Nilo Alcala is a Los Angeles-based Filipino composer whose works have been performed in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. His awards include the POLYPHONOS Young Composer Awardfrom The Esoterics (Seattle, WA), the 2nd Prize Asian Composers League Young Composer Award (Tel Aviv, Israel), and an Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) Award from the Philippine President.
Alcala made his Walt Disney Concert Hall debut November 15, 2015 with the world premiere of the Los Angeles Master Chorale-commissioned “Mangá Pakalagián” — a choral suite featuring the Grammy-nominated chorale and the traditional Filipino ensemble SUBLA led by master kulintang artist Danongan ‘Danny’ Kalanduyan. Alcala’s commissions also include the National Music Competition for Young Artists of the Philippines, the Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival, Korean Ministry of Culture, Asia Europe Foundation, and premieres by the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra.
Alcala was soloist and composer-in-residence of the renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers which performed his works at the Florilege Vocal de Tours (Tours, France), the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Arezzo, Italy), and numerous international events including the 2013 American Choral Directors Association National Conference (Dallas, TX), the 9th World Symposium on Choral Music (Puerto Madryn, Argentina), and America Cantat 7 (Bogota, Colombia).
An Asian Cultural Council grantee, Alcala is also recipient of a Billy Joel Fellowship at Syracuse University where he earned an MMus in Composition and received the Irene L. Crooker Music Award. He holds a BM in Composition at the University of the Philippines, graduating Magna cum laude. His music for the film Homecoming earned nominations for Best Musical Score at the Metro Manila Film Festival and Star Awards for Movies.
