17 May 2006 – Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen F. Anota informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the University of Santo Tomas Singers, on their maiden visit to the garden city of Singapore, wowed the local audience with their vocal prowess and technique as well as their own brand of delightful entertainment.

Ambassador Anota said the 38-member choir, led by Professor Fidel Gener Calalang.Jr. was in Singapore at the invitation of The Young Musicians' Society for a one-night performance at the 1,600-seat Concert Hall of the Esplanade last Sunday, 14 May 2006. The very appreciative and young crowd of Singaporean students and members of the Filipino community were profuse in their appreciation of the choir's varied repertoire that included a Filipiniana suite as well as a showcase of Broadway favorites.

The audience thus rewarded the choir with several standing ovations with requests for encores, which were readily acceded to by the choir.   Among the appreciative audience were Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen F. Anota, and other officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy.

The UST Singers has garnered more than 40 top prizes in Italy, France, Spain. Germany, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. These include their triumph at the 49th Liangollen International Musical Eisteddfod with four first prizes and the Choir of the World Grand Prize, which made them the first and only Asian choir to attain such prestigious honor.

In April 2004, the choir won the Excellence Avec Distinction and the Ville De Vevey Jury Prize for Best Programming and Interpretation at the Montreux International Choral Festival in Switzerland.  For the second time, the UST Singers were awarded the Best Choir at the World Choral Festival 2004 in Puebla. among the choirs from Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Mexico, Serbia and Montenegro, Portugal and Poland.

While in Singapore, the UST singers also took the opportunity to meet with the Filipino community by way of rendering excerpts from their show during the monthly Filipino community leaders' meeting held at the Embassy on Saturday. 13 May 2006.

The Filipino community organizations also lent its support to the group.  Among the generous supporters were the Filipino Overseas Workers in Singapore (FOWS) led by its President Mrs. Encarnacion Montales, the Filipino Association in Singapore (FAS) through its President Mr. Ronnie Albeus, the I-Remit Group led by Manager Mrs. Carol Manaloto, the SSS through its Singapore representative Ms. Josefina Maduro, and the UST Alumni in Singapore led by Mr. and Mrs. John and Angelica Funelas.

The Singapore Go East concert of the choir is the first stop in their Asian tour, which will take them from Singapore to Taiwan and many other Asian capitals. END