Ily is an internationally acclaimed and award winning composer, conductor, choral clinician, and educator. To date, he has released two discographies: INFINITAS (2022) and EUPHONOS (2018) The Choral Works of Ily Matthew Maniano Vol. I & II. A 2023 “Ani ng Dangal” awardee by the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts, First Prize at the 2022 Busan International Choral Festival Composition Competition (South Korea) and Cambridge Chamber Singers International Composition Competition (USA), 2nd Place at the 2021 Concurso de Composicion Gustavo Gomez Ardilla (Colombia) and a 2017 Polyphonos Composition Competition Young Composer Winner (USA) and a few Honorable Mentions in other competitions. His works are being performed and recorded by some of the world’s best and notable choirs and Grammy award winning groups, the King’s Singers & the Swingles, to name a few.
His masterpieces have been premiered and performed in prestigious competitions like the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, Concorso Polifonico Internazionale Guido D’Arezzo (Italy), Florilège Vocal de Tours (France), Modfestivals Marktoberdorf (Germany) the Certamen Internacional de Habaneras y Polifonia (Spain), and festivals such as Festival de la Habana Musica Contamporanea (Cuba), American Choral Directors National Conferences (USA), America Cantat (Colombia), Canadian Rocky Mountain Festival (Canada), Choralies and Festival des Cheours Laureats (France), and the World Choral Expo (Macau).
Ily has been invited as a guest speaker, instructor, adjudicator and facilitated several choral clinics and workshops in the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Canada, Indonesia, and United Arab Emirates. In 2010, he made his debut as countertenor soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria at the University of the Philippines College of Music and has since been invited as a guest soloist in several music productions and festivals such as the 2012 and 2013 International Las Piñas Bamboo Organ Festival (Philippines). His artistry exudes that aside from his musical works, he also enjoys graphic designing and photography where his photos got featured in National Geographic Online and in El Pais Online, one of Spain’s highest-circulation daily newspapers.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Ily studied Music Education at the University of the Philippines College of Music. He currently serves as the musical director of the Male Ensemble Philippines, where they won top prizes at the prestigious Tolosa Choral Contest (Spain) in November 2023. He is an alumnus, resident arranger, and composer for the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers and the Manila Chamber Singers. He is also the founder and artistic director of SONOS | Voices of Hope and facilitates OPUS, an online choral writing class that encourages individuals to start composing and arranging music for their own groups. In pursuit of choral excellence, his works continue to reflect and establish exciting new standards that elevate and inspire the musical artistry and creativity of today's dynamic choral industry.
