ENA MARIA R. ALDECOA
Assistant Professor
Keyboard Department
College of Music Extension Program
College of Music, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101

E-mail: office@enamariaaldecoa.com
Telefax: College of Music, (+63-2) 929-6963
Biography: www.enamariaaldecoa.com

A much-sought after collaborative pianist and chamber musician, Ms. Aldecoa is a full-time professor in Piano at the University of the Philippines College of Music, who also possesses strong passion for singing.

Piano:
After finishing magna cum laude with an A.B. English and cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano under Sr. Ester B. Peña, D.C. at Universidad de Sta. Isabel, Naga City, she pursued graduate studies in Piano Performance under Prof. Nita A. Quinto at the University of the Philippines College of Music. A consistent university scholar, she was awarded the Presidential Scholarship. Throughout the duration of her studies, she held the distinction of reaping highest over-all average in the Graduate Department as well as the consistent excellent rating in Piano and in the three solo recitals she gave. She played for the Master Classes given by world-renowned pedagogues and concert pianists: Solomon Mikowsky, Ruth Slenczynska and Reynaldo Reyes. Her excellent scholastic standing won for her membership to The Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines Association in 1991 and an election to the International Honors Society of Phi Kappa Phi upon graduation in April 1995.

Voice:
While taking her graduate studies in Piano Performance, she took Voice for two semesters to fulfill the full academic load requirement of the scholarship. Those two semesters rolled into years of serious graduate studies in Voice under Prof. Elmo Q. Makil and Prof. Ma. Cecilia O. Valena. In the span of four years, she sang the title role of Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Menotti’s Amelia Al Ballo, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, recorded an album of Bicol liturgical songs (Jubileo Sa Caceres), did solo recital of art songs, appeared in various recitals of the Voice Literature Classes and sang in Master Classes given by Julius Severin, Evelyn Mandac and Sal Malaki. The most memorable performance was her debut as soprano soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music in 2003, which she performed with the JeugdOrkest Nederland and the Festival Chorus of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in Scotland, under Jurjen Hempel. Maestro Ruggero Barbieri engaged her as soprano soloist for the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s December 2006 outreach concert and the Filipinas Chamber Orchestra’s performance of Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate K.V. 165.

Choral Involvement:
Starting 2003 she was a member, soprano soloist and choral arranger of UPCC (University of the Philippines Concert Chorus). After having been installed as their Rehearsal Master and Associate Conductor during their 2006 International Concert Tour, which took them to Europe, USA and New Zealand, the male ensemble won the PREMIO DI EXCELLENZA (first prize) in the renowned 45th Concorso Internationale di Canto Corale "SEGHIZZI" in Gorizia, Italy.

In 2008 she was invited to sing with the UP Madrigal Singers, also known as the Philippine Madrigal Singers, a two-time winner of the European Grand Prix in AREZZO, taking her in 2009 on Concert Tours to Korea, Europe and USA.