MN, The Hague, Oct. 20  - The Loboc (Bohol) Children’s Choir was presented in concerts held in three cities in the Netherlands, namely The Hague, Hoofddorp and Venlo this October. Since September this year the choir has performed in Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy.



Recently arrived Ambassador Lourdes G. Morales spoke before the start of the concert which was held at the church of Our Saviour in The Hague on the 20^th of the month. Fr. Sjaak de Boer welcomed the attendees to his parish church.





Loboc choir’s first concert in the Netherlands was in 2003. The same year it won two prizes in Barcelona, Spain competition, the Grand Prize in the 6^th International Folksongs Festival and First Prize in the Youth Category. It will compete again next month in Tolosa, Spain.

Maestra Alma Fernando-Taldo, a Grade V teacher at the Loboc Central Elementary School started the Loboc Children’s Choir in 1980. The children in the choir are from nine to 15 years old. Today although Maestra Taldo has retired she continues to train children serving as the choir’s musical director. She comes from a musical family.



The repertoire in The Hague concert included religious and classical pieces, among them Ave Maria by J. Brahms, The Prayer, One Candle and an Afro-American Spiritual music Get On Board,

Some of the popular pieces sang were: All Things Bright and Beautiful, Nelia Fantasia  and Swinging on a Star

The Filipinos were nostalgic and at the same time enthusiastic as they listened to the choir’s rendition of Larong Pinoy, Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, Bahay Kubo and Kalesa. These were followed by all-time favourites: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Sister Act Medley and for finale, Thank You for the Music.



It was cold in the church, the temperature outside was six degrees centigrade but there was a feeling of warmth as the Filipinos, Dutch and foreign dignitaries listened and watched the children performing with gusto. Despite their long and continuous travels for two months the children did not show any signs of tiredness.



It was a Super-Duper performance. At the end of the concert, the audience gave a thunderous applause. The children responded by approaching the audience and shaking hands with them.





Listen to the children and watch them interpret their songs….

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