Two Kagay-anons to represent PH in choir
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s “Hope” world tour will make its next stop in the Philippines.
This will be the Choir’s first trip to the Philippines — an area often called “Asia’s pearl” because of its rich culture and scenic landscapes.
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, the Philippines Area President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has invited all Filipinos to watch the upcoming live concert of the internationally acclaimed Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square on February 27 and 28, 2024, at SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
However, due to limited concert seats, Elder Steven advised the concert on February 28 will be live-streamed online to ensure everyone can watch it with their friends and family at local stake centers nationwide or at watch parties at their homes.
The concerts will feature special guest artists from Philippines performing a repertoire that reflects, in part, the musicality of the country. Filipinos are a nation of singing people whose choral tradition started in its indigenous origins and has continued until today. Internationally, the Philippines has one of the highest viewership of Music & the Spoken Word.
Choir president Michael O. Leavitt says: “Our goal is to magnify the Choir’s impact throughout the world by helping people feel God’s love for His children. Our performances will be free. Many will be live streamed so local congregations in the regions we visit can invite their friends and communities to participate.”
Guest Artist
Acclaimed Broadway singer and actress Lea Salonga will be the featured guest artist on the Choir’s tour to the Philippines.
Lea Salonga is a multiple award-winning actor and singer renowned across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. She is acclaimed for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World Awards in the field of musical theatre.
Many fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Mulan I and Mulan II. Lea served as a judge on the Philippines hit version of “The Voice,” including the ratings juggernaut “The Voice Kids.” An avid techie and gamer, Lea divides her time between Manila, Philippines, with her family and the United States.
One of the songs she sang was Wilberg’s arrangement of Payapang Daigdid (Peaceful World )— a Filipino song that can be considered a counterpart to “Silent Night.” It was the first time Wilberg had arranged a Filipino song.
After Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked during World War II, so was Manila in the Philippines. It was several years later, in 1946, when Felipe Padilla de Leon climbed some the ruins and was inspired by what he saw to write “Payapang Daigdid.”
“It has brought hope and peace to the Filipino people ever since,” Salonga said, wishing those in the audience hope and peace.
Mack Wilberg, music director of the Choir, said he is looking forward to working with her again.
“It was a delight to have Lea Salonga share her extraordinary talents at our Christmas concert last year in Salt Lake City. It is an honor for the Choir to go to Lea’s home country to perform with her and experience the kindness of the Filipino people,” he said.
“Music is a universal language and can transcend cultural and language boundaries,” said Mack Wilberg, the choir’s music director. “We hope our musical message of hope will be felt in the hearts of the Filipino people.”
Both choirs and instrumental musical performances have a long history among the people of the nearly 2,000 inhabited islands of the Philippines. The islands’ indigenous cultures had their own musical styles, and many of those were influenced by Asian and European explorers in the 15th to 18th centuries.
The Church has more than 800,000 members in nearly 1,300 congregations in the country. Those members comprise one of the largest audiences of the choir’s “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast each week, according to the release.
Choir president Leavitt, said, “We are pleased to join with the people of the Philippines. We are confident the choir’s concerts will provide a sense of hope by reflecting God’s love for all His children.”
Representation in the choir
Two Filipinos who already have a close relationship with the choir in a unique way are Ronald B. Baa and Sundae Mae Indino, both from Cagayan de Oro, were selected after a rigorous screening process to join the prestigious choir, under the Tabernacle Choir’s Global Participants Pilot Program, as announced on December 22, 2022.
The Tabernacle Choir has recently broadened its mission to reach a global audience. Previously, members of the choir were made up of Church members residing in and around Salt Lake City. This new direction of finding international participants provides an opportunity for the choir to be more diverse and have global representation.
Along with their top-notch vocal ability, the international participants were required to demonstrate proficiency in music theory and English during a rigorous Four-Phase Audition Process.
Ronald and Sundae Mae performed with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during the 193rd Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City in April 2023, alongside other members selected from different countries. Their inclusion in the choir has added another layer of diversity, adding to the already rich tapestry of the choir’s membership.
As Sundae Mae said, “God qualifies us for our callings because He knows we have the ability and that He will add to it if we commit to our part. Music knows no boundaries. I know that we will be part of a choir that will touch the hearts of people during the conferences.”
In April, Baa said in a Church News podcast that his participation in the choir rekindled the desire of some friends to participate in general conference.
“When they found out that I’ll be singing with the Tabernacle Choir, they are excited and they said that, ‘I think it’s about time to watch the general conference,’” he said. “… So they’re very excited. I also have friends who are not members of the Church who are also excited to watch the April general conference. So this program would really make a great impact.”
The choir’s visit to the Philippines will likely expose many individuals who are unfamiliar with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to its teachings, just like it will its music.
In the same podcast, Indino said, “The Church is really a church for everyone. And the gospel is for everyone, just like what Jesus Christ wants.”
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