# Imusicapella

Imusicapella is an internationally-acclaimed church choir based at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Pillar in Imus City, Province of Cavite, Philippines. The choir regularly sings at the Imus Cathedral and St. Peregrine Chapel.
Formed in 2002, Imusicapella has already embarked in eleven (11) international concert tours in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, France, Spain, Bulgaria, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the US states of California, Nevada, Illinois, Iowa, Virginia, Washington DC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
They were the recipient of the “General Licerio Topacio Special Award” during the 2006 Parangal ng Bayan ng Imus for being an outstanding group of the city. They were a 6-time recipient of the Ani ng Dangal Award (Harvest of Honors) in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Imusicapella has recorded eight CDs: You are the Light (2003), Joy to the World (2003), One More Gift (2005), Cantate Domino (2011), "I'll Make Music" (2015), Imagine (2018), and Go the Distance (2019), Under the Heavens (2024)

## Conductor

Tristan Caliston Ignacio is the founder and conductor of Imusicapella. Under his leadership, the group emerged as the most awarded church choir in Asia. He is the winner of:
- Andrea Georgi]Prize, the best conductor prize in Gorizia, Italy (2018) - Giuseppe Radole [it] Prize, a conductor’s prize for the best interpretation of a sacred polyphonic piece in Gorizia, Italy (2018) - Special Prize for an Excellent Conducting Performance in Debrecen, Hungary (2018) - Günther-Mittergradnegger [de] Prize, the best conductor prize for the best interpretation of a contemporary choral work in Spittal, Austria (2015) - Best Conductor Prize for his Outstanding Artistic Achievement in Lindenholzhausen, Germany (2011) - Pro Musica Viva Maria Strecker-Daelen Prize, the best conductor prize for the best interpretation of a contemporary choral work in Marktoberdorf, Germany (2007)
Graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Tourism at the University of Santo Tomas, he was a member of the UST Singers. He was a recipient of the Gawad Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo, the highest honors given by the Province of Cavite for his outstanding achievements in the field of music as well as the Col. Jose S. Tagle Award, a young achiever’s award given to Imuseños who achieved something extra-ordinary. He was also given the 2012 and 2019 Ani ng Dangal Awards by the NCCA.
Presently, he is also the conductor of The Sisters of Mary School Boystown Choir, the Department of Energy Chorale and the Government Service Insurance System Chorale.
He has travelled around the country as a jury of several local and national choral competitions. Internationally, he travelled to Gorizia, Italy to sit as a jury both to the Seghizzi International Choral Competition and the Seghizzi International Chamber Singing Competition for Solo Voice with Piano. He was also in Indonesia as one of the juries of the Dumai National Choral Competition in 2018 and 2019.
Doubling as the group’s tour manager since 2012, he has arranged and organized eight highly successful international travels of the choir in Europe and Asia.

## Awards
### International choral competitions

| Year | City and Country | Competition | Awards |
| 2022 | :kr: Busan, Korea | 2022 Busan Choral Festival and Competition | 3rd Prize - Classical Category |
| 2019 | Arezzo, Italy | 31st European Grand Prix for Choral Singing | Finalist |
| 2019 | Baden, Austria | 4th International Choral Competition "Ave Verum" | Grand Prix Ave Verum 2nd Prize - Mixed Choir Category |
| 2019 | Marktoberdorf, Germany | 16th Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition | 2nd Prize – Mixed Chamber Choir Category |
| 2018 | Gorizia, Italy | 57th Concorso Internazionale di canto Corale C.A. Seghizzi | Grand Prix Seghizzi 1st Prize, Finals, Polyphonic Category (Contemporary) 1st Prize, Semifinals, Polyphonic Category (Contemporary) 1st Prize, Finals, Pop and Jazz Category 1st Prize, Semifinals, Pop and Jazz Category 1st Prize, Unificate 1 Public Prize Prize for Best Choreography Andrea Georgi Prize, the Best Conductor Prize for Tristan Caliston Ignacio Giuseppe Radole Prize – for the best performance of a religious polyphonic composition Premio Voci Miste – for the mixed voiced choir with the highest absolute mark Premio Speciale Gruppi Cameristici – for the chamber choir(9-20 members) which obtained the highest absolute mark |
| 2018 | Debrecen, Hungary | 28th Béla Bartók International Choir Competition | 1st Prize, Chamber Choir Category Special Prize for an Excellent Conducting Performance for Tristan Caliston Ignacio Special Prize for an Excellent Introductory Video Spot |
| 2018 | Tours, France | 47th Florilège Vocal de Tours | Grand Prix de la Ville de Tours 1st Prize, Vocal Ensemble Category Prix du Public Prize for the Best Staging |
| 2018 | Varna, Bulgaria | 39th International May Choir Competition "Prof. Georgi Dimitrov" | Grand Prix Varna 1st Prize, Chamber Choir Category Best Interpretation of a Bulgarian piece by a foreign choir |
| 2017 | Takarazuka, Japan | 33rd Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Contest | Overall 1st Prize – Grand Prix Overall 2nd Prize Audience Prize |
| 2015 | Arezzo, Italy | 63rd International Polyphonic Competition "Guido of Arezzo" | 1st Prize, Mixed Choir Category 1st Prize, Folk Music Category 2nd Prize, Vocal Group Category (w/ no declared 1st Prize winner) |
| 2015 | Torrevieja, Spain | 61st International Habaneras and Polyphony Contest | 2nd Prize, Polyphony Category |
| 2015 | Spittal, Austria | 52nd International Choral Competition Schloss Porcia Spittal an der Drau | 1st Prize, Art Song - Mixed Choir Category 2nd Prize, Folk Music Category Günther-Mittergradnegger Preis for Tristan Ignacio for the best interpretation of a contemporary choral work |
| 2013 | Yeosu, South Korea | Yeosu International Choir Competition | 3rd Prize, Mixed Choir Category 3rd Prize, Sacred Music Category 3rd Prize, Folk Music Category |
| 2012 | Busan, South Korea | 8th Busan Choral Festival and Competition | Grand Prix |
| 2011 | Mainhausen, Germany | 9th International Choirdays Mainhausen | 1st Prize, Mixed Choir Category 3rd Prize, Pop, Jazz and Spiritual Category |
| 2011 | Lindenholzhausen, Germany | 6th Harmonie Festival | 1st Prize, Vocal Ensemble Category 2nd Prize, Mixed Chamber Choir Category Conductor's Prize for Tristan Caliston Ignacio for his Outstanding Artistic Achievement |
| 2011 | Tours, France | 40th Florilège Vocal de Tours | 1st Prize, Free Expression Category 3rd Prize, Mixed Vocal Ensemble Category |
| 2007 | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | 1st California International Choral Festival and Competition | 1st Prize, Required Music Category 1st Prize, Folk Music Category 2nd Prize, Choir's Choice Category Public Prize |
| 2007 | Marktoberdorf, Germany | 10th Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition | 4th Place, Mixed Chamber Choir Category Public Prize Pro Musica Viva Maria Strecker-Daelen Prize, the Best Conductor's Prize for Tristan Caliston Ignacio for the Best Interpretation of a Contemporary Choral Work |
| 2007 | Montreux, Switzerland | 43rd Montreux Choral Festival | 1st Prize / Jury Prize Prize for Best Programming & Interpretation Public Prize |
| 2005 | Sopot, Poland | 1st International Choirs Festival "Mundus Cantat" [pl] | Grand Prix 1st Prize, Gospel, Spiritual & Jazz Category 1st Prize, Folk Music Category 2nd Prize, Sacred Music Category |
| 2005 | Lindenholzhausen, Germany | 5th Harmonie Festival | 1st Prize, Vocal Ensemble Category |
| 2003 | Arezzo, Italy | 1st International Polyphonic Competition "Guido d'Arezzo” | 4th Place, Polyphony Category |
| 2003 | Neuchâtel, Switzerland | 10th Festival Choral International de Neuchâtel | Grand Prix Public Prize |
| 2003 | Wernigerode, Germany | 3rd Johannes Brahms International Choir Festival and Competition | 2nd Place, Gospel and Spiritual Category 3rd Place, Folk Music Category 5th Place, Mixed Chamber Choir Category |

### International choral festivals

| Year | City and Country | Festival |
| 2019 | Fano, Italy | 46th Incontro Internazionale Polifonico Citta di Fano |
| 2017 | Taipei, Taiwan | Hakka Yimin Choral Music Festival |
| 2011 | Villandry, France | 10th Festival Les Musicales en Confluence |
| 2007 | Nancy, France | 14th Festival International de Chant Choral Nancy Voix du Monde |
| 2003 | Alzenau, Germany | UNESCO International Choir Festival |
| 2003 | Burgos, Spain | 5th Jornades Internationales Musica Coral |
| 2003 | Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain | 22nd Semana Coral International de Alava |
| 2003 | Jihlava, Czech Republic | 46th Festival of International Choral Art |

### National choral competitions

| Year | Competition | Award |
| 2009 | Cultural Center of the Philippines National Choral Competition | 1st Prize, Mixed Choir Category 1st Prize, Folk Music Category 2nd Prize, Sacred Music Category (with no declared 1st Prize winner) |
| 2006 | Festival Supermall and Cablelink Choral Competition | Grand Prize |
| 2003 | Wedding Expo Philippines Choir Competition | Grand Prize |
| 2002 | Island Cove Choir Competition | Grand Prize |
| 2002 | 1st Magic 89.9 "Voices" Popcapella Competition | Grand Prize |