Musical artists from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) were among those recognized at the "1st Sudi Awards" of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The award recognizes "outstanding contributions of Filipino musical works, creators, institutions, and researchers across genres and modes of productions with the highest standard and artistic excellence" be known as such.
UPD College of Music (CMu) professor Josefino “Chino” Toledo, and performing groups UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA) and UP Madrigal Singers (MADZ), received the special recognition.
Toledo is the current director of the UP Symphonic Orchestra and executive director of the Miriam College Center for Applied Music.
He is noted for premiering works of Filipino composers as well as other Asian composers and has conducted concerts in Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and China.
Toledo is cited in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (UK); 20th Century Composers of Asia (Japan); Komponisten der Gegenwart (Germany); Philippine Encyclopedia for the Arts; Who’s Who in International Music (England); and Who’s Who in Australasia and Far East (England).
UPSA, meanwhile, is one of the country's foremost choral groups founded on Aug. 12, 1980 by CMu conductor Ed Manguiat.
It has earned for the country several grand prizes, first prizes, and other awards in at least 20 international competitions.
UPSA has won the Grand Prize in the Concorso Polifonico Internazionale Guido d’Arezzo (International Polyphonic Competition) in Italy twice (2001 and 2018), and is the first Asian choir to win. It is also one of only five Filipino choirs to attain eligibility to contend in the European Grand Prix, the Olympics of choral singing, in 2002 and 2019.
It has also held outreach programs and fundraising activities for the sick, orphaned, and needy.
Founded by National Artist for Music and former CMu professor Andrea O. Veneracion, MADZ is one of the world’s most awarded choral groups, having consistently won all the top prizes in most of the world’s prestigious choral competitions.
They hold the distinction of being the first choir in the world to win the highly-acclaimed European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (1997 and 2007).
The group is presently conducted by professor Mark Anthony Carpio of the CMu Choral Conducting Department.
Other Sudi recipients who trace their roots to UP are Raul Sunico, PhD, Grace Nono, Noel Cabangon, Ebe Dancel, Gary Granada, and Michelle Pascual, Joshua Fernandez Cadelinia and Ronnel Laderas of the performing group Acapellago.
NCCA National Committee on Music incumbent head Felipe M. De Leon Jr. proposed the word “sudi,” an Ilocano term meaning illustrious, renowned, celebrated or famous.
NCCA bestowed the awards to 10 winners for the decade 2000 to 2009 and another 10 winners for the decade 2010 to 2020.
Aside from the 20 awardees, special citations were also conferred to seven organizations and an individual.
In the succeeding years, recognition for excellent and significant musical contributions will be conducted annually.