SU Church Centennial celebration presents Choral festival

AS PART OF the highlights of SU Church Centennial celebration, the Manila Concert Choir, along with the other choirs and singing families, performed in the Choral Festival last Aug. 28 at the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium.

The Choral Festival, entitled “Glorious Everlasting,” aims to entertain everyone by celebrating church music.

Founded in 1951, the Manila Concert Choir has performed with various Filipino artists such as Rey Valera and Gary Granada. It is currently headed by the Secretary of the Department of Education, Leonor Magtolis Briones. Their conductors are Rachel Visaya and Paul Locke Torres.

The present members of the Manila Concert Choir span a wide range of professions like doctors, businessmen, government officials, musicians, housewives, and students.

Before the final performance, they presented the ”A Mighty Fortress is our God”, “You Raise Me Up”, “How Great Though Art”, “When You Believe”, and “Glorious Everlasting.”

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) Family Choir also shared their voices by performing “I am”, “Hallelujah”, “List! The Cherubic Host”, and “Symphony of Praise.”

The UCCP CDO Family Choir is composed of family members. It was originally composed of four families, but has grown to as many as 35 families at one time. Mr. Paul F. Salipong was the conductor.

The SU Covenant Choir also took part in the choral festival. They sung “Kumba Yah“, “I Walk Today Where Jesus Walked”, and “Song of Exaltation.”

The SU covenant choir is under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Susan Vista-Suarez. It has almost 70 members with students from the College of Performing and Visual Arts and members of the community.

Two singing families, the Quizo Family Quintet (QFQ) and the Fuertes Family Faith Singers also participated in the festival.

All Choirs presented “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” and “Lift up the Lamb” for the Finale of the festival.

“Very entertaining… they sang heart-lifting songs , so all of us, my daughter, my wife really enjoyed the event and the show and we are so very happy….,”Mr. Roberto W. Suzon, Business Development Supervisor, and one of the audience, said.

Suzon added, “My son is part of the covenant choir, I was so happy because, instead of indulging in other activities, he was so preoccupied with this.”

Suzon pointed out that the performance was all about unity and being a family.