Pinoy children’s choir donates P500,000 to 4 RP students

JEDDAH – Following their highly regarded concert in this Saudi Arabian city, a Filipino children’s choir is donating proceeds of almost half a million pesos to finance the college education of four students in the Philippines. The 65-member group, Serenata Children's Choir and String Chamber Orchestra, has 45 members aged eight to 16 who are children of overseas Filipino workers in the Kingdom. The children are also students of different Philippine schools in Jeddah. This is the second time that the choral group is sponsoring students from the Philippines through the concert’s proceeds, which this year amounted to US$10,000, or over P460,000. The group’s performance last week at the American International School stunned an audience of about a thousand, including diplomats and expatriates of different nationalities and diplomats. The three-hour concert was divided into two categories, the first one involving mostly classical and Latin music like Music of Life, Jubilate Deo, Panis Angelicus, Firefly, Dreams that Children Dream, and Seasons of Love.

The second part continued with more high-spirited songs from Disney and other memorable songs, such as Blue Suede Shoes, When I Fall in Love and Please Mr. Postman. The Serenata String Chamber Orchestra further serenaded the audience with their collection of well-loved local and foreign songs arranged for medley. The concert ended with the songs You’ll Never Walk Alone and I Believe. Filipino community leader Edgar Mendoza commended the children not only for their talents but more so for their continuing efforts to extend assistance to their fellow Filipinos. ‘These kids are amazing, I’m very proud of them," he said. Diplomats among the audience were also impressed with the Filipino performers. “It’s the third year that I’ve watched SERENATA and I’m really happy to be here, I really love them. I’m very happy that the American School is supporting this program for the third year," said US Consul General Martin Quinn. The parents of Serenata members also said they were very proud that their children are part of a group that explores and hones their talents, while at the same time extends assistance their home country. Apart from the two batches of college scholars, the group’s previous concerts have benefited the landslide victims in Southern Leyte, several Philippine primary schools and a Maguindanao-based cooperative of women. Sylvia Delos Santos, musical director of Serenata Children Choir and Serenata thanked the diplomats, sponsors, general audience and the parents of the child singers for their support for the group’s cause. “I hope they continue to do so and be an inspiration to others to journey with us for the next seasons to come," she said. The concert’s sponsors included Pinehill Arabia Food Ltd., Pharmaceutical Solutions Industry Ltd (PSI), Sky Freight Middle East, American International School and the International Philippine School, both in Jeddah. - KBK, GMANews.TV