THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Student Organizations Coordinating Council (UST SOCC) will revive the intercollegiate choir competition Himig Tomasino in April next year to mark its 30th anniversary.
The SOCC said it aims to reignite the University’s choral tradition following a decline in recognized campus choirs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The choral competition was last held in 2019.
“We would like to make the chorale spirit of UST alive again, most especially since there is a decline in recognized choirs in UST,” UST SOCC External Vice President Christopher Erasquin told The Flame.
“We would like to make our choirs known again and, at most, have their talent be appreciated and given importance by the whole community since they are an embodiment of the richness of Filipino culture,” he added.
According to Erasquin, several choir groups have become inactive since the pandemic began, including the UST Accountancy Chamber Chorale, UST Commerce Cantemus and UST Coro Rehabilitation Sciences.
To ensure a successful comeback and efficient planning, Erasquin said that the council has launched a survey to assess the availability of recognized university choirs. He said formal preparations would begin six months ahead of the April 2027 event, as the program remained on hold in recent years due to preparation constraints.
“Coming back from 2019, participating choirs deliver breathtaking renditions of sacred hymns, classic OPM, and intricate choral arrangements, demonstrating that beyond their academic pursuits, Thomasians share a single, harmonious heartbeat,” the SOCC external vice president said.
In its last edition in 2019, the Accountancy Chamber Singers clinched the championship. The Chorus of Arts and Letters emerged as first runner-up while the Pharmacy Glee Club was the second runner-up. F
