It was a dream come true for the SJS Choir to train under the world-renown Philippine Madrigal Singers. The three-day exclusive choral workshop gave opportunities for the 19-member group to be coached on vocal techniques, piece analysis and other choral skills. The fruits of the workshop is something to anticipate. What's in store for Chorus Josephi? Watch out!

Visiting facilitators were:

BERNADETTE MAMAUAG
Bernadette finished her Bachelor of Music degree major in Voice performance at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of classical tenor, Prof. Lemuel dela Cruz. She's a full scholar of George Yang’s Klassikal Music Foundation (KMF). She is one of the singing sopranos of the Philippine Madrigal Singers since 2015 and has been touring with the group in Asia, the United States and Europe.

CYRO BON CLOUI H. MORAL 
Cyro is the conductor of TIP Choral Society and Central United Methodist Church Tagalog Choir. He is currently taking DCPMA Choral Conducting under the tutelage of Mark Anthony Carpio, Dr. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng, Jose Emmanuel Aquino and Dr. Raul Navarro at the University of the Philippines College of Music. Currently, he sings as a countertenor with the Philippine Madrigal Singers.

​TOMAS UMBERTO C. VIRTUCIO JR.
Tommy is a tenor who has been actively performing with The Philippine Madrigal Singers since 2008, joining various local engagements and international concert tours. He was part of the Grand Prix win at the 2016 Concorso Polifonico Internazionale Guido d’ Arezzo in Arezzo, Italy. He studied Voice at the University of the Philippines College of Music under the tutelage of Dr. Raymond Leslie Diaz. He also had voice lessons under Mr. Lionel Guico. 

The torrential rains did not dampen the excitement of the new members of the community who actively participated in weeklong Academic Bridging Program (ABP). A couple of weeks before the official start of the school year, the incoming Grade 7 and one incoming Grade 8 seminarians prepared for the academic formation under the care of competent teachers in the different disciplines. Mathematics: Mr. Louie Perdon; English: Ms. Mary Ann Anical ; Filipino: Ms. Milagros Sanchez; Phonetics and Reading Comprehension: Mark Louie Martes.

The TULAY Center for Human Dynamics, Inc. facilitated the team building activities of the Chorus Josephi on July 12-13, 2018. The team-building is the first part of the 5-day Music Camp of the group.

The seminarians underwent the Level 1 Team Building Program which consists of games and challenges aimed at evoking creativity, leadership, responsibility and cooperation among the participants. It was facilitated by three major seminarians from the Diocese of San Fernando, La Union: Gerard Louiez Mapalo (San Pablo Seminary), Kenneth Amate (UST Central Seminary), and Fredirick Damisil (Immaculate Conception School of Theology).

TULAY which stands for Trainers for Unity, Leadership and Advocacy for the Youth, is an organization of major seminarians in Northern Luzon that offers programs in human dynamics to empower the youth.

Three members of the Philippine Madrigal Singers will conduct a choral workshop for the seminary's official choir, Chorus Josephi, on July 14-16, 2018. The Philippine Madrigal Singers is the resident Choral Company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It is one of the world’s most awarded choir, having consistently won all the top prizes in most of the world’s prestigious choral competitions. To be visited by the country’s premiere singing group is indeed a privilege.

Visiting members are Tomas Umberto Virtucio Jr, tenor; Cyro Bon Moral, bass; and  Bernadette Mamauag, soprano.

The workshop is part of the 5-day music camp designed to train the choristers not only in their musical talents but also to grow in their self-confidence and social relations.

With two more years added to the High School Curriculum, St. Joseph Seminary aims to construct a
new building to accommodate the growing number of the Senior High Seminarians who are currently housed with the Grade 9 and 10. The new building is necessary to address the different programs of formation designed for the pre-college seminarians.

The new edifice shall feature dormitories, an auditorium, classrooms and other state-of-the art facilities.

The iconic star-shaped chapel of St. Joseph Seminary undergoes a series of renovations: the whole structure is being painted anew; the sacred furniture are refurbished; the kneelers are re-upholstered; new electric fans are installed; and more to go.

Thanks to the financial support from generous sponsors.