The Manado State University Choir, from the province of North Sulawesi, a mixed-voice chamber choir of approximately 24 singers has been acclaimed for its remarkable artistry, capacity to move an audience, and beautiful sound. The choir's versatility is astonishing, performing a wide range of repertoire, from early music to contemporary pieces of the Western canon, from traditional Indonesian music with choreography to popular music, and Southeast Asian choral music. Under the direction of Professor André de Quadros the choir has continued to advance its pursuit of excellence locally in Indonesia and abroad. Previous international tours have resulted in several prizes and awards. MSUC has undertaken successful engagements in Austria, South Korea, China, Netherlands, France, Poland, and Sweden.

The Manado State University Choir represents not only the country of Indonesia but in a more complex sense, also new directions in choral music worldwide. Its repertoire is culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse and its processes incorporate improvisation, experimentation, and cross-cultural juxtaposition. For example, music of the European canon is interwoven with contemporary composed music of Indonesia. As an ensemble of contemporary world, MSUC endeavours to build bridges to other cultures and communities and to participate in the creation of a peaceful, nonviolent world, in which music and cultural life can flourish for all. The forces of love and spirituality are deeply embedded in the MSUC philosophy and the daily lives of each members.

André de Quadros, conductor, ethnomusicologist, music educator, and human rights activist has conducted and undertaken research in over forty countries and is a professor of music at Boston University. He has had a number of leadership positions at Boston University, including: director of the School of Music, chair of the Music Education Department, chair of the Department of Music in the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and artistic director of the Tanglewood Institute. He holds affiliated faculty appointments in other BU departments: the African Studies Center, the Center for the Study of Asia, and the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations.

He has studied at the Bombay School of Music, the University of Bombay, La Trobe University (Australia), at the University of Melbourne, at Monash University (Australia), at the Universitat "Mozarteum" in Salzburg with a DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship, and at the Victorian College of the Arts.

As a conductor, he is developing new cross-cultural experimental repertoire with influences of Arab, Indian, Latin American, and Indonesian music. Engagements of note include the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Bulgaria with which he toured Spain, the Massachusetts All-State Chorus (USA), the Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Orchestra (USA), the Prokofiev Symphony Orchestra (Ukraine), the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, the Nusantara Chamber Orchestra (Indonesia), the Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra, the New Monash Orchestra, the Jauna Muzika Choir (Lithuania), and Choralies 2010 (France). He is a member of Interkultur's World Choir Council and Artistic Director of Aswatuna – Arab Choral Festival.

Professor de Quadros is the conductor of the Manado State University Choir (Indonesia) with which he toured France, Sweden and Poland in 2010 winning a first prize at the Warsaw International Competition. He is a member of the Scientific Board of the International Network for Singing Hospitals, an advisor on the Board of the International Federation for Choral Music, a member of the Editorial Board of the peer-reviewed journal, Arts and Health, and a member of the steering committee of Conductors Without Borders. He is currently editing the Cambridge Companion to Choral Music for Cambridge University Press, is co-editor of Tanglewood II: Summoning the Future of Music Education to be published by GIA Press, and lead author of Choral Music in Global Perspective to be published by Routledge. He is general editor of the Carmina Mundi series of Carus-Verlag, and editor of Cantemus, Salamu Aleikum Choral Music of the Muslim World, and Music of Asia and the Pacific published by earthsongs (USA) and Songs of the World published by Hinshaw Music (USA).

In 2010, he conducted a historic project with Palestinian and Israeli choral musicians in East Jerusalem. He is part of a multi-year, externally funded arts and public health research project in Peru. Starting in 2011, he will be the director of the newly constituted Music Research and Creative Network of the Social Science Research Network (SSRN), the fourth largest online repository in the world. His awards include Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President's Special Commendation for Distinguished Teaching and a first prize in the Australian National Choral Championships.

He is an Accredited Teacher, SEDA (UK) and his prior university appointments include being Associate Professor and Director of Music Performance at Monash University School of Music—Conservatorium, Australia. He is also former Artistic Director of the Melbourne International Festival of Choirs.