Nilo Alcala

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 the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale, and also to receive the Aaron Copland House Residency Award.

Nilo Alcala
Background information
Birth nameNilo Belarmino Alcala II
OriginLucena City, Philippines
Genresclassical
Occupation(s)composer, arranger, singer, conductor
Instrumentsvoice, piano
Associated actsLos Angeles Master Chorale
Philippine Madrigal Singers
San Bernardino Symphony
World Youth Choir
South Dakota Symphony Orchestra
Websitehttp://niloalcala.com/

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.

Alcala is the first ever Filipino to be commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His work Mangá Pakalagián[4] was premiered at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on November 15, 2016.

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.[5]

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-aara[6] (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[7] 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.

Alcala's teachers include Prof. Josefino Chino Toledo, Dr. Jonas Baes, Dr. Christine Muyco, Dr. Ramon P. Santos, Dr. Nicolas Scherzinger, Dr. Gregory Mertl, Dr. Daniel S. Godfrey. He also had master classes with Judith Weir.

Accomplishments

Awards/nominations
  • 12th Ani ng Dangal Award (2020) given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Office of the President of the Philippines, February 26, 2020
  • 2019 The American Prize in Composition (Professional Division, Major Choral Works Category)
  • 2017–2018 IGNITE: The C4 Commissioning Competition
  • 2016–2017 Copland House Residency Award
  • 2009 POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award (Seattle, USA)
  • 2007 Gawad Tsanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral (Outstanding Student Award), University of the Philippines
  • 2006 Prix pour une ouvre de creation, Finalist, Florilege Vocal de Tours, France
  • 2004 Asian Composers League Young Composer Award, 2nd Prize (Jerusalem, Israel)[8]
  • 1st Ani ng Dangal (2009) Award – given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Office of the President of the Philippines.
  • Best Sound Design/Music Score for "Flower Trail" – INDEO Awards
  • Irene Crocker Music Award – Syracuse University
  • Awiting Bayan para sa Korong Pilipino (Choral Writing Competition) – "Kaisa-isa Niyan" (2006) winner in the Mga Awiting Bayan Para sa Korong Pilipino Choral Writing Competition and chosen for publication by the National Committee on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA)– Cultural Center of the Philippines, 2007.
  • 24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Movie Theme Song
  • 24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best FIlm Score, nominee
  • Star Awards, Original Theme Song of the Year, nominee
  • Golden Screen Awards, Movie Theme Song of the Year, nominee
  • 20th Awit Awards, Best Vocal Arrangement (Acclamation), nominee

Fellowships/grants

Commissions

Composer/arranger residencies

Performances
  • Metro Manila Community Orchestra (now Metro Manila Concert Orchestra)- his works "Diary of a Synaesthete[9]" and "Speak to me my love/You are the evening cloud[10]" were chosen for premiere during the Music UnderKonstruction concerts at Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
  • Biola University Chorale
  • Syracuse University Singers
  • Taipei Philharmonic Youth Choir
  • University of the Philippines Los Banos Choral Ensemble
  • various choirs from the Philippines, in Asia and the USA

Readings
  • Cassat String Quartet
  • daCapo Chamber Ensemble

Honor societies

Selected works

Choral
  • Pater Noster (treble choir) 2003
  • Dayo Dayo Kupita (mixed choir) 2005
  • Song of Dawn (mixed choir) 2006
  • Kaisa-isa Niyan (mixed choir) 2006
  • La Noche De Mil Noches (mixed choir) 2007
  • Silly Syllables (children's choir, 2 violins, piano) 2008
  • Bagbagto (mixed choir, also in treble and male choir version, with optional wood percussion) 2009
  • Papanok A Lakitan (mixed choir, optional wood percussion) 2009
  • Song of the Night (mixed choir) 2009

Vocal
  • Then Finish The Last Song (soprano, piano) 2008
  • Tell Me If All This Be True (soprano, piano) 2009
  • A Day Like This (tenor, piano) 2009
  • The Sick Rose (soprano, piano) 2009
  • A Burning (tenor, mezzo-soprano, piano) 2009
  • Tell Me If All This Be True (soprano, piano) 2009

Orchestral
  • Diary of a Synaesthete (orchestra) 2005
  • Speak To Me My Love/You Are The Evening Cloud (soprano, tenor, orchestra) 2007

Chamber/solo instrumental
  • Freudian Id (string quartet) 2003
  • chuck d’ cheeky chat (instrumental chamber ensemble) 2004
  • Dancing Delusions (instrumental chamber ensemble) 2005
  • Stream of Consciousness (instrumental chamber ensemble) 2008
  • The Tyranny of Distractions (cello) 2009

Musical theater
  • Miracles of Jesus (children's choir, soloists, rock band) 2007

Film/animation
  • Motion picture soundtrack for "Homecoming" (directed by Gil Portes) 2003
  • Animation soundtrack for "Flower Trail" 2004

Discography

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. "2015 | 2016 Performances | Made in L.A. | Sunday, November 15, 2015 at 7 pm | Los Angeles Master Chorale | Walt Disney Concert Hall". www.lamc.org. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  5. "A Cappella News: Madrigal Singers win European Grand Prix for the second time". acappellanews.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  6. "aproct07 UPdate". upd.edu.ph. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  7. "Billy Joel replies to my invite!". nilo alcala – composer. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  8. "Playing a silver tune | Starweek Magazine, Other STAR Sections, The Philippine Star | philstar.com". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  9. "MMCO, CCP, NCCA team up for new orchestra works". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  10. "New music, Flamenco". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
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