Serenata (choir)

Last updated
Serenata
Serenata concert.jpg
Serenata, during its first concert held March 3, 2006. [1]
Background information
Origin Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Years active2005–present
Serenata during a performance at the International Philippine School in Jeddah. SERENATA December Performance.JPG
Serenata during a performance at the International Philippine School in Jeddah.

Serenata is a Philippine children's choir in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Contents

History

Serenata was founded in 2005 through the pioneering efforts of Sylvia de los Santos, Desil Manapat and Louis Bautista. [2] It was accredited by the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah on August 25, 2005.

First season

Serenata held its major concert on March 3, 2006, in the SaudiGerman Hospital Auditorium, also located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Second season

The auditions for the second season of Serenata were held at the Sunrise International School on July 13 and July 21, 2006. Some of the 45 children who were members from the first season were retained based on the criteria by de los Santos. The organization also gained a new chairperson, Joey Samonte, after Manapat left for Canada. New members also joined. [2] [3]

Serenata became a mix of old and new members, including 37 girls and 4 boys coming from various Philippine and International Schools in Jeddah. Season 2 debuted during the Asian Festival held on October 27, 2006, at the International Indian School Jeddah, before Asian dignitaries and a crowd of Filipino and foreign audiences. The festival was organized by the Asia Consuls General Club (ACGC) with the support of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On November 16, 2006, Serenata opened the Cultural Festival of the Al-Hekma International School in Jeddah.

Serenata joined a host of Filipino organizations in Jeddah by celebrating the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Month on December 7, 2006. It concluded the evening-long program with "Harana: Alay ng Serenata", a free mini-concert dedicated to the Overseas Filipino Workers under the care of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah.

On January 25, 2007, Serenata guested at the awarding ceremonies of the Jeddah Schools Olympics held at UMEA Sports Complex, upon the invitation of Sunrise International School, the host of the Olympics. Two days later, the choir sang at the Saudi German Hospital Auditorium in a tribute organized by the Filipino Community of Saudi German Hospital in honor of Dr. Mohammed Fahim Mousa.

On February 8, 2007, Serenata performed at the Music and Arts Festival of GEMS International School. They closed the 2nd season with its major concert, "Reachin' Out", on March 16, 2007. It was a charity concert designed to provide financial and material assistance to poor/disadvantaged schools in the Philippines. The concert is likewise Serenata's official activity-entry to the Philippine Arts Festival 2007 organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, in line with the observance of the National Arts Month in February 2007 as declared by the Philippines’ National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Composition of the choir

The choir is usually composed of 45 Filipino children. These children study in different schools in Jeddah. They were chosen during the auditions. [2] [4]

Performances

Concerts

Its first major performance was its concert in the Saudi German Hospital Auditorium, last March 3, 2006. The concert was conducted by Mrs. de los Santos. The concert's choreographer was Ms. Reneegrace Villarosa-Divina. The concert's beneficiary was for the landslide victims in Leyte last 2005. Serenata was able to raise 100,000 pesos for the beneficiary. The major sponsor of the concert was KAB Holding of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The second major concert was held at the Al Waha Hotel Ballroom in Jeddah on March 16, 2007. Under the musical direction of Ms. Sylvia delos Santos and directed by Ms. Reneegrace Villarosa-Divina. This concert benefited four schools in the Philippines, namely - M. Casho Elementary School (San Jose del Carmen. Talisay, Camarines Norte, Philippines), Cantuyoc Elementary School (Cantuyoc, Jagna, Bohol, Philippines), Linantangan Elementary School (Mamasapano, Maguindanao) and Jamaitu Dhikra Al-Islamia School (Marawi City, Philippines).

Other performances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeddah</span> City in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda, is a port city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and the country's commerciaI center. It is not known when Jeddah was founded, but Jeddah's prominence grew in 647 when the Caliph Uthman made it a travel hub serving Muslim travelers going for IsIamic pilgrimage to the hoIy city of Mecca. Since those times, Jeddah has served as the gateway for millions of pilgrims who have arrived in Saudi Arabia, traditionally by sea and recently by air.

The music of the Philippines includes the musical performance arts in the Philippines and the music of Filipinos composed in various local and international genres and styles. Philippine musical compositions are often a mixture of indigenous styles, and various Asian styles, as well as Spanish/Latin American and (US) American influences through foreign rule from those countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Balad, Jeddah</span> Historical place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Al-Balad is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia. Balad can literally be translated as "The Town." Balad is the historic center of the City of Jeddah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dar Al-Hekma University</span>

Dar Al-Hekma University is a private, non-profit institution of higher education in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Classes are taught in English. The University started in September 1999, with the approval of the Saudi Ministry of Education. It received the university status in January 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in Saudi Arabia</span> Overview of education in Saudi Arabia

Public education—from primary education through college—is open to every Saudi citizen. The second largest governmental spending in Saudi Arabia goes for education. Saudi Arabia spends 8.8% of its gross domestic product on education, which is nearly double the global average of 4.6%. Islamic studies are part of the education system alongside scientific and social studies that vary from educational institution to another.

Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) is a forum held annually since 1999 during winter in the city of Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia. It has become the region's Middle East strategic think tank focusing on regional and international economic and social issues. The Jeddah Economic Forum is organized by the Jeddah Marketing Board, which is a part of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maggie Wilson</span> Filipino-British beauty queen, TV personality, actress, model and entrepreneur

Margaret Nales Wilson, known as Maggie Wilson, is a Filipino-British beauty queen, TV personality, actress, model and entrepreneur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Saudi Arabia</span>

Saudi Arabia is the second biggest tourist destination in the Middle East with over 16 million visiting in 2017. Although most tourism in Saudi Arabia still largely involves religious pilgrimages, there is growth in the leisure tourism sector. As the tourism sector has been largely boosted lately, the sector is expected to be the white oil for Saudi Arabia. This is proved as tourism sector is expected to generate $25 billion in 2019. Potential tourist areas include the Hijaz and Sarawat Mountains, Red Sea diving and a number of ancient ruins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filipinos in Saudi Arabia</span>

Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are migrants or descendants of the Philippines who live in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is currently the largest employer of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and has the largest Filipino population in the Middle East. Filipinos make up the fourth-largest group of foreigners in Saudi Arabia, and are the second-largest source of remittances to the Philippines.

The University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture is the architectural school of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Manila, Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lubna Olayan</span> Saudi business woman (born 1955)

Lubna Suliman al-Olayan is a Saudi business woman and former CEO and Deputy Chairman of Olayan Financing Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukidnon State University Chorale</span> Philippine premier cultural group

The Bukidnon State University Chorale is the premier cultural group of the Bukidnon State University specializing in Bukidnon indigenous music. It is a mixed choir composed of students and employees of the institution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PUPLHS Chorale</span> Major musical group

The PUPLHS Chorale is one of the major performing musical groups based in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. PUPLHS Chorale is the resident choir of the PUP Laboratory High School. Started in 2003, it is now part of a larger group, the PUPLHS Music Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ausaf Sayeed</span> Indian diplomat

Ausaf Sayeed is a retired Indian diplomat, belonging to Indian Foreign Service of 1989 batch. He served as the Secretary from March 2022 to September 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Philippine School in Jeddah</span> School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

International Philippine School in Jeddah is a Philippine international school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It serves levels pre-elementary through senior high school. As of 2005 it had over 1,000 students, making it the world's largest Philippine international school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Mohanna Al Abdali</span> Saudi Arabian artist

Sarah Mohanna Al Abdali is a Saudi Arabian artist, who is considered one of the country's first street artists. Her work combines Saudi and Arab cultural motifs and aims to provoke debate.

The Non–Muslim Cemetery is a cemetery in Jeddah in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. It is located on the King Fahd Branch Road, in Jeddah's Al-Balad district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imelda Panolong</span> Filipina career diplomat

Imelda Macapundag Panolong is a Filipina career diplomat who is the current Ambassador of the Philippines to Oman. She is the first Muslim woman in the Philippine diplomatic corps to be promoted to the rank of Career Minister and later, Chief of Mission, Class II and also the first female Muslim ambassador of the Philippines. Before becoming ambassador, she served as the consul general of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and has completed tours of duty in Pakistan, Bahrain, Canada, Indonesia and the United States.

References

  1. Arab News (2006-03-01). "Jeddah's First Children's Choir All Set for Breakout Concert".
  2. 1 2 3 "Serenata: More than music". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  3. Arab News (2006-07-13). "Audition for Jeddah's Serenata Season 2 Begins".
  4. Arab News (2005-08-11). "Audition for Children's Choir in Jeddah Begins Tomorrow".
  5. Saudi Gazette (2-22-2012) "Serenata's seventh season a shining success". Archived from the original on 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  6. Saudi Gazette (2-22-2012) "Music makes dreams come true". Archived from the original on 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  7. Saudi Gazette (2-26-2013) "For Serenata, eight's the best yet". Archived from the original on 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  8. ""Serenata", famed Filipino-led choral and string ensemble in Jeddah successfully stages 14th concert season". Philippine Consulate General, Jeddah. Retrieved 16 June 2020.