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The Musica Singers are getting ready to start summer in style this weekend with their latest solo concert, Awitan. The concert promises a balance of traditional Filipino folk and classical music alongside newer pieces from the country’s evolving musical tradition.
“In Tagalog, ‘awitan’ means ‘singing together’,” says Oscar Pantaleon, Jr., conductor of the Musica Singers. “So, we’re having all these songs from different regions of the Philippines, bringing them all together in a concert. And then, we will also showcase how the popular music in the Philippines has developed from the Manila sound developed in the 70’s up to the recent ones by younger generations of musicians.”
The vast range of musical traditions, languages and dialects represented in the concert has allowed for engaging conversations between the members of the Musica Singers who come from across the Philippines. “We come from different regions. We get to introduce these songs that we have learned when we were younger,” explains chorister Jesse Alcasabas who also serves as the choir’s executive director. “Although we know of [other songs from other regions], to sing them, it’s a totally different experience, and to bring it to the audience, it’s another level of experience, too.”
The concert’s repertoire, which largely comes from the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao regions, has also allowed the choir’s members to connect with the current sounds of Filipino classical music that was created after they had arrived in Canada.
“I’m very excited,” says Alcasabas about the newer music being performed, “because with my age bracket, I’m used to these types of choir songs, usually you hear them. But then, singing songs that are kind of danceable tunes and they’re from Gen Alpha. I have my children, too, and they were surprised they were singing the song as a choir.”
“We wanted to not lose that part of our culture,” Alcasabas continues. “We don’t want to miss and also lose any interest in terms of missing it because kids might not like it, right? But we want them to somehow enjoy both learning what was before in the past and seeing the value in it and now applying it to the new type of singing or style.”
“We want to make Musica Singers accessible for a wider audience,” adds Pantaleon, noting that performing newer works also helps the choir connect with other cultural communities in the city.
The Musica Singers will share Awitan on June 28 at 7 p.m. at the Desautels Concert Hall. For more information, patrons can visit the choir’s website.
