The Culture and Arts Office (CAO) boasts a plethora of student interest groups full of incredible Lasallian talent. Among them is the Music Division, composed of the De La Salle University Chorale (Chorale), De La Salle Innersoul (Innersoul), and Lasallian Youth Orchestra (LYO). These groups bring together Lasallians in their love for music and the performing arts. Last July 12, they unified for the finale show of the inaugural Night of the Arts: A Music Division Festival to celebrate their skills and efforts.
The show commenced with all the music groups proudly showing off their talents in a rendition of Ryan Cayabyab’s Hibang sa Awit, setting the tone to highlight the National Artist’s contributions to Philippine music. The arrangement delivered a melody of musical madness; the LYO’s jazz ensemble smoothened the way for Innersoul’s velvety vocals to serenade the audience, while the Chorale’s full chorus underscored the bass and soprano notes of the piece.
Dressed to the nines—Innersoul in sparkling white evening wear, the Chorale adorned with pearls and emerald Philippine formal wear, and LYO in sleek classic black—the CAO’s Music Division welcomed the audience to a night for the books.
The world’s a stage
Following the opening song, the Chorale soon commanded the stage with an impassioned Les Misérables medley, arranged and conducted by student conductor Ethan James Mangahas. From the heated exchange of Valjean and Javert’s The Confrontation, to the rebellious jovial atmosphere in Master of the House, their performance leaned into the theatrics of the musical. The piece built up to a final chorus and channeled the spirit of hope and freedom in the Epilogue and One Day More, a fitting end to the revolutionary medley.
LYO let the music speak for itself as they slowed down the tempo with instrumentals of several Bruno Mars hits. The brass and percussion section particularly shined in Leave the Door Open and After Last Night, channeling the original tracks’ suave retro croon. A well-timed hit of the cymbals transitioned the medley into APT., introducing the electric guitar as the woodwinds and strings section sang the melody. To round out the piece, the orchestra finished with a classical version of Die with a Smile, bringing back the saxophones for a final note of jazz.
Innersoul then returned to rock the stage with their performance of Somebody to Love by Queen. The orchestral arrangement of the song provided an elegant backdrop for the unique character of their voices to shine, highlighting their perfect blending and harmony. Once LYO left backstage, they also sang Paraiso, their stand-alone ensemble of the night. The instrumental reminisced Smokey Mountain’s original studio version, emulating the sound of 90’s OPM and videoke staples.
A songbird’s melody
Soon after, Innersoul’s Natassia Valerio and the Chorale’s Sean Patrick Tejada teamed up to duet Stephen Herty’s At the Beginning, famous from the soundtrack of Anastasia. As Valerio exited, the rest of the Chorale joined Tejada for an acapella rendition of APO Hiking Society’s Awit ng Barkada. Without backing instrumentals, the layered arrangement of soprano and bass sections proved depth in their seamless, refined harmony.
LYO and Innersoul rejoined Chorale on stage for Cayabyab’s Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika, once more proving his music a great frame to boast the range of Filipino talent. After a short intermission, Innersoul and LYO treated the audience to a dynamic Mamma Mia medley that had everyone singing along to ABBA crowd favorites such as Dancing Queen and I Have a Dream. Chorale’s earnest performance of the Eraserheads’ Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka juxtaposed Innersoul’s energetic piece prior, showing off their unified chorus and impeccable timing.
The Chorale then sang Bridge Over Trouble Water by Paul Simon with a simple piano and violin accompaniment from LYO. Stripped down, each component of the performance truly shined and stood on its own. Every sound was refreshingly clear, leaving it impossible not to appreciate how the sounds blended in a graceful melody, exhibiting the mastery of each performer.
Innersoul followed in these footsteps by singing Samuel Watters’ I Believe with a lone piano accompaniment. Their ballad piece showcased the deep range and spectrum of the vocalists, each one taking hold of the auditorium’s attention—one couldn’t help but flit their eyes to whoever was singing at that moment.
Maestros in the making
In the night’s last stretch, the Chorale and Innersoul presented an impactful acapella version of Let It Be by The Beatles. With the spotlight on their voices, the performance displayed the two music groups’ distinct vocal techniques and shared prowess. Where Innersoul’s wide variety of singers worked well to flaunt powerful riffs and runs, the Chorale’s ensemble both grounded the music in bass notes and soared to the sky with their angelic falsettos.
LYO once more returned onstage for the finale, now accompanied by each of the group’s trainers: Cyro Bon Cloui Moral, Jose Emmanuel Aquino, and Frenvee Andra. Together, they sang Cayabyab’s O Bayan Ko—not only as an ode to the country, but also a testament to the excellence of Filipino musicians. The blinding smiles of the students on stage flashed as they heard their mentors sing on stage with them, an honor they don’t get to share often.
With an encore of Les Misérables’ Epilogue, the organizers thanked their patrons and sponsors for their continued support. The Night of the Arts was a monumental festival of the Music Division’s accomplishments and how CAO has continued to cultivate Lasallian talent. As the groups keep the rhythm alive, they hope to inspire more people to appreciate the performing arts in any way they can.
