Autumn Serenade, An Evening of World Class Filipino Artists

All New – Simply the Best – The Luisa Marshall Show, Season 7, Get Inspired episode aired last Monday, December 7th, 2015 at 10:30am & 9:00pm on Shaw Multicultural Channel 116 the special highlights of Autumn Serenade, interviews with with Kay Balajadia-Liggayu (soprano), Nazer Degayo Salcedo (tenor), Jeremiah Mari Carag (tenor) & Clifford Belgica (musical director).

“Autumn Serenade”, an evening of light classics, popular musicals by world class Filipino artists directed by Clifford Belgica, at Kay Meek Theatre, West Vancouver, on November 27, 2015. “We’ve taken a mix of what we have locally. Our accompanists are all local and we bring in our international artists from the Philippines. Basically, trying to put the level of artistry in the Philippine society and Philippine community in Vancouver.”

“There’s always been that market. There’s been that niche that’s not being met, the level of artistry and arts itself in the Philippine community seems to be lacking and needed more boosting. So this might be something that we can work on so this becomes a passion. It wasn’t even my purpose to do this but I guess we’re meeting the need, we’re meeting the audience”

Belgica also added, “We need to bring arts to the local mass and the only way to do that is maybe bring the repertoire, make it a little light so that they can relate to it ‘coz we want this to be open. One thing that we wanted initially when we had the discussion is we keep the prices down so that people from any walk of life can come in and be able to join in.”

It wasn’t the first time in Vancouver for Philippine talent soprano Kay Balajadia-Liggayu and multi-awardee tenor Nazer Degayo Salcedo. This was Kay’s fifth time coming to Vancouver and she raved, “I love Vancouver, it reminds me a lot about my city back in the Philippines coz I’m from Baguio City.” When we asked how she prepared for every performance, she was gracious to share her secrets. “Rehearsals, voice lessons, vocal coaching and then getting your body into shape, sleeping as much as you can, drinking a lot of water. And then on the day itself, you have your own rituals for the day. You should eat at least two hours before the performance. I do nasal cleansing, gargling.”

Multi-awardee tenor Nazer Degayo Salcedo would prepare his body before a performance and would do everything to fight the cold Vancouver weather which he wasn’t very excited about. “It’s my second time in Vancouver. The first time I was here was summer and I was wearing shorts all the time but now I have to wear a coat and a scarf even inside the theatre to keep me warm. I have to psyche myself. I have to tell my body, ‘hey body, you have to perform… you have to prepare… move, move.’ Yeah, that’s what I do. I psyched myself. It’s a mind thing.” Nazer also added. “As a singer, your instrument is not only your voice but it’s your whole body. So it has to be well-coordinated. So you have to train your breathing, you have to train your instrument.”

On Nazer’s gift of singing, “As a performer when you are onstage, you are vulnerable. You give a piece of yourself to your audience to share what you have. So that’s why after a performance you get so tired.” And his advice to other singers, “If you love what you’re doing, if you really want it, you have to work for it. The universe will conspire and go for it.”

UBC student / tenor Jeremiah Mari Carag excitement that evening gave a big boost to his musical career not only to the Filipino Canadian audiences but also a shot in the mainstream market. “It’s really exciting to get it really out there and perform not only for Canadians but for fellow Filipino Canadians as well, so I really take pride on that. I’m really really excited about it.”

On choosing his career as a classical artist after pursuing his business degree in UBC, Carag said “It sort of chose me to a certain extent ‘coz I was singing mostly pop stuff before…. I think when you learn classical music, you can sing other genres as well because it does train the voice to sing healthily and really well.”

People from different nationalities flocked to the Kay Meek Centre in West Vancouver on Friday, November 27th to witness the gala performance presented by the Philippine Canadian Trade Council in cooperation with the Consulate General of the Republic of the Philippines in Vancouver.

PCTC, Philippine Canadian Trade Council is a non-profit organization that promote and assist trade and business between Canada and the Philippines through networking, trade and information events. They finally did their gala performance to raise funds for their future projects. And this is major breakthrough far from the ordinary.