The National Music Competitions for Young Artists Foundation or NAMCYA was founded in the Philippines in 1973. It was created by virtue of President Ferdinand Marcos' Presidential Proclamation No. 1173, which declares the period between November 26 and December 12 every year as National Week for Young Artists.
The NAMCYA seeks to encourage young artists to excel in music composition and performance and to preserve, develop and promote Philippine music as art and as a handmaid of cultural development. The project aims to discover young artists in the field of choral singing, piano, chamber music, family ensemble, and indigenous instruments.
Since 1973, the main sponsoring institution of the annual events has been the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) whose president sits as chairperson of the national committee which conducts the competitions. The CCP has also hosted the competitions and festivals in its venues.
The annual competition is rigid. The competitors must win in the district, provincial, then regional competitions to be able to compete on the national level. They are required to perform a cluster of works - classical and contemporary pieces, as well as works of leading Filipino composers.
Many NAMCYA winners have blossomed to become the country's brilliant young artists like pianists Cecile Licad, Rowena Arrieta, Raul Sunico, Jaime Bolipata, Dionisia Fernandez, Jovianney Cruz, Ariel Dechosa, Zinorl Broñola; violinists Julian Quirit, Orville Cerna, Hector Corpus-Aguilar, Hernan Constantino, Joseph Esmilla, Regina Buenaventura and Joey Corpus; tenor Noel Velasco; sopranos Andion Fernandez and Wilardena Misenas; cellist Ramon Bolipata; and flautist Antonio Maigue.
Notable NAMCYA choral group winners include The University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors, the Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club, The University of the Philippines Concert Chorus, The University of the Philippines Cherubims and Seraphims, Loboc Children's Choir, Saint Louis University, Baguio City Glee Club and the Himig Singers of Davao City.
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