The Bantayan Fiesta Concert

CEBU, Philippines —  The night of Saturday, June 29, took on a buoyant glow amidst the Bantayan fiesta celebration in honor of Saints Pewter and Paul. The Classic Youth Orchestra (CYO), led by its founder and conductor Reynaldo Abellana, presented a concert “Faith and Arts: A Classic Gift” right at the church itself.

The Saints Peter and Paul Church, built in 1580 by the Augustinians and the oldest outside of Manila, now boasts of a new ceiling painted with scenes conveying theological messages. Dubbed “Dibuho Kisame,” the project is a cooperative endeavor of the local artists and people.  It aims for the faithful to look up and reflect on.

The “Faith and Arts” event lent double significance to the town fiesta. It showed unity in the local community – what music can do when all choirs of Bantayan sing together as One Voice for the glory of the Almighty. It also brought to public attention the completed “Dibuho Kisame” project as a form of visual catechism.

The night affair was a rare gathering of talents. It featured internationally acclaimed concert pianist Dr. Ingrid Sala Santamaria, The Cebu Youth Orchestra, the Bantayan Island Grand Choir and Classic Youth Orchestra, the Bantayan Classic Guitarists, Bantayan’s singing parish priest Rev. Fr. Joselito “Joy” Danao, the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Youth Coordinating Council Bantayan, with guest conductors Prof. Naila Beltran, Adrian Keith Rubio, and Simon Cereno.

The Bantayan Island Grand Choir consisted of Saints Peter and Paul Parish Choir (Adrian Keith Rubio conductor);  the Immaculate Conception Parish Choir (Benedicto Yangao, conductor); the Saint Francis de Assissi Parish Choir of Pili, Madridejos (Adrian Keith Rubio, guest conductor); the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Choir of  Tangkong, Bantayan (Mar Chito Escarro, conductor); San Vicente Parish Choir of Campinganon, Bantayan (Christian Yangao, conductor) ; the San Isidro Labrador Parish Choir of Doong, Bantayan (Elvin Batuigas, conductor) ; the Cebu Youth Orchestra Parents Choir  (Nathalie Rose Colimbo, conductor) and AAC Parents Choir (Neil Ray Moralde, conductor).  The Cebu Youth Orchestra was conducted by Prof. Rey Abellana.