By Kristian Escoto
Who would have thought we’d hear traditional Filipino Kundiman music at a hockey game?
Local Filipino choir Musica lent their beautiful talents for the Winnipeg Jets’ inaugural Filipino Heritage Night this past November at the Canada Life Centre.
Originally a musical event in 2019, Musica has evolved from seven individual performers singing Philippine Arts songs for the newly-established Filipino Heritage Month across Canada in June to an entire 24-member choral group making strides in the local music scene.
“The show [musica] was unique since it differs from typical pop music-centred events or karaoke,” said Dante Aviso, the founder of Musica. A refined, classical event solely focused on kundiman that we’ve never seen done anywhere in Canada at this scale.”
Kundiman is a traditional Filipino folk music genre derived from the phrase “kung hindi man,” which translates to “if it were not so.” Masqueraded and disguised as love songs, Kundiman music was initially written to express one’s patriotic love for one’s country during the Spanish and American occupation of the Philippines.
After their successful performance at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s Community Celebrations concert on October 1st, they were tapped by True North Sports & Entertainment for the honour of singing the Canadian and American national anthems for the Filipino Heritage Night.
“We were highly excited to have been invited to sing for this special night. After they heard our demo tape and received the official news, we recruited more singers to do the anthem justice and produce a bigger sound,” said Dante.
Aside from the national anthems, the ensemble performed Ryan Cayabyab’s Kay Ganda Nang Ating Musika and Bayan Ko, which replaced the Philippine national anthem on the morning of the performance after further discussions with the Philippine Consulate General.
“This left us in a predicament, but we had to regroup and learn another song called Bayan Ko at the Canada Life Centre. Some new singers have never sung or even heard the song, so they had to learn the split harmonies quickly. Despite this hiccup, we performed with much love and pride for our heritage and the community.”
Members of Musica come from a diverse range of professions and backgrounds, from full-time university students, nurses, and dentists, to IT professionals and real estate agents. However, what bonded them together was their love for singing and advocacy for traditional Filipino music.
“We aim to continue promoting this music to various audiences and communities. We have exciting things for 2023, including a potential concert with the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,” Dante shared with glee.
