Surrey’s Himig Kabataan choir wins gold in Vienna

Twenty-four members of Surrey’s Himig Kabataan Cultural Society choir earned a Golden Award in the College and Adult Category at the 15th World Peace Choral Festival in Vienna in late July. The four-day festival brought together 20 choirs.

Supporter Dulce Cuenca said the group was the first Filipino-Canadian choir to compete in the festival’s 15-year history. She said it also received an Award for Excellent Folk and National Music, calling the result a first for a Filipino, Canadian and Filipino-Canadian choir at the event.

Choir member Mireia Amba Cuenca said the Vienna appearance was especially meaningful for a group that began rehearsing in someone’s home, and that the performers sought to honour Filipino culture while representing Canada and the Philippines.

HKCS began in 2022 after founder Bea Correa assembled a volunteer choir for a University of the Philippines Alumni Association in BC event. Conducted by Matthew Perez, the choir will present its Himig Ng Tagumpay, or Melody of Victory, concert at 2 p.m. Sept. 6 at Surrey Arts Centre, featuring four HKCS groups in music, dance and visual media.