in Singapore; and the award- winning Adamson University Chorale, Grand Prize winner of the 2018 MBC National Choir Competition.
+639771272410 | [email protected] | www.loscantantesdemanila.weebly.com #86 Santol St., Quezon City 1113