THE UST Singers shared the stage with other musicians in “Christmas Concert at The Pen,” a beneficiary concert for typhoon “Yolanda” victims held last Dec. 8 at the Peninsula Manila.
The concert’s proceeds will support the educational and livelihood projects of families living in The Peninsula-Gawad Kalinga (GK) Village in Tanauan, Leyte, who were victims of typhoon “Yolanda,” which took the lives of 6,340 people in November 2018.
“This is the ninth time the UST singers joined the Christmas tradition of the Manila Peninsula,” UST Singers conductor Fidel Calalang Jr. told Varsitarian.
The concert, directed by Freddie Santos, featured several movie soundtracks in its first half.
Under the baton of conductor Maestro Ruggero Barbieri, the UST Singers and Philharmonic Orchestra performed a medley of Swedish composer Benny Anderson’s songs from Mamma Mia, arranged by Gary Fry.
The UST Singers also performed Naldy Rodriguez’s arrangement of “Ode to Joy” by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, from the film “Copying Beethoven.”
In the second half, the Philharmonic Orchestra and UST singers performed a medley of Christmas carols.
The groups’ performances included Ryan Cayabyab’s “Heto Na Naman,” Cayabyab’s arrangements of “Namamasko” by Ruben Tagalog and Levi Celerio and “Kamapana ng Simabahan” by Juan Silos Jr., and Andrea Brignoli’s arrangement of American composers Edward Pola and George Wyle’s “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
“It’s a special event. We are so happy and honored that we are always invited to take part in this event with the Philharmonic orchestra,” Calalang added.
Other singers and musicians who participated were Gerphil Flores, Miguel Lobato, Alfonso Bolipata, Brigitte van Hagen and Alexa Kaufman.
The Peninsula Manila’s “Christmas Concert at the Pen” marked its 36th year.
