A professor at the University of Santo Tomas bagged the third prize in the 2nd International Composers Competition organized by Academia Musica in Vienna, Austria.

Assistant Professor Fidel G. Calalang, Jr. was recognized for his composition titled “Adoramus Te Christe” in the 1st category of the competition. ​

Scored for six voices, Calalang’s composition is based on the lyrics of the centuries-old traditional church hymn ‘Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.’

“I wrote this composition last April of this year. In my heart, I was inspired and motivated to create a song that will provide and feed us a sense of hope and strength in the wake of our dark, uncertain, and troubled times,” Calalang said.

“The lyrics of the music communicates to us that even at our lowest, when feeling lost and challenged, we continue to trust, worship, and give honor and thanks Lord Jesus Christ who died for us and who is the only source of our life and our redemption,” he added.

Under his leadership, Calalang has brought the UST Singers to over thirty international concert tours around the world.

The group has bagged more than 80 top prizes in different international choral competitions, including the Choir of the World Champion, the 2019 Choir of the World Champion of Champions, and 2017 Grand Prize at the Ave Verum International Choral Competition in Austria, among others.

In 2002, Calalang was awarded the “Best Conductor Prize” at the Tonen International Choral Competition in Netherlands.

Similarly, he received the top award in the International Composition Competition in California for his 8-voiced work “Ama Namin” (Pater Noster) in 1999.