BY ELLEN TORDESILLAS

THE Las Piñas Boys Choir won the gold medal in children's category at the 5th World Choir Games, in Graz, Austria last July 12.

It also won the silver medal in the Musica Sacra (sacred music) category.

The 20-member choir, based in St. Joseph Church in Las Piñas, where the world famous bamboo organ is found, bested 70 choirs including those from the United States, Greece, Estonia, United Kingdom, Russia and South Africa.

"This is a proud moment not only for the Las Piñas Boys Choir, not only for Las Piñas but for the Filipino people. Once again, we have shown the world that the Filipino talent is world class!" said Fr. Benjamin "Didoy" Molina, part of the management team.

The choir members are George Angeles II, Bernard Paolo Caro, Alvin Joshua Cayetano, Josiah de los Santos, Justin Claude Fernandez; Jadlae Aivan Fernandez, Joseph Vincent Gregorio, Carl Paolo Hernandez, Japheth Juanillo, Herman Manalang; Jhansseen Martinez, Dhonel Martinicio, Alwyn Dominique Panoso, Rupert Kim Pastrana, Ramon Paolo Quintero; Chazz Reyes, Karlo Reyes, Francis David Salonga, Joshua Gabriel Samiley, and Joe Sengson.

Accompanying the boys were Professor Armando Salarza, conductor; Alejandro Consolacion II, accompanist; staff and consultants January Hernandez, Norie Salarza, Leo and Donna Renier; and managers Msgr. Albert Venus and Fr. Molina.

Held every two years in different countries, the World Choir Games is the largest international choir competition. Past competitions have been held in Xiamen, China (2006), Bremen, Germany (2004), Busan, South Korea (2002) and Linz, Austria (2000).

In the LPBC blog, Fr. Molina described the emotion-filled announcement of the winners:

"All the members of the winning choir went up on stage and the national anthem was played while the national flag was hoisted. Various emotions were displayed by the winning choirs, with loud cheering, jumping and unabashed crying.

"When the Musica Sacra category was announced, the LPBC got a silver medal!" Molina related.

He said the excitement was raised to a high level in the announcement of the final category: Children's Choir.

He said they became more excited when the name of the Las Piñas Boys Choir was not called for the bronze and silver medals. "And then the momentous music that signals the world champion will be announced was played. The Las Piñas Boys Choir was announced as the world champion in the Children's Choir category."

He said the Las Piñas Boys Choir team rushed onstage, the Philippine National Anthem was played and the Philippine flag was raised.

Las Piñas Boys Choir was founded in 1969 by Rev. Fr. Leo Reinier, CICM, assistant parish priest in St. Joseph Parish.

Fr. Leo believed that the Bamboo Organ could achieve the fullness of its being as an instrument to praise God only, when there is a good choir that can put into words what the music conveys. With this in mind, he started recruiting boys between 8 and 12 years old with potentially good singing voices from parochial and public schools in Las Piñas.

Choir members are enrolled in St. Joseph's Academy where they enjoy scholarships earned through engagements and performances. They also perform regularly at the St. Joseph Parish Church.