The Adjudicators
Thomas Schuele (Germany)
Thomas Schuele finished his studies of Musicology, Voice and Conducting in the year 1986 at the University of Tuebingen/Germany with the Master of Arts Diploma.
From 1993 until 1999 he was Vice Director Sales & Marketing of the State Theatre and Opera House in Stuttgart. At the same time he was singer in the Opera Chorus and lecturer for Cultural Management at the University of Heilbronn. He has won several international choir competitions as a singer in “Studio Vocale Karlsruhe” choir.
Since 1999 he is a board member of INTERKULTUR Germany who is promoter of events such as WORLD CHOIR GAMES and many others. He is member of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), of the Federation for Asian Cultural Promotion (FACP) and member of the Philippine Choral Director´s Association (PCDA).
Thomas Schuele was organizer of many concerts, music festivals, CD-Productions and concert tours. A highlight was of course the Open Air with Sir Elton John in the Soccer Stadium of Darmstadt/Germany where he was the head of organization in 2003. He was a board of Directors at all WORLD CHOIR GAMES presented so far in Austria 2000 and 2008, Korea 2002, Germany 2004 and China 2006. In 2007 he was Project Director of the ASIAN CHOIR GAMES in Jakarta/Indonesia. He was member of the international Jury at the Young Singers Choral Festival 2008 in Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia and at the World Choir Championships 2009 in Gyeongnam/Korea, where he also served as a Project Director.
From 1993 until 1999 he was Vice Director Sales & Marketing of the State Theatre and Opera House in Stuttgart. At the same time he was singer in the Opera Chorus and lecturer for Cultural Management at the University of Heilbronn. He has won several international choir competitions as a singer in “Studio Vocale Karlsruhe” choir.
Since 1999 he is a board member of INTERKULTUR Germany who is promoter of events such as WORLD CHOIR GAMES and many others. He is member of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), of the Federation for Asian Cultural Promotion (FACP) and member of the Philippine Choral Director´s Association (PCDA).
Thomas Schuele was organizer of many concerts, music festivals, CD-Productions and concert tours. A highlight was of course the Open Air with Sir Elton John in the Soccer Stadium of Darmstadt/Germany where he was the head of organization in 2003. He was a board of Directors at all WORLD CHOIR GAMES presented so far in Austria 2000 and 2008, Korea 2002, Germany 2004 and China 2006. In 2007 he was Project Director of the ASIAN CHOIR GAMES in Jakarta/Indonesia. He was member of the international Jury at the Young Singers Choral Festival 2008 in Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia and at the World Choir Championships 2009 in Gyeongnam/Korea, where he also served as a Project Director.
Oscar Pantaleon Jr. (Philippines)
Oscar Pantaleon Jr. obtained his degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of the Philippines. In 1987, he joined the UP Madrigal Singers under the leadership of Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion, National Artist for Music, and went on national and international concert tours with the group until 1996. He also studied choral conducting with Dean Reynaldo T. Paguio and voice with Prof. Ma. Cecilia Ongsiako-Valena at the UP. Since then, he has been actively involved in the national choral circle as conductor, music director, trainer, adjudicator and consultant. Last year, he traveled to the regional centers as juror of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists. He was also appointed in 2009 as the first secretary general of the Philippine Choral Directors Association.
As an arts management practitioner, Oscar Pantaleon has produced various concerts and recordings. He established his own production outfit, ConcertNet Philippines Co., and managed the pop trio, III of A Kind. He taught arts management at the De La Salle University – College of St. Benilde and handled the business services of The San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts that managed The San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and The San Miguel Master Chorale. He has served as juror in various editions of the Awit Awards and he currently freelances as an arts project manager for the award-winning composer, Ryan Cayabyab.
As the Philippine Ambassador of the Contemporary A Cappella Society, he has sat as juror in various local and international competitions notably the Asian Competitions for Contemporary A Cappella in Taiwan, the National A Cappella Championships in Singapore, and the annual Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards in San Francisco. He also conducted various artistic and management workshops for the Singapore A Cappella Society.
Oscar Pantaleon is the founding music director and conductor of the The Tala Choir and the Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral Choir. He also directs and conducts Caltex Chorale and Pfizer Chorale.
Photo: vicstudiosphotography
As an arts management practitioner, Oscar Pantaleon has produced various concerts and recordings. He established his own production outfit, ConcertNet Philippines Co., and managed the pop trio, III of A Kind. He taught arts management at the De La Salle University – College of St. Benilde and handled the business services of The San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts that managed The San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and The San Miguel Master Chorale. He has served as juror in various editions of the Awit Awards and he currently freelances as an arts project manager for the award-winning composer, Ryan Cayabyab.
As the Philippine Ambassador of the Contemporary A Cappella Society, he has sat as juror in various local and international competitions notably the Asian Competitions for Contemporary A Cappella in Taiwan, the National A Cappella Championships in Singapore, and the annual Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards in San Francisco. He also conducted various artistic and management workshops for the Singapore A Cappella Society.
Oscar Pantaleon is the founding music director and conductor of the The Tala Choir and the Our Lady of the Pillar Cathedral Choir. He also directs and conducts Caltex Chorale and Pfizer Chorale.
Photo: vicstudiosphotography
Arwin Tan (Philippines)
Arwin studied choral conducting, piano, flute and voice at the College of Music of the University of the Philippines, graduating magna cum laude. He also finished his Master of Music degree in Musicology at the same university.
His interest in the choral arts has been cultivated through his involvement with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, under the guidance of Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion. Arwin has done compositions and arrangements for choirs, and some have been performed as pieces in international competitions by choirs in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. At present, he is one of the country’s more sought-after choral clinicians, and he has conducted choral workshops in the major cities of the Philippines, as well as in Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Arwin has been invited and sat as a juror in international choral competitions in China and Malaysia, and in various national and regional choral competitions in the Philippines. He is the founder and choirmaster of the Novo Concertante Manila which he has led to win 1st Prizes at the 46th Internationaler Chorwettbewerb in Spittal an der Drau, Austria, and at the 55th Certamen International de Habaneras y Polifonia in Torrevieja, Spain (2009), as well as the Grand Prize in the 1st ever A Voyage of Songs International Choral Competition in Genting Highlands, Malaysia (2003). Arwin is also the resident conductor of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Chorale.
He is currently a member of the faculties of the UP College of Music, the St. Scholastica’s School of Music, the Ateneo de Manila University and the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music.
His interest in the choral arts has been cultivated through his involvement with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, under the guidance of Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion. Arwin has done compositions and arrangements for choirs, and some have been performed as pieces in international competitions by choirs in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. At present, he is one of the country’s more sought-after choral clinicians, and he has conducted choral workshops in the major cities of the Philippines, as well as in Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Arwin has been invited and sat as a juror in international choral competitions in China and Malaysia, and in various national and regional choral competitions in the Philippines. He is the founder and choirmaster of the Novo Concertante Manila which he has led to win 1st Prizes at the 46th Internationaler Chorwettbewerb in Spittal an der Drau, Austria, and at the 55th Certamen International de Habaneras y Polifonia in Torrevieja, Spain (2009), as well as the Grand Prize in the 1st ever A Voyage of Songs International Choral Competition in Genting Highlands, Malaysia (2003). Arwin is also the resident conductor of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Chorale.
He is currently a member of the faculties of the UP College of Music, the St. Scholastica’s School of Music, the Ateneo de Manila University and the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music.
