Mark Anthony A. Carpio
Artistic Director
Mark graduated from the University of the Philippines where he earned his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting and his Bachelor’s degree in Piano.
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In 2001, Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion, founder of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and Philippine National Artist for Music, chose him to succeed her as choirmaster of the group. Since then, he has continuously led the already much-awarded choir to even greater heights, including placing first in several prestigious choral competitions, such as the Certámen Internacional de Habaneras y Polifonia (Torrevieja, Spain, 2004), the 35th Florilege Vocal de Tours, France (2006), the 19th European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Arrezo, Italy, 2007), and recently, the 64th Concorso Polifonico Guido d’Arezzo (Arezzo, Italy, 2016), making them qualify for the 29th European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Tolosa, Spain, 2017).
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Mark has been frequently invited to give keynote addresses by prestigious international choral organizations such as the Singapore International Choral Festival, Satya Dharma Gita Choir Festival (Indonesia), Busan Choral Festival & Competition (Korea), Taiwan Choral Association, St. Angela Children and Youth Choir Festival (Indonesia), Belt and Road World Choir Festival (Hong Kong), The National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference (Louisiana, USA), Festival 500 Sharing The Voices (Canada), Lithuanian Conductors Summer Academy (Latvia), and the Cantus Angelicus, Festival of Choirs (Malaysia). Mark has given online workshops for the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Arizona ACDA Chapter, the Coral Brahms Colombia, Bridge Choral Collective Canada, and the University of Minnesota Duluth. In the Philippines, he regularly collaborates with the Philippine Choral Directors Association, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, for music and choral education programs. He heads the Andrea O. Veneracion Sing Philippines Foundation, which spearheads choral music development initiatives including the Sing Philippines Youth Choir, whose singers come from all over the country. Mark has adjudicated in different choral festivals and competitions around the world, including Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Italy and Latvia. Locally, he has been the chairman of the board of jurors of the biennial Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival and the 1st Asia Choral Grand Prix (2019). He has also been invited as guest conductor of the Crystal Children’s Choir (Taiwan), Taipei Ladies Singers, Taipei Philharmonic Youth Choir and the 1st Indonesia Youth Choir. Most recently, he conducted the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra with a chorus of 200 singers in a performance of Handel’s Messiah He also directs the Pansol Choir, a community and church-based choral group who is the resident choir of the Parish of Sta. Maria Della Strada in Quezon City. In addition, he is also the Artistic Director of the Consortium of Voices, a choral society of young choristers, consisting of the Kilyawan Boys Choir, Kilyawan Male Choir and the Voces Auroræ Girls Choir.
Dennis N. Marasigan
Artistic Director
Dennis N. Marasigan is a multi-awarded director, writer, lighting designer, actor, producer, and mentor with over 800 production credits for theater, film, a television who has also held key positions in various
government institutions and cultural organizations.
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He graduated BA Theater Arts and Master of Public Administration from the University of the Philippines and served on the faculty of various universities and colleges. Through various grants and scholarships, he
observed theater and film practices in various countries in Asia, Europe, and North America, including residencies at the Royal National Theater of Great Britain, the English National Opera, the Harbourfront Centre, Shaw Festival, and the Banff Centre in Canada.
He has also held key management positions in various institutions and cultural organizations, including as Technical Director, Theater Operations Manager, Associate Artistic Director (Performing Arts) and Assistant Vice-President (Marketing) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Artistic Director of the CCP’s resident theater company, TANGHALANG PILIPINO; President of the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group (PHILSTAGE), and Executive Director of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB He serves as a member of the Lead Team of Creative Industry Philippines, Vice-President of the National Live Events Coalition (NLEC PH), Board Member and Secretary of the Artists Welfare Project Inc. (AWPLI), and Adviser of the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company. Currently, he is Vice-President and Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, continuing to mentor young artists while finding time for his creative pursuits in the various media and performing arts.
Joey G. Vargas
Festival Director
Joey G. Vargas finished his bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts, major in Writing, at the University of the Philippines Los Baños and later gained some units under the MA Theater Arts program of the University of the Philippines in Diliman. He taught speech, writing, and theater subjects in the university. He has given various lectures and workshops on communication, teaching, literature, music, and theater. An alumnus of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, he also mentors various choristers in the country. Some of his poems have been made into songs performed during significant events such as the AOV International Choral Festival, the Asia Choral Grand Prix, the National Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA), the Cultural Center of the Philippines Golden Anniversary celebration, among others. He has managed a number of groups and companies and directed various concerts and festivals. He currently sits as the Creative Director of the Philippine Madrigal Singers.