Press Release No. 19-2019
“Serenata,” Famed Filipino-led Choral and String Ensemble in Jeddah Successfully Stages 14th Concert Season
Jeddah, 24 March 2019. As part of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah’s cultural diplomacy work, Post’s cultural diplomacy work, Consul General Edgar Badajos attended the 14th Concert Season of the fame “Serenata,” a Filipino-led choral and string ensemble in Jeddah. The concert was held on 23 March at the concert hall of the American International School in Jeddah (AISJ) and attended by close to 500 Filipino families and other nationalities.
The evening was filled with superb performances by Serenata’s String Chamber Orchestra, Children’s Choir and an All-Male Chamber Chorale under the baton of its musical director, Mrs. Sylvia De Los Santos. A graduate of the U.P. College of Music and music teacher at the AISJ, Mrs. De Los Santos founded Serenata in 2005. Since then, Serenata has been serving the Filipino community and other expatriate communities in Jeddah with its beautiful repertoire that includes timeless Filipino folksongs thereby helping promote Filipino culture in this part of the world.
In brief remarks before the start of the concert, Consul General Badajos commended Mrs. De Los Santos and her team for using music to enable promising but financially-challenged in the Philippines to get an education. Proceeds from the concert will be channeled to ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Bata 163 as scholarship grants.
The concert would not have been possible without the help of many independent organizations in Jeddah and their endless support of the Serenata’s motto to “… echo a genuine spirit and joyful sound of commitment, hope and charity.” END
The Serenata Children’s Choir, String Chamber Orchestra and All Male Chamber Orchestra
Consul General Edgar Badajos (5th from left) with Serenata’s musical director, Ms. Sylvia De Los Santos
(with the bouquet of flowers) and its supporters
