From the Facebook group of Prime Note Ensemble
“The Prime Note Ensemble captured not only the audience but also the judge’s hearts, that is why they were awarded the Judges Award for Exemplifying the CICF Spirit,” said Pat Harris, the executive director of the California International Choral Festival and Competition (CICF).
It was noted by those who attended the choral competition, which was held from June 24 to June 26 at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo, that many audience members were captivated by the overseas Filipino ensemble’s arrangement and moving rendition of the song, “The Circle of Life” from the movie The Lion King.
Operated by the San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble, a local nonprofit organization, the CICF competition is a world class event that began in 2007, and includes many choral groups from as far as Indonesia, Uganda, Republic of Congo, parts of Europe and the Philippines.
The gathering, which is held every other year, has been dubbed by Harris as a type of “choral Olympics,” and this year’s installment included a free concert by all choir competitors as part of the festivities at the Farmers Market along Garden Street in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Harris told FilAm Star that this year was unlike any of the previous competitions, where participants traditionally would stand around and sing in robes while swaying.
“The three-day event included livelier and intense performances in different categories that included Folk Song Competition, Required Pieces Competition and Choir’s Choice Competition,” said Harris.
She added: “Since this is an international choral competition, we were faced with many challenges about terrorist issues, visa issues and issues about participants coming over and not going back to their country.”
Harris noted that two choral group competitors, Lembaga Karsa Cipta Indonesia and Bangelus Choir, were not able to compete because of visa problems.
“We were thankful for the Filipino group, the Prime Note Ensemble to be able to participate on our short two week’s notice to them because of two cancellations,” Harris said. “They did not hesitate to join our competition.”
The Prime Note Ensemble, an all-male choir group composed of Overseas Foreign Workers (OFW) from the Philippines who were originally based in Saudi Arabia, recently participated in another choral group competition in Reno, Nevada.
Dubbed as the only Filipino a cappella choir group from Saudi Arabia that has won awards in international competition, the story of the Prime Note Ensemble is one of taking significant risk by forming a singing group in a strict Islamic country like Saudi Arabia, which prohibits congregation or gathering of any form.
Despite their risky situations in the Middle East kingdom, the group managed to overcome arrest or punishment by doing their rehearsals discreetly at their rented soundproofed apartment near a mosque.
Founded by Medard Obida in 2001, the group with no musical experience but an unrelenting passion to sing managed to rehearse and perform under the guidance of Novern Cabios, who as a professional and experienced choirmaster and music arranger was able to capture the talent of each member of the group.
Competing in events held in places like China in 2006 and in Austria in 2008, the Prime Note Ensemble won bronze and silver medals in the music chamber choir category.
Because of their number (22) as a choral group, Prime Note Ensemble were unable to compete in the same category versus choirs, such as the University of Redlands Chapel Singers, which won the second place award, or the Riverside City College Chamber Singers, which won the first place competition award.
“But because they inspire us with their music, talent and performance, and they embody the spirit of what the CICF competition award stands for, we award them the Judges award to them because they made an impact in this 2011 competition,” Harris said.
The competition and the festival according to Harris is an opportunity for “international bridge building.”