PASAY CITY – Angelic voices filled the Mall of Asia Arena last February 28.

Spreading the message of hope through music, the world-renowned, Emmy and Grammy-winning group The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, serenaded the Filipino audience. This rare opportunity marked the second stop on the choir’s “World Tour of Hope” and their first-ever visit to the Philippines.

“Our goal is to magnify the choir’s impact throughout the world by helping people feel God’s love for His children,” said Choir President Michael Leavitt.

The choir is known worldwide for its one-of-a-kind signature sound created by 420 volunteer voices and is led by renowned composer and director Mack Wilberg. It is accompanied by the all-volunteer Orchestra at Temple Square, a symphony orchestra organized in 1999 with a roster of over 200 instrumentalists. Together, they are heard by millions worldwide through television, radio, satellite and internet broadcasts, concert tours, and recordings. 

United by their faith and shared love of music, the choir and the orchestra serve as musical ambassadors for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Since its first tour to Chicago in 1893, the choir has traveled extensively across the United States and abroad. It has also performed at the inaugurations of seven U.S. presidents. With the Utah Symphony, the Tabernacle Choir performed for over 3.5 billion people during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Filipino member

Leo Marcelo, 46, of Quezon City, who sings first tenor is the only Filipino native member in the current roster of choir members. A few others have Filipino ties.

Marcelo recounted how difficult the audition process was, “The audition was a seven-month process. The second phase of the audition was a written test in music theory.”

He also had to attend choir school for intensive training. He said choir rehearsals are grueling, “You have to come prepared. No advance copies are given, you should be able to read music on the spot. It’s a continuous learning process for me.”

Marcelo is proud to be Filipino and to be blessed with the rare opportunity to be part of the highly-esteemed choir.

Lea Salonga 

The “Himig ng Pag-asa” concert in the Philippines was graced by acclaimed Tony-winning broadway singer Lea Salonga who sang “The Story Goes On”, a song about motherhood and “Hahanapin Ko”, a song about the sense of longing in goodbyes that perfectly depicts the emotional journey of Overseas Filipino Workers. 

The choir performed a repertoire that reflected, in part, the musicality of the Philippines. The choir also sang songs close to the Filipino heart, like Yeng Constantino’s “Hawak Kamay” and “Bahay Kubo”.

Salonga had previously performed with the Tabernacle Choir in December 2022 during the Season of Light: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

Musical Director Wilberg expressed his delight in working with Lea again, “It was a delight to have Lea Salonga share her extraordinary talents at our Christmas concert last year in Salt Lake City. It was an honor for the choir to perform with her again in her home country and experience the kindness of the Filipino people.”

Other guests

In addition to Lea as a guest artist, Ysabelle Cuevas, a celebrated singer-songwriter from the Philippines, also joined the choir in their performances. Ysabelle’s original song “Daunted,” released through Warner Music Philippines in 2018, had marked a significant milestone in her career, resonating with fans across East Asia and North America. Her passion for cultural connections extended beyond her original work, gaining worldwide acclaim for her covers and translations of Korean songs into Filipino and English.

The Choir was further joined by husband and wife duo, Paolo Abrera and Suzie Entrata-Abrera, who acted as narrators during the performances. Suzie and Paolo, both TV personalities and news anchors, added an extra layer of engagement to the events.

Over the following four years, the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra are set to travel twice a year to different parts of the world, spreading the message of faith and hope.

About the Author

F Aguilar is a seasoned storyteller with over 18 years of experience across diverse media landscapes. His journey spans print, television, radio, web, corporate communications, public relations and the academe. Read more of his articles here.