LOS ANGELES—As the 60-member strong Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra (Faso) played pieces from Lucio San Pedro to Levi Celerio last Sunday evening at the historic Pasadena Civic Auditorium, the thought hit us—that something so beautiful, positive and Filipino continues to exist in the US.

When Faso made its historic debut as the first Filipino symphony orchestra outside the Philippines last May 17 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, we frankly had doubts about its continued existence. We were proud of Faso, yes, but our enthusiasm was tempered by the ningas cogon mentality that is responsible for the flash-then-fizzle fate of many Fil-Am projects.

So, to see and listen to the orchestra, led by musical director, Robert “Bob” Shroder, playing in its second concert at a grander venue, the 77-year-old Pasadena Civic Auditorium, was almost like watching a miracle unfold. While many orchestras in the US and around the world are going bankrupt, downsizing or folding up, here’s a Filipino symphony orchestra that bowed during one of the worst economic downturns in history returning to the stage. We’re still reeling from the financial crisis, but last Dec. 6, in the concert titled “Handog ng Faso sa Pasko,” the orchestra was up there in a revered performance hall, bathed in bright lights and playing with brio.

Significance
We almost felt like nudging everyone and saying, do we all realize the significance of this evening; that a huge Fil-Am undertaking like this, is actually happening before our very eyes and ears? What was even more remarkable was that this was a community-based volunteer-member orchestra composed of Fil-Ams of various ages and backgrounds, from students to professionals, who rehearse for a few hours once a week. Most of them, including Bob, hold daytime jobs. Each orchestra member has an interesting story on how he juggles rehearsals and the demands of his daily existence in America. Everyone makes sacrifices to be able to play in the orchestra.

Also worth noting is that Faso is less than two years old, having begun as an idea from a back porch conversation between Asian Journal’s Roger Oriel and Lito Ocampo Cruz. When a question posed by Lito, “Is there a Filipino symphony orchestra in the US?” generated a “No” from Roger, the two, along with a core group composed of Bob, Cora Oriel, Andy Tecson and Angelito Molina, quickly went into action. That was just in May 2008.

The enthusiastic applause that greeted the end of each of Faso’s pieces at the concert was therefore well earned. Running parallel to the group’s growing success is that of soprano, Maria Christina “Kit” Navarro, who was heard by many people for the first time in the orchestra’s debut concert. The audience adored Kit and wondered who she was and where she had been hiding all this time. In her second outing with Faso, Bob generously let the spotlight shine on the supremely talented Kit. The move paid off excellently. Some of the evening’s best numbers came when the soprano and the orchestra performed together: “Queen of the Night,” “O Holy Night” and “Sa Kabukiran.”

We savored the thought that a classical soprano like Kit was vigorously applauded by an audience that went wild when Charice came onstage. But, first, Bob’s sense of humor prevailed. He launched the orchestra into the opening strains of “I Have Nothing,” the Whitney Houston hit that has also become an anthem of sorts for the teenage singing sensation. The crowd got excited. Then, Bob stopped the orchestra and mischievously asked, “Do you want me to sing the song?—Please, say no!” Then, he again launched into the familiar intro of “I Have Nothing”—and, this time, Charice strode onstage.

We have to admit that it was our first time to hear Charice in a live-concert setting. She was a powerful and confident singer. The concert whetted our interest to hear her in a show where she sings her own material.

“The Prayer” has been butchered and sung to death, but since Charice performed it with Christopher “Pete” Avendaño, a tenor who, like Kit, got a well-deserved break in Faso’s maiden concert, we opened our ears. Pete was a good match to Charice’s commanding pipes. The duo moved many in the house to tears.

We are glad that, in Faso’s concerts, talents like Pete and Kit get opportunities to shine. Two promising young singers, Isabella “Bella” Ramos and Joanne Marie Villanueva, also sang a medley of Filipino lullabies (“Sa Ugoy ng Duyan,” “Ili-Ili Tulog Anay”).

Harmony
Another special guest, Joey Albert, sang “Pasko Na, Sinta Ko” and “Kumukutikutitap.” A sentiment heard several times from the audience members was that the concert’s repertoire, especially Joey’s “Pasko Na…,” made them long to go home for the holidays. The music, from Mozart, Handel, Rutter, Felipe Padilla de Leon and Ryan Cayabyab, also inspired a spirit of harmony among the crowd.

Two adult choirs, the Philippine Chamber Singers-Los Angeles (under the artistic direction of Gelo Francisco, who joined Charice in one song and the other vocalists in the finale) and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Choir (with Pete as music director), plus three children’s choirs from Catholic schools, Our Lady of Loretto, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Blessed Sacrament, and one church, Immaculate Heart of Mary, added vocal grandeur to the holiday tunes. The arrangements of those Christmas classics, by Ryan Cayabyab, Louie Ramos and Restie de la Cruz, were acknowledged by Bob.

Talks are now underway for a third concert. For an orchestra that began as a simple idea hatched in a back porch conversation, Faso is doing spectacularly well, indeed.

(L-R) Onstage are Bishop Oscar Solis, ConGen MaryJo Bernardo Aragon, Carol Yam, Joey Albert, Mom Raquel, Charice, Roger Oriel, Kit Navarro, Cora Oriel, Joanne Villanueva, Connie Henry, and Lito Ocampo Cruz. (AJPress Photos by Joe Cobilla and Benny Uy)

By Ruben V. Nepales, Philippine Daily Inquirer

E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com, and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.

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FASO: A symphony for love of country, Asian Journal, published Dec 8, 2009

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