Saturday, April 30, 2016

Recap of Our WORLD VOICE DAY Concert 2016 with VIVA VOCE

April 30, 2016

April 16 is World Voice Day (WVD). Every year, the Dept. of ENT-HNS along with the Voice and Swallowing Center in my institution join colleagues the world over to celebrate this advocacy. WVD reminds us about the importance of our voices in our daily lives. We should strive to acquire and maintain good voice habits in order to preserve this vital vehicle of self-expression, communication and occupation. Like before we had a free throat endoscopy mission and a lay forum about voice care.




As with previous years, a WVD celebration is not complete without a musical presentation. This year, we have invited a classical singing ensemble called VIVA VOCE to be our main guest. We had already invited Viva Voce before in previous WVD celebrations for mini-concerts at the lobby of St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City during the lunch hour. This year however, the concert will be held at the Henry Sy Sr. Auditorium of St. Luke's Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City at evening primetime.

Viva Voce had its beginnings as a summer voice camp in 2010 whose faculty was headed by Camille Lopez-Molina, who remains to be the group's musical director up to now. The members are young classical singers from schools of music from various colleges and universities around the metro, including UP, UST, PWU and St. Scholastica. Aside from concerts and recitals, Viva Voce also participates in various theater productions by Dulaang UP and PETA to name a few.


Carlo Manalac and Anna Dinnah Migallos

With Ms. Molina at the piano, the concert proper began seriously with four Italian operatic arias by Donizetti, Mozart and Puccini, done as an ensemble or solos by selected members. Roxy Aldiosa, a soprano, sang "Alto's Lament" by Marvin Hamlisch. There was also a duet by Anna Migallos and Carlo Angelo Falcis entitled "Love Unspoken" from "The Merry Widow" by Franz Lehar, which ended with a real kiss on the lips! They ended the first half with a group version of "Climb Every Mountain" (from "The Sound of Music")



Dr. Tomas Mendez and his showstopper in the middle of the First Half

Some doctors were also invited to share their singing talent in this concert. Junior ENT resident Dr. Tomas Mendez regaled the audience with a strong rendition of Puccini's showstopping aria for tenors "Nessun Dorma" (from "Turandot"). Cardiology consultant Dr. Rodney Jimenez was as smooth as ever with his rendition of "What I Did for Love" (from "The Chorus Line"). Neurology resident and "I Love OPM" shoo-in winner Dr. Fran Efendy channeled Josh Groban with "To Where You Are". (VIDEO)

Carlo Angelo Falcis and Myramae Meneses
Raymond Yadao and Glenda Liao

After the 20-minute intermission, Viva Voce changed from their formal wear in the first half into more casual wear for the second half. The first few songs of the second half were Filipino songs. The set started with "Maalaala Mo Kaya" by Constancio de Guzman sung by the ensemble. There was a duet by Glenda Liao and Raymond Yadao of "Makikiliti Kang Totoo" (from "Walang Sugat" by Severino Reyes), as well as a medley of Tagalog folk songs entitled "Halina't Magsaya."

There were also two songs which featured the silken soprano voice of Ms. Myramae Meneses. I believe she is the most well-known soprano from Viva Voce, having already played the lead role of Maria Clara in both the Dulaang UP and the Resorts World staging of "Noli Me Tangere the Opera", as well as in "Kanser @35" by Gantimpala Theater. Her first solo was traditional folk song "Leron Leron Sinta", followed by Manuel Velez's "Sa Kabukiran" (as a duet with Iona Ventocilla). 


Roby Malubay and Roxy Aldiosa
Mark Bautista and Iona Ventocilla

The group then divided according to gender to render the next two songs. First, the boys got together to sing "Drinking Song" (from "The Student Prince" by Sigmund Romberg. Then the girls took their turn to sing "Comes the Broken Flower" (from "Trial by Jury" by Arthur Sullivan). They all joined up again to sing a medley of the most familiar songs from "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The final three songs of the main set were from the very popular Claude Michel Schonberg musical "Les Miserables." Baritone Yadao first sang his version of "Stars", then tenor Falcis sang "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," both of which just so happened to be my favorite songs from the show (-- you bet I was singing along, haha!). The grand finale of course is "One More Day" (VIDEO), after which everyone took their bows. Upon cries for more from the audience, Viva Voce obliged and sang a Filipino pop classic "Nais Ko" (VIDEO) as their encore before taking their final bows for real.


The Ensemble sing their Encore Song


19 comments:

  1. Oh wow that would've been absolutely amazing to watch and hear live. Climb Ev'ry Mountain used to be one of my favourite songs :) Thanks for the post

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  2. What a beautiful and varied song list. Didnt know wvd exsisted. I used to lose my voice on a regular basis, so its good to hear that Ent docs came as many people arent aware how to breathe/utilise their voice properly from within.

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  3. It's always nice to see institutions arrange programs as lovely as this. It's a great way to make working relationships grow stronger as well as to showcase different talents! Amazing show!

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  4. I don't think I know any of those songs other than "Maalaala Mo Kaya". In any case, watching their performance will be a great way to relieve stress especially for those who appreciate music and consider it as an art in itself.

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  5. How have I never heard of World Voice Day before?! This seems like something I would love to see. I love the mission of this program. Thank you for sharing!

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  6. They are so amazing! I never thought doctors had time for extracurriculars like this one, let alone a fund raising one!

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  7. This sounds (no pun intended) like a very worthy cause. It's also apt to our current events in our country because a few days ago we let our voice, figuratively, heard. May the World Voice Day activities continue for the succeeding years.

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  8. This would be the perfect concert for the classical music lover. It looks like everybody was treated to a wonderful night of music.

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  9. Without doubt it is a great concert for music lover.

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  10. I never knew there was a World Voice Day! Thanks for enlightening me... Anything to do with ENT interests me, because the only troublesome part of my otherwise relatively healthy body is my ENT! The issue is that the problem isn't a 'problem', but more of an 'annoyance' when I keep having common cold and ear pain!!!

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  11. I didn't know that this exists in the country. Glad that you celebrate world voice day too. I am sure this is a must see concert.

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  12. This is something new and interesting to learn - World voice day! It is a.superb thought and.hope it will help people.

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  13. This reminds me of my choir days in high school! This must have been such a nice event :)

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  14. I didn't know about it at all. World Voice Day is something that will remind me to value my voice and use it for right purpose. The event that you have featured looks pretty nice.

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  15. This must have been one amazing event. I would have loved to attend. Having doctor perform as well? WOW! Performing surgery during the day and singing at night, what an experience that must have been.

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  16. Wow! I love the concept of such a concert. I hipe you enjoyed the event.

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  17. Oh I didn't know events like this can be held at St. Luke's Global. I was there for a baby/mommy fair. That big room must've been filled with amazing voices!

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  18. Such a grand and inspiring event. Thanks for sharing Dr. Tomas Mendez rendition of Puccini's video. Its amazing.

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  19. Thanks for sharing these photos from your world voice day concert. I am glad that the event had a huge success. I also attended a world voice day event at domestic event venue Chicago and truly had wonderful experience.

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