Elegant, lively, and captivating—these were three succinct words to describe the De La Salle Innersoul performance on display during Tatak Lasalyano: A Fundraising Concert, held last November 29 at the Natividad Fajardo-Rosario Gonzalez Auditorium, located at the Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall.
The show featured melodies composed by Lasallian alumni, such as Ogie Alcasid, Gary Valenciano, Kitchie Nadal, Paolo and Miguel Guico of the band Ben&Ben, Louie Ocampo, Dingdong Eduque, and Rannie Raymundo, with the latter four composers having attended the performances personally, in a show of support for their alma mater.
Vincent P. Mallari, director of the concert, conveyed that the musical performance was held in commemoration of the tercentenary death anniversary of St. La Salle. “[The people behind Innersoul] thought of something that we could share and dedicate to Lasallian composers, and we are all into music, so this is it,” he articulated in an interview with The LaSallian.
From the soul
The concert was opened by an Innersoul rendition of Valenciano’s Eto na Naman. Perhaps what was most striking about the performance was that a portion was delivered a cappella, effectively invigorating the audience and setting the general tone of the event.
The rest of the show was anything but predictable. Various song genres, unified by common themes of love and hope, were sung by the different Innersoul members. Throughout the show, none of the performers skipped a beat, with melodies moving fluidly one after the other, intermingling by virtue of vocal ranges and styles working in tandem with one another.
This was most evident in a segment of the show wherein Pagtingin, a song composed by the band Ben&Ben, was performed. All the Innersoul members were in sync with one another, their unity evident in their vocal harmonization and perfectly-timed actions—tied together by their common passion and love for music.
“I always tell the members of the Innersoul that, ‘Since you have the talent, you should share it’,” Mallari affirmed, emphasizing that generosity should be a trait that all Lasallians share. And generous they were indeed that evening; tunes ranging from Ocampo’s amorous and heartfelt Ikaw, to Nadal’s powerful and moving ‘Wag na ‘wag mong sasabihin were beautifully and masterfully rendered, in a display worthy of the organization deemed the premier vocal performers of the University.
Standing ovation
Finally, the concert ended with a rendition of Ogie Alcasid’s Nakakalokal, performed by all the members of Innersoul. It certainly served its purpose of closing the event with great impact, showcasing for one last time the powerful Innersoul vocals and their captivating personalities.
Once the various members of Innersoul were introduced and lauded, there was no chance of silence, as all who were in attendance wildly clapped and whooped for the singers. This moment was made all the more remarkable when Ocampo, Eduque, and Raymundo themselves joined Innersoul onstage for photos and videos during the matinee session. On the composers’ elated faces was pride in the Innersoul members and their performances that evening, echoing the rapturous cheers of the audience.
Given the captivating performances put on display by the Innersoul members, it’s really no wonder that both the matinee and gala showing of Tatak Lasalyano sold out in a short amount of time. Those who missed the show need not worry, however, as the wait will not be long before Innersoul takes to the stage again. As Mallari revealed, “We have a scheduled major show in March where we’re going to feature issues, major [societal] issues, and then we’re going to sing inspirational and motivational uplifting songs.”
So while any future concerts on the organization’s itinerary will likely have an entirely different theme from Tatak Lasalyano, there is no doubt that any outing of theirs will behold yet another jaw-dropping performance from the talents of the De La Salle Innersoul.
