Andrea Veneracion
| Andrea Veneracion | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Andrea Ofilada Veneracion |
| Also known as | Ma'am OA |
| Born |
July 11, 1928 Manila, Philippine Islands |
| Died | July 9, 2013 (aged 84) Quezon City, Philippines |
| Genres | Choral music, classical music, folk music, pop music |
| Occupation(s) | Conductor, composer, arranger, singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1963–2004 |
| Associated acts | Philippine Madrigal Singers |
Andrea Ofilada Veneracion (or Ma'am OA; July 11, 1928 – July 9, 2013) was a Filipina choral conductor and a recipient of the 1999 National Artist for Music award. She founded the Philippine Madrigal Singers in 1963. She was also an adjudicator in numerous international choral competitions and was an active force in choral music before her massive stroke in 2005.
She was born on July 11, 1928, to Macario Ofilada and Raymunda Carriaga. She was raised in Manila, Philippines.
She earned her Bachelor of Music degrees in Piano and Voice at the University of the Philippines Diliman, graduating cum laude. She was a lyric soprano soloist in various Oratorio works and in the Opera Stage. She was also a very accomplished pianist and accompanist and was the accompanist of National Artist for Music, Jovita Fuentes for a number of years. Apart from being an extraordinary musician, she was also an exceptional athlete as a competitive swimmer. She was part of the Philippine swimming team who first competed internationally in Hong Kong.
Later on, she continued to pursue her master's degree in Voice at Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, as a Fulbright scholar, where she encountered the Indiana University Madrigal Singers, who rallied the music of the Renaissance period.
Upon her return to the Philippines in 1963, she established a singing group with the same idea. This group was initially exclusive of U.P. faculty members and students and became officially known as the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers. She established a tradition for which the Madz, as they are fondly called, are known for: unlike most choirs, the Madz were seated in a semicircular formation without a conductor. The Choirmaster is at the left-most end of the circle, and leads the group by giving their cues, much like how a concertmaster leads in an orchestra.
...
Wikipedia