UP alums in U.S. to host spring concerts

SAN FRANCISCO — Two spring concerts that will showcase Filipino choral, folk and pop music, while raising funds for its scholarship programs, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in America (UPAAA) announced.

The concerts are Tempus, a hybrid recital at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on April 28, and Alay Kay Inay (A Gift to Mother), a virtual pre-Mother’s Day celebration on May 6.

“Music is our shared language across cultures, to paraphrase (Henry Wadsworth) Longfellow,” notes UPAAA President Jose M. David, Jr. “Food is also something we all share. Filipino cuisine is now part of the mainstream in many parts of the country, centuries after the first Filipino landed in Morro Bay in 1587. And we hope that UPAAA’s efforts will help bring Filipino music and Filipino musical talent to even more US audiences.”

Composer Eudenice V. Palaruan (left) and conductor Emmanuel de Leon, Jr.

Featuring a performance of Chichester Palms by Leonard Bernstein, and the world-premiere of Pastol, a choral devotion based on Psalm 23 by Filipino contemporary composer Eudenice V. Palaruan, Tempus is the final recital of Filipino conductor Emmanuel de Leon, Jr., a Doctor of Music Arts candidate at University of Notre Dame.

Like Palaruan, de Leon is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines, and the 2021 recipient of the UPAAA International Student Assistance Grant (ISAG). De Leon acknowledges, “I am a UP alumnus studying in the US, and the funds helped me continue my research, music encoding and video editing. I am grateful to UPAAA.”

UPAAA is spearheading a fundraising campaign for Tempus. Among the donors is UP alumnus Dr. Francisco S. Sy, a professor of Public Health and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He states, “I cannot imagine a world without music. It is an essential element of life.”

Beyond choral music, the playlist for UPAAA’s annual fundraiser Alay Kay Inay will feature music across various genres—from folk and Spanish-influenced to jazz, OPM (Original Pilipino Music) and US pop. UPAAA Community Outreach and Advocacy Committee chair Joy Pasamonte Henry observes, “Filipino music reflects a rich history, including the influence of American pop music.”

This year’s Alay Kay Inay performers include: Sounds of Manila, the premier OPM band in the US; the Awit Award-winning music icon Jun Polistico; emerging talent Kayla Tejero; and UP Alumni and Friends Rondalla of New Jersey, beloved music ambassadors (rondalla refers to a string instrument ensemble that originated in medieval Spain).

Three musical acts from the San Francisco Bay Area will also perform, including tenor and long-time choir director Leon Palad; singer Tiffany Carandang who performs solo, and as part of the band, The Aura; and vocalist Jacqui Naylor with multi-instrumentalist Art Khu, who are known for “acousting smashing”, an arranging technique that combines the lyrics and melody of a jazz song over the groove of a rock song, or vice versa.

UPAAA Ways & Means Committee chair Minnie Corpuz-Castillo, RN heads the all-volunteer team that is putting together Alay Kay Inay. She says, “This UPAAA signature event is our most heart-warming one. Mom plus music equals a combination that’s hard to resist, and we look forward to seeing our regulars in the audience, and welcoming new attendees.”

ATTENDANCE:

Tempus is a free event, and open to the public. Tickets are required for in-person attendance and can be obtained by emailing [email protected]. For further information, including the option to attend by livestream, visit the Sacred Music at Notre Dame website here.

Alay Kay Inay is a virtual event, and open to the public. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. In addition, song and video dedications are available for $25 and $50 respectively.

Corporate sponsorship and patron opportunities are available. Contact Joy S. Celo, MD at [email protected].