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One of the renowned Filipino musicians who contributed a lot to the success and popularity of the premier choral group Philippine Madrigal Singers is Robert Delgado Delgado.
Robert Delgado who?
Robert Delgado who has been the music conductor of many choirs—corporate, school-based, community-based, church-based, stand-alone etc.—in the Philippines including the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Choir.
Robert Delgado who finished his undergraduate, masteral and now preparing his dissertation for his doctoral studies in music from the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music.
Robert has been a member of PMS since 1984 and left it in 1996.
In his more than a decade of membership in Madz, Delgado has contributed a lot in the climb of the group to the top.
“Modesty aside, ang dami kong nai-contribute sa Madz hindi pang sa pagkanta kundi sa pag-aareglo rin (I’ve done a lot of contributions to Madz not only in singing but in arranging as well),” Robert said in an exclusive interview at Starmall in Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City.
“Nang inareglo ko ang pop song na “You are the Love of my Life,’ do’n, lalo pang nagustuhan ng mga tao ang (When I arranged it, there, the people got hooked more on) Madz,” Delgado recalled.
From there on, he was always assigned to arrange songs and other compositions for the group.
As it was, copies of his musical arrangements went around.
“Hindi namamalayan, kinakanta na ng ibang choirs ang mga areglo ko (I wasn’t aware other groups were already singing my arrangement),” he smiled.
How did it happen?
“Siyempre, kami sa Madz, maraming kakilalang members sa iba’t ibang choirs. Makikita ng mga kaibigan ng mga kasapi ng Madz ang mga areglo, hihiramin, kakantahin. Kalimitan, hindi na isosoli (Of course, we have many friends from the outside. Friends of the members of Madz would see the arrangements, borrow and sing them. Most of the time, they wouldn’t return the copy anymore),” he chuckled.
“Mahal na mahal ko ang Madz, ‘yan ang nagbigay sa akin ng break sa professional music kaya kahit wala na ako r’yan, ipinagmamalaki kong galing ako r’yan (I love the group so much which gave me my break in professional music so even if I not part of it anymore, I am proud I was once part of it),” Robert beamed with pride.
At the moment, Delgado is the President of the National Association Of Filipino Choirs, Inc. (NAFCI), the organization that initiated the first Palawan International Choir Festival to be held at Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on August 13-16, 2025. (Boy Villasanta)