DARWIN B. VARGAS
Darwin Vargas is one of the most celebrated young conductors in the Philippines today. In 2014, he founded Los Cantantes de Manila, a community choir based in Manila. Since its inception, LCDM bagged 7 Grand Prizes in several national and international competitions, including the Grand Prix in the 2015 Busan Choral Festival. Under his baton, the choir also won the First Prize in the 15th Internationaler Kammerchor-Wettbewerb Marktoberdorf.
His love for choral music started at an early age of 16 when he joined Victorino Mapa High School Youth Choir under the tutelage of Philippine Madrigal Singers alumna, Ms. Aida Aldama-Gallardo. It was during those times when he became interested in the fine nuances of the art. Darwin, in his early college days, joined A Cappella Manila and was trained by the brothers Rodel and Noel Bugarin. He became the group's Assistant Choirmaster in 2004. In 2005, he was invited to join the world-renowned University of the East Chorale under the baton of the award-winning conductor, Ms. Anna Tabita Abeleda-Piquero, ex-resident arranger and alumna of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. He became the group's President and Tour Manager for almost a decade. During his term, he brought UEC to 16 countries around the globe.
Exposure to European choirs and attending various workshops and masterclasses in Europe, under world-class pedagogues like Stojan Kuret, Volker Hempfling, Anders Eby, Prof. Kurt Suttner, Erwin Ortner, and Zoltan Pad developed his ear and techniques for refined choral sound.
He conducted the Presidential Management Staff Chorale in Malacañang Palace in 2011-2013, BitMicro Choir in 2012, SMDC Chorale in 2013 and UCPB Makati Chorale in 2014. In 2017, the Asian Development Bank Chorale, Ginebra San Miguel Chorale, and ALab Vocal Ensemble joined the roster of his choral groups.
Presently, Darwin Vargas conducts the world-renowned University of the East Chorale, enabling the choir to win the Grand Prix in the 11th Orientale Concentus 2018 in Singapore, and the award-winning Adamson University Chorale, Grand Prize winner of the 2018 MBC National Choir Competition. He also is a recipient of a scholarship grant from Goethe-Institut to participate in the 2022 International Choral Conducting Masterclasses in Saarbreuken and Marktoberdorf, Germany. These were facilitated by internationally renowned pedagogues, Ko Matsushita and Prof. Georg Grün.
His love for choral music started at an early age of 16 when he joined Victorino Mapa High School Youth Choir under the tutelage of Philippine Madrigal Singers alumna, Ms. Aida Aldama-Gallardo. It was during those times when he became interested in the fine nuances of the art. Darwin, in his early college days, joined A Cappella Manila and was trained by the brothers Rodel and Noel Bugarin. He became the group's Assistant Choirmaster in 2004. In 2005, he was invited to join the world-renowned University of the East Chorale under the baton of the award-winning conductor, Ms. Anna Tabita Abeleda-Piquero, ex-resident arranger and alumna of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. He became the group's President and Tour Manager for almost a decade. During his term, he brought UEC to 16 countries around the globe.
Exposure to European choirs and attending various workshops and masterclasses in Europe, under world-class pedagogues like Stojan Kuret, Volker Hempfling, Anders Eby, Prof. Kurt Suttner, Erwin Ortner, and Zoltan Pad developed his ear and techniques for refined choral sound.
He conducted the Presidential Management Staff Chorale in Malacañang Palace in 2011-2013, BitMicro Choir in 2012, SMDC Chorale in 2013 and UCPB Makati Chorale in 2014. In 2017, the Asian Development Bank Chorale, Ginebra San Miguel Chorale, and ALab Vocal Ensemble joined the roster of his choral groups.
Presently, Darwin Vargas conducts the world-renowned University of the East Chorale, enabling the choir to win the Grand Prix in the 11th Orientale Concentus 2018 in Singapore, and the award-winning Adamson University Chorale, Grand Prize winner of the 2018 MBC National Choir Competition. He also is a recipient of a scholarship grant from Goethe-Institut to participate in the 2022 International Choral Conducting Masterclasses in Saarbreuken and Marktoberdorf, Germany. These were facilitated by internationally renowned pedagogues, Ko Matsushita and Prof. Georg Grün.