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“VOICES OF HOPE” IN CONCERT
Date: 19 June 2010
Time: 8pm
Venue: Chamber, The Arts House
In the hallowed halls of
the Chamber of the Old
Parliament (now called The Arts House) the hopes and aspirations of
Singaporeans of a bygone era were elucidated, debated and eventually
fulfilled. Come Saturday 19th June those same halls will
resonate again with a new generation of the “Voices of Hope”.
The Little Arts Academy,
in collaboration with Gawad Kalinga Hope Initiative, will be staging
a choral performance by the Gawad Kalinga Tatalon Performing Arts Choir
(GK TaPA). Comprising of fourteen members, aged between 9 and 21, this
choir hails from the Barangay Tatalon, a sprawling
squatter area in Quezon City, known as "little Tondo" where
petty criminals abound. Some of the choir members were former street
children and delinquents before Gawad Kalinga was met. These
14 young people have, against all odds, worked
hard to become a “Gold Class”
Choir with an international reputation and a member of the INTERNATIONAL
THEATER INSTITUTE Philippines Center.
Commenting on the
collaboration
with Gawad Kalinga, Ms Adelina Ong, Centre Director of The Little Arts
Academy said, ”The
TaPA Choir affirms our belief: that the arts can be a tremendous force
for good and that it can help to create a better future for children
and young people who rise above their personal circumstances to attain a sense of achievement and
self-respect.
We are particularly keen for children in Singapore to come to this
concert
and be inspired by the determination and
perseverence of the members of the Choir.
Ms Ailin Ong, Chair of
GK Hope Initiative, the regional hub of Gawad Kalinga in Singapore who
first spotted the talents and inspired the Choir to come together in
2007 added, “Singapore provides a wonderful platform for showcasing
artistic talents from the region. We are pleased to have the support
from The Little Arts Academy and The Arts House in hosting the GK TaPA
Choir for this performance on the 19th.”
The talented group was
spotted in April 2007 when Ms Ailin Ong visited Tatalon to start a
feeding-program
for malnourished young children, as a volunteer with Gawad Kalinga (GK),
a non-partisan, anti-poverty movement which transforms slums into
sustainable
communities.
She inspired the choir
with a dream – that they would all visit Singapore, if they worked
hard to become a ‘Gold-class’ Choir, in 6months. Under the care
of GK-Coordinator Malou Orlina and direction of volunteer resident
conductor,
Peter Macrohon, a final year music undergraduate of St. Thomas
University,
they rehearsed ‘round the clock’ seven days a week to make this
dream a reality. TaPA arrived in Singapore on Nov. 27th 2007,
and for 6 days, performed in 12 engagements, leaving a lasting
impression
on all audiences.
Since then, TaPA have
achieved a string of accolades, singing in competitions and are often
invited to represent their communities at national music- festivals.
They are an inspiration to their own slum community as they tell the
world that poverty is not a hindrance in dreaming big and holds no bars
on talent.
Tickets for “Voices of Hope” are
priced at $35 nett and available from The Arts House Box Office, 1 Old
Parliament Lane Tel: Tel: 65 6332 6919 or email at tickets@toph.com.sg.
TaPA will also perform
throughout the Gawad Kalinga Global Summit from 23 -25 June2 together
with:
-Mr. Ryan Cayabyab
/ Julia Abueva and Christopher Lee (6th finalist of the 1st Singapore Idol / Key Element / YOG soloists
– Hardi Hartono and Lian Kim
* * * * *
GK- TaPA:
GAWAD KALINGA TATALON PERFORMING ARTS
The GAWAD KALINGA
TATALON
PERFORMING ARTS Choir are from the Barangay Tatalon. They come from
poor families in slum areas and are uncertain if they can complete their
education. Though still young, many work, to contribute income
in the family. Gawad Kalinga (GK) is a non-partisan, anti-poverty
movement
which transforms slums into sustainable communities.
Please visit the TaPa Website for more information: gktapa.multiply.com
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