ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) team is showing off their skills in the Grand Prix round at SICF 2023

Singapura, ITS News – Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) Student Choir Team (PSM) has made another glorious achievement in the world stage. This time, ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) won the Grand Champion title at Singapore International Choral Festival (SICF) 2023 which was held for four days, starting on the last Sunday (16/7), offline at the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore.

In this international standard event, ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) succeeded in holding five champion titles at once from the three categories they participated in. The five championship titles include the 1st place in the Mixed Voice 25 Years and Below category, 2nd place in the Musica Sacra category, 3rd place in the Folklore category, the Best Conductor for Adult, and the Grand Champion of SICF 2023.

ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) Leader, Michelle Cintania Antontte Marwany, said that to win this title, her team had to compete against more than 60 other teams from various countries. According to Michelle, there were several important assessments given in this competition such as the uniqueness of the costumes, intonation, pitch accuracy, and the expressions of each singer. “We have also exerted maximum effort since taking part in a short training in early March,” said Michelle further.

Wasis Setiawan (left) as the Conductor represents the ITS PSM Team received an award as the Grand Prix champion at the 2023 SICF event in Singapore

Continuing Michelle’s statement, ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) Conductor Wasis Setiawan stated the same thing. Since early March, he has started preparing the songs that will be performed, the practice schedule with the team, and the costume concepts that will be worn during the competition. In the 2023 SICF competition, ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) wore a costume that combined batik. Wasis explained, the wearing of a batik costume in a choir competition is something unique and represents Indonesian culture.

In addition to costumes, to get around the relatively short preparation time, Wasis and his team tested their skills at the 2023 Ubaya Choir Festival last June and also won the Grand Champion title at that time. “I appreciate the whole team for all their hard work so far,” said Wasis proudly.

ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) contingent competing in the Mixed Voice 25 years and below SICF 2023 category. Talking about the selection of songs, Wasis admitted that he did not have a specific reason. In this competition, ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) consisting of 37 people performed nine songs which were divided into several categories. In the Musica Sacra category, the songs Inter Brachia Salvatoris Mei, Deliver Me O Lord and Gloria Patri were performed.

Then, in the Mixed Voice category, songs with the titles Vigilate, Epilogue, and Birds of Paradise were performed. Meanwhile, in the Folklore category, several songs were performed, such as Piso Surit, Impen-impenan, and Benggong.

ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) with the coach, Dr. Ing Ir Bambang Soemardiono (in suit), around the Victoria Concert Hall area, Singapore

For this achievement, ITS Student Choir Team (PSM) has the right to advance to the 2024 Asian Choral Grand Prix (ACGP) as Indonesia’s representative in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2024. Therefore, at the end of the interview, Wasis asked for prayers and support from all parties for the ITS PSM team to be able to make Indonesia proud again on a bigger stage.  (ITS PUBLIC RELATION)

Reporter: Mifda Khoirotul Azma