MANILA, Philippines?The Philippine Normal University Chorale (PNUC) bagged the grand championship in the 1st Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) International Choir Competition 2010 in Bandung, Indonesia.

Aside from being the grand champion, the PNU Chorale emerged as category winners in Mixed Voices-Historical, Mixed Voices-Free Program and Mixed Voices-Young Adult. It also placed third in the Folk Song category.

The PNUC members first competed on July 30. They sang ?La Guerre? and ?Ama Namin? for the historical category and ?Ove Lass Il Bel Viso,? ?Que Rico E? and ?Everybody Dance Now? for the free program.

On the following day, they sang two Filipino folk songs ? ?Day Baling? and ?Tarimbaba Punjungan? plus an Indonesian folk song, ?Gai Bintang.? In the young adult category, they sang ?Aba Po Santa Mariang Reyna,? ?Didn?t My Lord Deliver Daniel? and another Filipino folk song, ?Pok Pok Alimpako.?

Several members of the PNUC even had a ?Meet the Jury? session on August 1. They were able to talk to the judges and ask for comments on their performances.

PNUC member Melissa Regaya said the choir was ecstatic when they were judged winners in 3 categories.

?Our choir was ecstatic,? she . ?We prayed to say thanks and our conductor reminded us that if before whenever we sang in each category eh, it?s like we?re praying to God to help us and be with us. Now na we won, we will sing in the championship round, we are singing to praise God and give thanks for His help and blessings.?

They then sang thrice in the championship round.

The 1st ITB International Choir Competition, also called the Festival Paduan Suara Institut Teknologi Bandung (FPS ITB), is the biggest and most awaited national choral event in Indonesia. It has been held biennially since 1968 in the national level. It became an international choral tilt in 2010.

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