Baao Children and Youth Choir - Baao, Philippines
The Baao Children & Youth Choir (BCYC) is an experimental choral group formed in 2014 whose members are chosen from the two choirs namely: Baao Children’s Choir, National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) – Children’s Choir Category Champion (2010 & 2013) and Grand Prize winner in the 18th Certamen Juvenil de Habaneras in Torrevieja, Spain (2012) and from the Baao Youth Choir, NAMCYA National Champion (2008 & 2011). Hence, the combined name.
The members are pupils and students from two different schools, Baao National High School Special Program in the Arts and Rosary School Incorporated in the municipality of Baao, Camarines Sur. Most members are from poor families but are gifted with great singing voices. The members’ financial incapacity was a concern, but it did not hinder them from attending rigorous trainings and rehearsals. The journey was never easy. But with a solid support group, the BCYC managed to raise above all the challenges.
As part of the members’ holistic formation, the BCYC holds a choral camp every summer as part of their trainings and workshops. They are taught not only in terms of musicality but also on personality development, values formation and leadership skills.
The BCYC can boast of a wide array of repertoire spanning different musical genres and styles and exclusive performances of commissioned and original works of noted Filipino composers and arrangers. With their humble achievements, the group has been handpicked by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to render musical numbers in various national music and art activities and festivals such as PASINAYA Festival (2013), and UGNAYAN SA SINING: Sining ay Buhay! Buhay ang Sining! 2014 (Visayas Tour) 2015 (Luzon Tour), 2016 (Mindanao Tour) and 2019 PAMANA: Legacies of Luzon sponsored by Cultural Center of the Philippines Cultural Exchange Department.
They also participated in several international festivals and competitions namely: 1st International Children Culture & Arts Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2011), 9th Busan Choral Festival & Competition in 2013 in Busan, South Korea where they bagged Bronze Prize (Youth Choir), Bronze Prize (Ethnic Category), Audience Prize Award and Grand Prix Finalist, 15th Festival Mundial de Coros in Puebla, Mexico (2014) & Daegu International Choir Festival in Daegu, South Korea (2015) They won Gold Prize (Youth Choir), Silver Prize (Ethnic Category), Audience Prize Award and was a finalist in the Grand Prix Competition during the 11th Busan Choral Festival and Competition in 2015 in Busan, South Korea. They recently participated in the Llangollen International Musical Eistedfodd, the oldest music festival and the longest-running international choral competition in the world, and bagged 3rd prize in both Children Folk Song and Senior Children's Choir categories held in Wales, United Kingdom in July 2017. After their winning stint in the UK, in September 2017, they performed as one of the featured festival choirs in the 9th Halina’t Umawit: A Philippine Children’s Choir Festival at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater), Cultural Center of the Philippines. They had their international concert tours in Spain in 2012, the United States of America and Mexico in 2014 and the United Kingdom in July 2017.
With the national and international feats through the years, the BCYC has received numerous accolades and recognitions from the local and national award-giving bodies, among them is the prestigious “Ani ng Dangal” {Harvest of Honor} from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts under the Office of the President of the Philippines.
As Bicolanos and Marian devotees, the group gives back all the glory to the Lord and draws inspiration and guidance from the patroness of Bicolandia, Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, whose image they carry wherever they go.
Hermelino Badiola Briones was designated vocal coach and assistant conductor of the Baao Youth Choir from 2008-2013, which won First Prize in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 2008 and 2011; the Baao Children's Choir, First Prize winner in NAMCYA in 2010 and 2013 and also the Grand Prize winner in the 18th Certamen Juvenil de Habaneras in Torrevieja, Spain in 2012.
As assistant conductor of the combined Baao Children and Youth Choir, he has travelled with the choir to Malaysia (2011), Spain (2012) and South Korea (2013) and was instrumental in nurturing the vocal skills and musicality of the members, demanding only the best performance from them.
He assumed the title as choir conductor on the last quarter of 2013 and has conducted during the Ani ng Dangal Awarding Ceremony (February 2014); Pasinaya Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Museum (March 2014); Ugnayan sa Sining 2014 (Visayan Tour), 2015 (Luzon Tour) and 2016 (Mindanao tour) sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines Cultural Exchange Department.
Under his baton, the group had Concert Tours in the USA and performed at the 15th Festival Mundial de Coros in Puebla Mexico in 2014, Daegu International Choir Festival in Daegu South Korea in 2015 and the United Kingdom in July 2017. They competed in the 11th Busan International Choral Festival and Competition in Busan South Korea in 2015 and bagged 1st Place (youth category), 2nd place (ethnic category) and the audience prize award. Just recently, they won 3rd prize in Senior Children's Choir and Children Folk Song Categories in the 70th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Llangollen Wales in July 2017.
To date, he is concurrently the trainer and conductor of the Division of Camarines Sur Teachers Choir.