Nilo Alcala is a Filipino-American composer and 2019 The American Prize Winner in Composition. He is the first Philippine-born composer to be commissioned by Grammy winner Los Angeles Master Chorale, and also to receive the Aaron Copland House Residency Award.
Biography Alcala has received a number of recognitions, including the 2009 POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award given by the Seattle-based vocal ensemble, The Esoterics. He also received a Young Composer Award from the Asian Composers League, in cooperation with the Israel Composers' League in 2004. He won Best Movie Theme Song and was also nominated for Best Film Score at the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival for his music in the movie "Homecoming" by renowned Filipino director Gil Portes. For the same movie, Alcala also received nominations from the Golden Screen Awards of the Entertainment Press Society and the Star Awards for Movies of the Philippine Movie Press Club.
Alcala is the first ever Filipino to be commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His work Mangá Pakalagián was premiered at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on November 15, 2015.
As an arranger, his work in the Sony BMG released Album Acclamation of the renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers was nominated for Best Vocal Arrangement at the 20th Awit Awards organized by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry or PARI.
Alcala was member/soloist and resident composer/arranger of the two-time European Choral Grand Prix winner and UNESCO Artist for Peace Philippine Madrigal Singers. The group has premiered Alcala's compositions in prestigious international festivals and competitions, including the Florilege Vocal de Tours in France, and the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in Arezzo, Italy.
His works "Diary of a Synaesthete" and "Speak to me my love/You are the evening cloud" were chosen for premiere by the Metro Manila Community Orchestra during the Music UnderKonstruction concerts at Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
His compositions and arrangements have been performed by various choirs around the world, including: The World Youth Choir, Asia Pacific Youth Choir, San Francisco Girls Chorus (San Francisco, CA), NOTUS (Indiana, IL), and Stellenbosch University choir (South Africa).
He was member and resident composer of Philippine Madrigal Singers. Also, he has been honorary member of the, Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Student, Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda (music honor society).
Education Alcala graduated BS Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (BSDC 1999) prior to his admission in 2001 to the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Music. Upon graduating Bachelor of Music in Composition Magna cum laude in 2007, Alcala received the Gawad Chanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral (Chancellor's Outstanding Student Award), an award conferred by University of the Philippines to students with outstanding academic and non-academic achievements. Alcala became full scholar under the Billy Joel Fellowship at Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts in upstate New York where he finished Masters in Music Composition and received the Irene Crooker Excellence in Music Award in 2009.
He has won fellowships and grants including: Billy Joel Fellowship (Syracuse University), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and Asian Cultural Council.
Accomplishments
Awards/nominations YearAwardResult2021Natatanging Lucenahin Performing Arts/Music CompositionWon202012th Ani ng DangalWon2019The American PrizeWon2018-17IGNITE: Commissioning Competition of C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor CollectiveWon2016-17Copland House Residency AwardWon2009POLYPHONOS Young Composer Award (Seattle, USA)Won2007Gawad Tsanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral (Outstanding Student Award), University of the PhilippinesWon2006Prix Pour une ouvre de creationNominated2004Asian Composers League Young Composer Award2nd PrizeINDEO AwardsWon1st Ani ng Dangal (2009) AwardWonIrene Crocker Music Award – Syracuse UniversityWonAwit AwardsNominated24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Movie Theme SongWon24th Metro Manila Film Festival, Best Film ScoreNominatedStar Awards, Original Theme Song of the YearNominatedGolden Screen Awards, Movie Theme Song of the YearNominated
Selected works
Choral +Sr. NoWorkInstrumentationYear1Pater Noster (treble choir)20032Dayo Dayo Kupita (mixed choir)20063Kaisa-isa Niyan (mixed choir)20064La Noche De Mil Noches (mixed choir)20075Silly Syllables (children's choir, 2 violins, piano)20086Bagbagto (mixed choir, also in treble and male choir version, with optional wood percussion)20097Papanok A Lakitan (mixed choir, optional wood percussion)20098Song of the Night (mixed choir)2009
Vocal Sr. NoWorkInstrumentationYear1Then Finish The Last Song (soprano, piano) 20082Tell Me If All This Be True (soprano, piano) 20093A Day Like This(tenor, piano) 20094A Burning (tenor, mezzo-soprano, piano) 20095Tell Me If All This Be True (soprano, piano) 2009
Orchestral Sr. NoWorkInstrumentationYear1Diary of a Synaesthete (orchestra) 20052Speak To Me My Love/You Are The Evening Cloud (soprano, tenor, orchestra) 2007
Chamber/solo instrumental Sr. NoWorkInstrumentationYear1Freudian Id(string quartet)20032chuck d’ cheeky chat (instrumental chamber ensemble)20043Dancing Delusions (instrumental chamber ensemble)20054Stream of Consciousness (instrumental chamber ensemble)20085The Tyranny of Distractions(cello)2009
Musical theater Sr. NoWorkYear1Miracles of Jesus (children's choir, soloists, rock band)2007
Film/animation Sr. NoWorkYear1Train Station20152Bayang Magiliw Year20133Motion picture soundtrack for "Homecoming" (directed by Gil Portes)20034Animation soundtrack for "Flower Trail" 20042004
Discography Sr. NoTitle ArtistYear1Onomatopoeia: The Choral Works of Nilo AlcalaPhilippine Madrigal Singers2017
Commissions +Sr. No.Title Commissioning by (performer/ Organization)World Premiere (date)Place1Mangá PakalagiánThe Los Angeles Master ChoraleNovember 2015 Walt Disney Concert Hall2The Magi’s JourneySan Bernardino Symphony OrchestraDecember 2018 San Bernardino, California 3Sayáo sa IlaoánManila Symphony Orchestra2017 Manila, Philippines4Prisms and WindowsAleron 2017 Barcelona, Spain 5Crossing the BarC4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective 2017Manhattan, New York6Song of the NightThe Esoterics2009Seattle, Washington7Bagong UmagaNational Music Competitions for Young Artists2005Cultural Center of the Philippines8BagbagtoChildren's Museum and Library2008Manila, Philippines 9Papanok A LakitanAnglo-Chinese Junior College 2009Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore10Silly SyllablesLong Island Children's Choir2008Merkin Hall, New York City11Song of DawnBangkok Voices2006Xiamen, China
References
External links
Excerpts of compositions Official Youtube Channel Facebook page