Nilo Alcala
Background information
Birth nameNilo Belarmino Alcala II
OriginLucena City, Philippines
Genresclassical
Occupation(s)composer, arranger, singer, conductor
Instrument(s)voice, piano
Websitehttp://niloalcala.com/

Nilo Alcala is a Filipino-American composer and 2019 The American Prize Winner in Composition. He is the first Philippine-born composer to be commissioned by Grammy winner Los Angeles Master Chorale, and also to receive the Aaron Copland House Residency Award.

Biography

Alcala has received a number of recognitions, including the 2009 POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award[1] given by the Seattle-based vocal ensemble, The Esoterics. He also received a Young Composer Award from the Asian Composers League,[2] in cooperation with the Israel Composers' League in 2004. He won Best Movie Theme Song[3] and was also nominated for Best Film Score at the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival for his music in the movie "Homecoming" by renowned Filipino director Gil Portes. For the same movie, Alcala also received nominations from the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press Society and the Star Awards for Movies of the Philippine Movie Press Club.[4]

Alcala is the first ever Filipino to be commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His work Mangá Pakalagián[5] was premiered at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on November 15, 2015.

As an arranger, his work in the Sony BMG released Album Acclamation of the renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers was nominated for Best Vocal Arrangement at the 20th Awit Awards organized by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry or PARI.

Alcala was member/soloist and resident composer/arranger of the two-time European Choral Grand Prix winner and UNESCO Artist for Peace Philippine Madrigal Singers. The group has premiered Alcala's compositions in prestigious international festivals and competitions, including the Florilege Vocal de Tours in France, and the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in Arezzo, Italy.[6]

His works "Diary of a Synaesthete[7]" and "Speak to me my love/You are the evening cloud[8]" were chosen for premiere by the Metro Manila Community Orchestra during the Music UnderKonstruction concerts at Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

His compositions and arrangements have been performed by various choirs around the world, including: The World Youth Choir,[9] Asia Pacific Youth Choir,[10] San Francisco Girls Chorus (San Francisco, CA), NOTUS (Indiana, IL), and Stellenbosch University choir (South Africa).[11]

He was member and resident composer of Philippine Madrigal Singers. Also, he has been honorary member of the, Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Student, Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda (music honor society).

Education

Alcala graduated BS Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (BSDC 1999) prior to his admission in 2001 to the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Music. Upon graduating Bachelor of Music in Composition Magna cum laude in 2007, Alcala received the Gawad Chanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral[12] (Chancellor's Outstanding Student Award), an award conferred by University of the Philippines to students with outstanding academic and non-academic achievements. Alcala became full scholar under the Billy Joel Fellowship[13] at Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts in upstate New York where he finished Masters in Music Composition and received the Irene Crooker Excellence in Music Award in 2009.

He has won fellowships and grants including: Billy Joel Fellowship (Syracuse University), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and Asian Cultural Council.

Accomplishments

Awards/nominations

Year Award Result
2021 Natatanging Lucenahin Performing Arts/Music Composition Won
2020 12th Ani ng Dangal Won
2019 The American Prize Won
2018-17 IGNITE: Commissioning Competition of C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective Won
2016-17 Copland House Residency Award Won
2009 POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award (Seattle, USA) Won
2007 Gawad Tsanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral (Outstanding Student Award), University of the Philippines Won
2006 Prix Pour une ouvre de creation Nominated
2004 Asian Composers League Young Composer Award 2nd Prize
INDEO Awards Won
1st Ani ng Dangal (2009) Award Won
Irene Crocker Music Award – Syracuse University Won
Awit Awards Nominated
24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Movie Theme Song Won
24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Film Score Nominated
Star Awards, Original Theme Song of the Year Nominated
Golden Screen Awards, Movie Theme Song of the Year Nominated

Selected works

Choral

Sr.

No

Work Instrumentation Year
1 Pater Noster (treble choir) 2003
2 Dayo Dayo Kupita (mixed choir) 2006
3 Kaisa-isa Niyan (mixed choir) 2006
4 La Noche De Mil Noches (mixed choir) 2007
5 Silly Syllables (children's choir, 2 violins, piano) 2008
6 Bagbagto (mixed choir, also in treble and male choir version, with optional wood percussion) 2009
7 Papanok A Lakitan (mixed choir, optional wood percussion) 2009
8 Song of the Night (mixed choir) 2009

Vocal

Sr.

No

Work Instrumentation Year
1 Then Finish The Last Song (soprano, piano) 2008
2 Tell Me If All This Be True (soprano, piano) 2009
3 A Day Like This (tenor, piano) 2009
4 A Burning (tenor, mezzo-soprano, piano) 2009
5 Tell Me If All This Be True (soprano, piano) 2009

Orchestral

Sr.

No

Work Instrumentation Year
1 Diary of a Synaesthete (orchestra) 2005
2 Speak To Me My Love/You Are The Evening Cloud (soprano, tenor, orchestra) 2007

Chamber/solo instrumental

Sr.

No

Work Instrumentation Year
1 Freudian Id (string quartet) 2003
2 chuck d’ cheeky chat (instrumental chamber ensemble) 2004
3 Dancing Delusions (instrumental chamber ensemble) 2005
4 Stream of Consciousness (instrumental chamber ensemble) 2008
5 The Tyranny of Distractions (cello) 2009

Musical theater

Sr.

No

Work Year
1 Miracles of Jesus (children's choir, soloists, rock band) 2007

Film/animation

Sr.

No

Work Year
1 Train Station 2015
2 Bayang Magiliw Year[14] 2013
3 Motion picture soundtrack for "Homecoming" (directed by Gil Portes) 2003
4 Animation soundtrack for "Flower Trail" 2004 2004

Discography

Sr.

No

Title Artist Year
1 Onomatopoeia: The Choral Works of Nilo Alcala Philippine Madrigal Singers 2017

Commissions

Sr.

No.

Title Commissioning by

(performer/ Organization)

World Premiere (date) Place
1 Mangá Pakalagián[15] The Los Angeles Master Chorale November 2015 Walt Disney Concert Hall
2 The Magi’s Journey San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra December 2018 San Bernardino, California
3 Sayáo sa Ilaoán Manila Symphony Orchestra 2017 Manila, Philippines
4 Prisms and Windows Aleron 2017 Barcelona, Spain
5 Crossing the Bar[16] C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective 2017 Manhattan, New York
6 Song of the Night The Esoterics 2009 Seattle, Washington
7 Bagong Umaga National Music Competitions for Young Artists 2005 Cultural Center of the Philippines
8 Bagbagto Children's Museum and Library 2008 Manila, Philippines
9 Papanok A Lakitan Anglo-Chinese Junior College 2009 Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore
10 Silly Syllables Long Island Children's Choir 2008 Merkin Hall, New York City
11 Song of Dawn Bangkok Voices 2006 Xiamen, China

References

  1. "2009 Winners – The Esoterics". The Esoterics. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  2. Taiwan. "Awards". asiancomposersleague.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  3. "The Philippine Star | Entertainment | 234351 | philstar.com". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  4. ":: CCI :: Nilo Alcala: Every Step of the Journey ::". www.cciarts.org. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  5. "Composer". lamasterchorale.org. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  6. "A Cappella News: Madrigal Singers win European Grand Prix for the second time". acappellanews.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  7. "MMCO, CCP, NCCA team up for new orchestra works". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  8. "New music, Flamenco". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  9. "World Youth Choir 2019 | Concert Programme". theworldyouthchoir. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  10. "Archives - Asia Pacific Youth Choir 2011 in Macau". jcanet.or.jp. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  11. "Headline". www.sun.ac.za. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  12. "aproct07 UPdate". upd.edu.ph. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  13. "Billy Joel replies to my invite!". nilo alcala – composer. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  14. Portes, Gil (April 17, 2013), Bayang magiliw (Drama), Teamwork Productions, retrieved December 24, 2021
  15. Nepales, Ruben V. (October 23, 2015). "Grammy-nominated chorale to premiere UP alumnus'composition". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  16. "MusicalAmerica - Press Releases". www.musicalamerica.com. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
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