Dr. Raoul Carlo (Miggi) F. Angangco, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Hastings College, was recently named a national winner of The American Prize, earning third place in the Choral Performance category’s highly-competitive Professional Division.
The American Prize is the nation’s most comprehensive series of non-profit competitions in the performing arts, recognizing the best performers and ensembles in the United States across professional, university, community and high school levels.
Angangco received national recognition for his work directing the Conductors Chorus at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in a unique, landmark project titled, “Sa Inang Bayan: To the Motherland” in the Spring of 2023. The Conductors Chorus is a professional ensemble that performs for masteral and doctoral choral conducting students’ degree recitals every semester.
Bridging Cultures through Music
The award-winning project centered on commissioning, premiering and recording four new works by U.S.-based Filipino composers, Nilo Alcala, Saunder Choi, GP Eleria and Robin Estrada, and explored the theme of Filipino identity. The project was supported by a grant from the Presser Graduate Music Award and resulted in an album, also titled “Sa Inang Bayan: To the Motherland,” now available on major streaming platforms.
“This recognition from The American Prize is incredibly meaningful as it helps raise the profile of Filipino choral artistry on the international scene,” said Angangco. “It demonstrates how diasporic artists can build bridges between cultures, enriching the global choral repertoire while honoring their origins. I am deeply grateful to the Conductors Chorus members for embarking on this special project with me.”
For most — if not all — of the singers, Angangco’s “Sa Inang Bayan” recital was the very first time they sang in the Filipino language, or performed music by Philippine composers at large.
Angangco’s achievement underscores the growing impact of Filipino musicians in international classical music. Beyond his work at Hastings College, he is also the artistic director, conductor and co-founder of LALÒ, a Filipino-American choral ensemble based in the San Francisco Bay Area dedicated to championing Philippine choral music in the U.S.
Angangco began his role at Hastings College this fall, where he directs the Hastings College Choir and teaches undergraduate music courses.
Angangco holds a Doctor of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, a Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College, a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Philippines College of Music, summa cum laude, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the Ateneo de Manila University.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.