The story of the Ateneo Chamber Singers unfolded with the turn of the new millennium. From 2000 to 2001, alumni and graduating members of the Ateneo College Glee Club traveled on two separate European tours, sweeping top prizes in major choral competitions and singing to enraptured judges and audiences in Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Upon returning to the Philippines, the group sought an opportunity to sustain the musical and personal friendship they had created during the tour. With the blessing of Dr. Joel Navarro, outgoing ACGC principal conductor, they formed the ACS in 2002. Renowned choral music expert Jonathan Velasco, who served as the choir's guest co-conductor on their 2000 and 2001 European tours, took the helm as musical director.

The choir has since been performing an average of three major concerts a year, often collaborating with the country's finest orchestras and choirs. It has traveled extensively to Europe, the US, and Asia, produced two critically-praised albums, organized a choral composition competition, and initiated the Advent concert series at the Church of the Gesù of the Ateneo de Manila University. Their unique specialization in sacred choral music has opened a richly eclectic mix of European, American, and Asian choral literature that spans medieval to postmodern periods, traditional to contemporary styles, complex art music to highly-textured indigenous music, and moving spirituals to psalmody hewn out of traditional Asian musics.

Having established themselves as a formidable presence in the Philippines’ musical landscape, the ACS recently made their mark abroad with Awit: The First ACS European Tour (October 20 to November 15, 2006), representing the Philippines in two important choral events: the Polyfollia in France, and the 38th Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain.

One of only three Asian choirs invited to Polyfollia, a biennial international choral festival at Saint-Lô in La Manche, the ACS gave concerts in Basse-Normandie region organized by the Festival. With its aim of enriching the global choral music scene, Polyfollia brought together music promoters and some of the world's best and most promising choirs in a 5-day series of concerts, workshops and festivities. ACS also gave warmly-received performances in Paris and Harfleur.

En route to the choir’s first choral competition since its inception, the ACS’s stint at the 38th Tolosa Choral Contest proved to be an propitious validation of its outstanding choral artistry. Touted as one of the most prestigious international choral music competitions, the Tolosa Choral Contest regularly draws the most accomplished amateur choral groups from all regions of the world. The 2006 edition of the Contest was especially significant as it coincided with the 750th anniversary of the founding of the city. Only a select number of chorales were invited to compete. The ACS emerged first prize in the polyphony category besting its counterparts from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, Indonesia and Puerto Rico.

The performances of the ACS are often described as spiritually moving. It has transcended languages and cultures to communicate deeply to audiences from all over the world. The local Basque paper El Diario Vasco described their sound as “sublime and exceptional.” One audience member of the Polyfollia 2006 (The 2nd Showcase & International Market for Choral Music) in Harfleur, France says that “I heard the Holy Spirit in their voices,” while another in Eibar, Spain comments, “I felt I was transported to paradise.”

 

The successful European trip was followed by a trip to Singapore in December 2006 in an event planned close to the International Day of Choral Singing. There, the ACS was invited to perform at the acclaimed Esplanade Hall with two other award-winning choirs, the SYC Ensemble Singers (Singapore) directed by Jennifer Tham, and the Gaia Philharmonic Choir (Japan) directed Ko Matsushita.