Nilo Alcala

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Nilo Alcala
Nilo Alcala.jpg
Background information
Birth nameNilo Belarmino Alcala II
Origin Lucena City, Philippines
Genresclassical
Occupation(s)composer, arranger, singer, conductor
Instrument(s)voice, piano
Website http://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.

Contents

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

YearAwardResult
2021Natatanging Lucenahin Performing Arts/Music CompositionWon
202012th Ani ng Dangal Won
2019 The American Prize Won
2018-17IGNITE: Commissioning Competition of C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor CollectiveWon
2016-17 Copland House Residency AwardWon
2009POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award (Seattle, USA)Won
2007Gawad Tsanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral (Outstanding Student Award), University of the PhilippinesWon
2006Prix Pour une ouvre de creationNominated
2004Asian Composers League Young Composer Award2nd Prize
INDEO AwardsWon
1st Ani ng Dangal (2009) AwardWon
Irene Crocker Music Award – Syracuse UniversityWon
Awit Awards Nominated
24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Movie Theme SongWon
24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Film ScoreNominated
Star Awards, Original Theme Song of the YearNominated
Golden Screen Awards, Movie Theme Song of the YearNominated

Selected works

Choral

Sr.

No

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

Vocal

Sr.

No

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

Orchestral

Sr.

No

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

Chamber/solo instrumental

Sr.

No

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

Musical theater

Sr.

No

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

Film/animation

Sr.

No

WorkYear
1Train Station2015
2Bayang Magiliw Year [14] 2013
3Motion picture soundtrack for "Homecoming" (directed by Gil Portes)2003
4Animation soundtrack for "Flower Trail" 20042004

Discography

Sr.

No

TitleArtistYear
1 Onomatopoeia: The Choral Works of Nilo Alcala Philippine Madrigal Singers 2017

Commissions

Sr.

No.

TitleCommissioning by

(performer/ Organization)

World Premiere (date)Place
1Mangá Pakalagián [15] The Los Angeles Master Chorale November 2015 Walt Disney Concert Hall
2The Magi’s JourneySan Bernardino Symphony OrchestraDecember 2018San Bernardino, California
3Sayáo sa IlaoánManila Symphony Orchestra2017Manila, Philippines
4Prisms and WindowsAleron2017Barcelona, Spain
5Crossing the Bar [16] C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective2017Manhattan, New York
6Song of the NightThe Esoterics2009Seattle, Washington
7Bagong Umaga National Music Competitions for Young Artists 2005Cultural Center of the Philippines
8BagbagtoChildren's Museum and Library2008Manila, Philippines
9Papanok A Lakitan Anglo-Chinese Junior College 2009 Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore
10Silly SyllablesLong Island Children's Choir2008 Merkin Hall, New York City
11Song of DawnBangkok Voices2006Xiamen, China

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