To celebrate 50 years of discovering and nurturing the best young musicians in the Philippines, the National Music Competitions for Young Artists presents “Gintong Pamana: The 2023 NAMCYA Festivals and Competitions,” which will feature a myriad performances and other musical activities starting this March.
The NAMCYA was formally organized in 1973 under Presidential Proclamation 1173 and amended in November 1988. Through PP 1173, which designated the last week of November each year as National Music Week, the NAMCYA Competitions became the main highlight of the celebration. In 2001, Presidential Proclamation 80 affirmed NAMCYA’s mission.
Republic Act 11915 designates the NAMCYA as the Philippine National Youth Development Program for Music, serving as the conduit for the discovery of outstanding musical talents in the country; the development of musicians; the preservation, development, and promotion of Philippine music as an art form; and the undertaking of a continuing program of research, documentation, and publication of Philippine music for dissemination to schools and the general public.
Starting 1 March, NAMCYA is accepting entries for its various competition categories including Choir (Children’s and Senior), Guitar (Senior), Piano (Senior), Rondalla (Children’s Solo and Junior), Strings (Violins and Lower Strings: Viola, Cello, Contrabass), Traditional Music, Voice (Senior), Woodwinds (Open), and Composition, which is this year’s special category.
Deadline for submission is 30 June. Application forms may be accessed at the NAMCYA website.
Eliminations will happen starting in July through hybrid adjudication, followed by the semifinals in six regional center clusters, namely, South-Central Mindanao (General Santos City), Northern Mindanao, Central Visayas (Bogo City, Cebu), Northern Luzon (Alcala, Cagayan), Southern Luzon, and the National Capital Region.
The National Final Round will be on 21 to 26 November at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
The competition will be led by distinguished chairpersons, including Dr. Arwin Tan (Choir — Children’s and Senior), Nathan Manimtim (Guitar
— Senior), Dr. Michelle Nicolasora (Piano — Senior), Mariefrance Ballester (Rondalla — Children’s Solo Rondalla Instrument and Junior Rondalla), Diomedes Saraza Jr. (Strinvgs — Violins and Lower Strings: Viola, Cello, Contrabass), Dr. Felicidad Prudente (Traditional Music), Ma. Austregelina Alfornon aka Nenen Espina (Voice — Senior), Antonio Maigue (Woodwinds — Open), and Mary Katherine Trangco (Composition).
Aside from the main competition, the NAMCYA presents a series of concerts kicking off with “Bata Ang Bukas” (The Children, Our Future): Children’s Choirs in Focus” on 29 April, 4 p.m., at Ayala Museum. The concert will feature the UP Cherubims and Seraphims, Balon Dagupan Children’s Choir, and the Loboc Children’s Choir.
For more information and application requirements, visit the NAMCYA website.