By Kenneth Adrian S. Alabado

On its 11th year, Musica FEUROPA featured their first contest piece entitled “El Vasto Mar” which the six grand finalist of the event performed on May 26 at Far Eastern University (FEU) Auditorium.

An addition to the required European and Filipino songs for the grand finals, the featured contest piece was arranged by award-winning composer Saunder Choi and the words for the song was taken from the poem of Padre Paterno, a Filipino patriot, politician, novelist and poet during the Spanish Colonial era.

“We've included many innovations as we have gone to year one to year eleven, from the addition to the high school category to teen category, we also introduced other innovations and this year, we are pleased to announce that we are having our first competition piece ever. After eleven years of waiting and wanting it, we finally got it and we are very grateful,” FEU President’s Committee on Culture (PCC) Director Martin Lopez said.

Coro Jesu, a church choir of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, was hailed as the grand champion for the 11th Musica FEUROPA. Also awarded were Himig Roseña chorale of Colegio de Sta. Rosa Makati and Salinlahi Serenata Singers of Bulihan National High School recognized as first and second runner-ups respectively.

A total of 14 participants from all over the nation participated in the competition which were divided into two. Five chorales participated for the teen category (former high school category) and nine chorales for the open category.

The event is an annual choral competition and festival of FEU in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines, and FEU-PCC.