by Ione Cueto
The May 11, 2025 free concert marked the end of the Dagyaw ng Himig: Beyond Notes 2025 Choral Festival at the St. Teresa of Calcutta Chapel-Galleria South in San Pedro, Laguna.
The free concert held by the Himig Sanghaya Chorale (HSC) was part of the Beyond Notes Program (BNP) established back in 2004. This year’s BNP was launched last April 26 and the 2025 program beneficiary is BMS Biñan Mini CareHome for Stray Animals.
Together will Himig Sanghaya Chorale, all participating choirs showcase what they have learned from the Beyond Notes 2025 workshops during the Dagyaw ng Himig: Beyond Notes 2025 Choral Festival free concert held at St. Teresa of Calcutta Chapel-Galleria South in San Pedro, Laguna (Photo taken by ICueto)
BNP aims to strengthen the power of music in Laguna by encouraging, training, and featuring choirs from all over the province through choral festivals that include a conductor’s workshop and choral clinic sessions.
According to Josua Cruz, the BNP program head, the April 26 BNP launch involved sessions on the art of accompaniment taught by Noel Dela Rosa, “pianist and the Music Director of the Fairview Park United Methodist Church” and was held at Casa del Niño Montessori and Science High School.
A choral workshop was also led by Dr. Joel Navarro, “a distinguished Filipino choral conductor, educator, composer, and music scholar whose work has profoundly influenced the choral landscape in the Philippines and beyond” at the St. Teresa of Calcutta Chapel-Galleria South.
Last May 3, Toma Cayabyab, “an accomplished conductor, arranger, performer, and educator dedicated to championing Filipino music” facilitated the conducting workshop.
The May 11 free concert served as the festival finale where the participating choirs showcased their learnings from the BNP workshops.
This year’s participating choirs included the Friends of Sto. Nino Choir of San Pedro Apostol Parish, and the resident choirs of the Shrine of Jesus in the Holy Sepulchre, Landayan, Virgo Maria Vocal Ensemble (VMVE), and Koro San Miguel.
This is the first year that BNP offered its activities free of charge, including the concert. Cruz shared that to support the BMS Biñan Mini CareHome for Stray Animals, the BNP participants and observers were highly encouraged to extend financial and/or in-kind support such as pet necessities including food and medicine to the shelter.
The shelter opened in October 2011 and has since been providing a home for stray dogs and cats. Despite the financial struggles, the shelter continues to provide services to approximately 130 animals. Cruz explained that their hearts went out to the shelter and they wanted to extend their help to the vulnerable, abandoned, voiceless, and homeless. He added that supporting a shelter that has pure compassion and efforts felt like the right thing to do.
Cruz added that one of their toughest moments for this year’s BNP was when they lost a venue for their workshop an hour before it started due to a fire incident. He stated that this type of situation required him to think and act fast. He extended his gratitude to his HSC choirmates and friends for helping him, given that it was his first time handling a huge event.
The HSC is a community choir and one of the official choirs of San Pedro. Cruz explained that the group believes music uplifts as it builds skills, inspires craftsmanship, and creates a safe space for people to grow individually and as a community. They aim that through music, they can nurture not just talent, but compassion as well. Furthermore, he stated that what defines HSC is the heart they have behind every effort, ensuring that they don’t just sing, they aim to give, serve, and grow as one.
HSC was formed by high school students back in 1998, who wanted to learn through the guidance of their conductor and president of the executive committee, Katherine Trangco. Over time, they opened their group to other schools and interested singers around and near Laguna.
Alyana Boquiren, a 25-year-old who participated in the choral workshop under the Friends of Sto. Nino Choir described her learning experience as fruitful because it led their choir to more opportunities. She added that she learned a lot from working with other choirs and claims it as their honor to have participated in this year’s BNP.
From the Virgo Maria Vocal Ensemble, Raiven Escanillas, a 16-year-old choir member, found the experience fun as it was his first time to be in a choir yet participate in a workshop. He shared that it was great to see how the different choirs worked together in harmony to produce a free concert for the community.
While a member of the of the audience, Sheilah Bilan, shared how the event’s significance is giving opportunities and learnings to other choirs, big or small, while also being able to give back to the community by sharing their blessings with others in the community, like the BMS shelter, through their passion and talents.
Robinsons Galeria South, Mother Teresa of Calcutta Chapel, and the Casa Del Nino Schools System were recognized for being their official venue partners. Recognition was also given to Louchie Oblinada, who served as their event’s placement coordinator, as well as Noel Dela Rosa, Dr. Joel Navarro, and Toma Cayabyab who served as resource persons in the workshops.
HSC has more projects lined up for 2025 including a concert for the environment and a musical workshop for choirs in Visayas. Cruz highlighted that it is not always easy, but everyone finds ways. He added that what makes their group special is that they move as one and that they sing not just with skill but with a purpose to help and serve the community.
The program ended at 7pm with the awarding of certificates, as well as Trangco’s message of gratitude. Seth Ongtan, the representative of the beneficiary group BMS shelter expressed his thanks before the joint finale performance of all participating choirs.