MANILA -- Students from Miriam College recently won awards in two separate international competitions.
Miriam High School Glee Club bagged gold and silver medals at the 10th World Choir Games in South Africa.
The competition, held in Tschwane, South Africa from July 4 to 8, is considered as the Olympics of choir.
The 45-member group, led by conductor Nancy Roman and accompanied by moderator Sunshine Bio, won gold in the youth choirs of equal voices category and silver in the folklore acapella category. They competed against a total of 24 choirs under the champions category.
The MCHS Glee Club is the lone contender from the Philippines. They have been part of the World Choir Games four times -- in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018.
According to Roman, the MCHS Glee Club has been preparing for the competition since April.
They also had to choose more difficult pieces for the World Choir Games.
"The standards in international competitions are not any different from our standards here in the Philippines. If any, we had to prepare more difficult pieces which we can sing well. We also had to choose pieces that will show contrast in the styles of the songs that we chose," Roman told ABS-CBN News.
Roman also said the students' natural charm became their edge in winning the competition.
"One particular difference I saw was in the folklore acapella category. The different nations showcased their folk songs. I think one of the Philippines’ edge is the natural charm of the students – they look professional because they always smile at their audience and they looked very confident," she said.
"Matatapang at hindi takot kumanta sa harap ng international audience pero charming!" Roman added.
Meanwhile, nine teams from Miriam College also qualified for the prestigious World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions in Yale University this year after competing in different events in the World Scholar’s Cup Kuala Lumpur Global Round 2018.
The teams are composed of students from Miriam College Middle School (MCMS), High School (MCHS), and Nuvali (MC Nuvali).
Combined, the students won a total of 84 silver medals, 119 gold medals, and 16 trophies. They competed in the Scholar’s Challenge, Collaborative Writing, Team Debate, and Scholar’s Bowl events.
Team 208, composed of middle school students Steffi De Chavez, Zoie Irasusta, and Maia Punzalan, ranked first place overall in the Skittles Division.
Punzalan was awarded School Top Scholar, Top Scholar of the Southeast Asian region, and Top 1 Overall Champion Scholar in the said division, while Irasusta was awarded the Isaac Asimov Commemorative Trophy for achieving the highest total score of all six Scholar’s Challenge subjects of Literature, Social Studies, History, Art, Music, and Special Area.
Team 736 students Niesha Camacho, Monnica Carbonilla, and Alyssa Salazar, likewise, won fourth place in the Scholar’s Bowl in the Junior Jerries Division, while Audrey Jamito was named School Top Scholar.
The middle school delegation, composed of seven teams, bagged a total of 46 silver medals, 96 gold medals and 13 trophies.
Six of these teams also qualified for the Tournament of Champions in Yale.
The teams from high school, on the other hand, brought home a total of 33 silver medals, 21 gold medals, and 3 trophies.
The team composed of Lian Leonen-De Vela, Carmen Dolina, and Isabela Santos was awarded the Top 1 Overall in Debate in the Senior Division (15 years and older).
Three high school teams also qualified in the Tournament of Champions in Yale.
For the first time, students from Miriam College Nuvali joined the World's Scholars Cup.
Audrey Diaz won two gold medals for being School Top Scholar and is one of the Writing Champions, while Ysabelle De La Paz won silver medals in Writing and Collaborative Writing.
They are the first MC Nuvali students to participate in an international academic competition.
This is also the first time all three units of Miriam College were represented in one international academic competition.
The World Scholar's Cup Kuala Lumpur Global Round was held from June 18 to 23.