Specialization:

Prof. Ma. Cecilia Valeña “Bechie” was appointed College Secretary of the UP College of Music where she served for 2 terms, and was also appointed as Program Coordinator of the College of Music Extension Program where she served for almost 16 years.

Prof. Valeña continues to be very active in the choral world. She holds vocal masterclasses for choir singers and, vocal workshops for conductors (based here and abroad), with emphasis on “The Choir conductor on Vocal Coaching and Vocal Methods”. She was an adjudicator and the resource speaker on vocal techniques/methods for choirs at the 9th Brawijaya Choir 2019 in Malang, Indonesia. Her first online virtual workshop, via the zoom, in the new normal platform, included choral conductors from the Philippines, Dubai, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan and the USA.

Her skill in conducting was honed when she became a member/soloist of the UP/Philippine Madrigal Singers, the first and foremost choir in the Philippines. As part of the choral group, she had the privilege to experience working first hand with renowned conductors like Robert Shaw, Henry Lewis, Martin Behrman, Robert Stoll and others.

Currently, Prof. Valeña is a full time faculty of voice at the UP College of Music where she has been teaching for the past thirty years. In November 2017, she was appointed Chair of the Department of Voice, Music, Theatre and Dance. Sometime in the early nineties, Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion, National Artist for Voice, founder of the UP/Philippine Madrigal Singers, and her teacher in voice, passed on to her the position as master/special teacher at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), a specialized high school offering artsfocused education established in 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree 1287.

As a teacher both in high school and college, Prof. Valeña continues to guide many talented voice students to achieve their goals and reach their highest peak. She counts among her students some of the most accomplished singers in the country and abroad, several of whom have won national competitions and have been awarded scholarships to schools in the USA, the UK, HongKong, Japan,Italy, Australia, Finland and the Netherlands. Together with all her patience, encouragement and support, she is an inspiration to her students who proudly call themselves the “Bechie Babies”.

Prof. Valeña is the recipient of the “Gawad Estanislao para sa natatanging husay at dedikasyon bilang miyembro ng kaguruan ng UP Kolehiyo ng Musika” (Estanislao Award for her exceptional skill and dedication as member of the faculty of the UP College of Music) for Voice held during the Centennial Celebration of the UP College on September 4, 2016. And, a One UP Grant Awardee for 2019-2021.