"The aim and final reason of all music should be
 nothing else but the Glory of God and 
 the refreshment of the Spirit"
- J.S. Bach

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PREAMBLE

Our concert production in 2014 successfully saw a mix classical and non-classical music, both sharing the same stage. The audience loved it. In ENCORE our concert for this year, the element of dance is introduced and this will further enhance your overall concert experience. ENCORE will feature a cast of 33 performers comprising The Concert Chorale, soloists and danseurs and supported by a production of 27.

ENCORE

ENCORE offers an exquisite anthology of songs drawn from the genres of musical theatre, cinema, opera, pop, jazz and independent releases with the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Barry Manilow, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Cole Porter, Christopher Tin, Elton John, Fats Waller, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Harold Arlen, Michael Jackson, Jerome Kern, Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Ryan Cayayab, Stephen Flaherty, Stephen Sondheim, etc.

Be assured of an evening of enjoyable and inspiring melodies from Ain't Misbehavin', Billy Elliot the musical, Calling All Dawns the album, Company, Dangerous the album, Into The Woods, Ragtime, The Colour Purple the musical, The King and I, The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story and others.

WHO WE ARE

The Canticle Singers is an advanced voluntary chorale established in 1992 and perhaps offers one of the widest choral repertoires in the country. It has more than 23 productions under its belt, which have benefitted various charities, non-governmental organizations and deserving causes in the country as well as in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Philippines.

At the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards 2015, The Canticle Singers won their second Best Group Vocals Award, after sweeping all three nominations in the category with their production of BRAVISSIMO in 2014. The chorale's first Best Group Vocals Award, was accorded to "Odds & Ends" in 2011. In both 1995 and 2013, the chorale was nominated for the same award category for "Do You Hear the People Sing?" and "OVATION" respectively. In 2012, The Canticle Singers hosted and presented the world acclaimed Philippines Madrigal Singers in concert in the Klang Valley.

PATRON

His Excellency J Eduardo Malaya, the Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia is the Patron of ENCORE

TIME & DATES

8.30PM Thu 13 (Preview), Fri 14, Sat 15 & Sun 16 August 2015.
Please note that the Preview is by invitation only.

THEATRE VENUE

The Experimental Theatre, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Please note that there is no convenient wheelchair access to seating in the Orchestra Section. There is elevator access to seating in the Balcony Section.

THE LOLA GRANDE FOUNDATION

ENCORE is a benefit concert in support of ballet education for a group of children from disadvantaged families in the Santa Ana area of Manila. The educational initiative was pioneered and is managed by The Lola Grande Foundation for Women and Children Inc in collaboration with Philippine Ballet Theatre. The Santa Ana Elementary School, Manila serves as the venue for this initiative. Dance is used as a means not only to expose them to the performing arts but more importantly help the children develop focus, discipline and dedication.

THE PERFORMERS

SOLOISTS
Ang Mei Foong, Soprano
Cipriano De Guzman Jr, Baritone
Stefano Chen Ying Hao, Tenor

THE CONCERT CHORALE
Andrew Lai Chii Horng
Bibiana Ang Chooi See
Brian Cheong Chee Yoong
Chang Yow Keong
Cheryl Ong Hong Chiew
Chong Kin Kiat
Daniel Lian Radu
Eugene Liew Jian Huang
Ivy Chan Mun Ying
Jaclay John
Jamie Voon Li Lien
Keilly Lim May Harn
Liana Jacklon
Low Tze Liang
Maryann Linnis
Melissa Lawrencia Laurance
Melvyn Lau Eng Siang
Ng Bee Suan
Ng You Qi
Patricia Ngo Kim Lan
Samuel Goh Min Tzung
Terence Lee Jia-Shean
Thompson Yunga
Yeoh Siu Xi

Anatolia Chiam Sew Ysng

DANSEURS
Emmerson Evangelio
Eduard Evangelio
Crimson Guirjem

HOST
Adrian E Hare

PIANIST
Kenneth Teh Kien Huat

ILASSO BOX OFFICE OPENS WEDNESDAY 1 JULY 2015

Tickets for all performances priced at RM88 nett & RM58 nett (for students with a valid ID and restricted to the Balcony Section only). There is a low glass safety railing/parapet installed on the Balcony Level and will be viewing the stage or parts of it through the parapet. Tickets are available from Ilasso Tickets Sdn Bhd via

Online: www.ilassotickets.com
Hotline: +60 3 7957 6088
iLasso Tickets Office, A606, Block A, Phileo Damansara II, 15 Jalan 16/11, Off Jalan Damansara, 46350 Petaling Jaya.
Rock Corner at The Curve, Subang Parade & The Gardens
Victoria Music Centre at Sungai Wang Plaza, Amcorp Mall & Tropicana City Mall
Rip Curl at Sunway Pyramid, Fahrenheit 88, Wangsa Walk Mall, Suria KLCC, One Utama & Bangsar
PJ Live Arts Centre

ACCESS & VENUE PARKING

There is ample and free outdoor parking at Dewan Tengku Canselor which directly adjoins The Experimental Theatre , located within University of Malaya. The university is centrally and conveniently located and easily accessible either from Kuala Lumpur or Petaling Jaya. Do allow generous travelling time if you are coming after work for the Friday evening performance, making provision for changing traffic and weather conditions.

BIODATA OF SOLOISTS & PRINCIPAL DANSEUR

Ang Mei Foong, Soprano

A Kuala Lumpur girl, Ang Mei Foong graduated from the National Taiwan Normal University where she learned vocal performance with Prof. Ren Rong, and piano performance under Prof. Li Wei-Wei. In 2003, after winning the university vocal competition, she entered the Conservatorio di Musica Santa Cecilia, Rome, where Maestro Rebecca Berg introduced her to a wide variety of Italian vocal music and operatic studies. Named as "The young talented singer" in the World Chinese Vocalist competition 2003 during her studies in Italy, she subsequently received scholarships to pursue her Master of Music (MMus- Performance) in the University of Melbourne, under the guidance of Merlyn Quaife, where she was further grounded in the interpretation of German and French art songs as well as chamber works.

Mei Foong has given well received solo recitals in Kuala Lumpur, Taiwan, Rome and Melbourne, where she performed Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben, Gabriel Faure’s La Bonne Chanson, Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs, Aldo Finzi’s Art-Songs, Alban Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder, Joseph Canteloube’s Chant’s d’auvergne and many other chamber music and operatic repertoires.

An advocate of contemporary music, she premièred compositions by Malaysian composer Ms. Au Yang Yao Chih in Hong Kong in 2009 and 2010. She also premièred a new composition Triptych by Mr. Wong Chee Yean with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas under the baton of Kevin Field in 2010. In 2012, she premièred a series of new art-songs by Malaysian composers Mr. Wong Chee Yean, Mr. Wong Chee Wei, and Mr. Neo Hup Hiang respectively.

In 2013, Mei Foong ventured into a bold new repertoire and embarked on a new phase of her career when making her Malaysian opera debut in the title role of Carmen which was warmly received at the MAP Black Box, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As education has been an important part of her career, she now lectures at the Music Department in University Putra Malaysia (UPM). In the field of music education, she presented a research paper on “A Survey Report on the Present State of Music Education in the Chinese Private High Schools in Malaysia” at the Asia Pacific Symposium of Music Education Research (APSMER) in 2007. She is now researching multiculturalism in music education.

Cipriano De Guzman Jr, Baritone

Zip graduated with distinction in communication arts from the University of East Manila and in music education with minor in piano (cum laude) at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas (UST) Conservatory of Music under Maestra Irma Ponce-Enrile Potenciano and is now completing his third degree in music with minor in choral conducting at the UST Conservatory of Music under Prof. Fidel Calalang Jr and operatic bass Jun Francis Jaranilla respectively. He is a recipient of the Klassikal Music Foundation scholarship.

He was awarded the “Ambassador’s Recognition for Excellence in Music” by H.E. Eduardo Malaya on October 2013 after performing at the SOHOM in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The New Straits Times Malaysia lauded him as Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen at the Black Box MAP Publika from October 29-November 3, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Philippine Star (April 3, 2014) says “the outstanding baritone Cipriano de Guzman, displayed a remarkably full, rounded, resonant voice and a strong personality. He was superb” as Frederic in the opera Lakme at the UP College of Music. He recently performed with Singaporean singer/songwriter Bevlyn Khoo in April 29, 2014 in a charity fashion show and with Filipino singer/songwriter Jim Paredes at the Embassy of the Philippines in Kuala Lumpur last April.

He played Marquis D’Obigny in La Traviata with renowned Filipino and Korean singers under the baton of Maestro Jae Joon-Lee in March 2012. He was part of several operas, oratorios and sarswelas such as UST’s Eugene Onegin (September 2006), Love Unspoken (2010), and Cavalleria Rusticana (January 2011). He was also a chorister in the annual concerts of the UST Conservatory of Music (2008-2012),UST Christmas Concerts (2008-2012), Madz (2001-2011), UST Humanities Concert (2008),Quadricentenntial Opening Celebration (2011) and NeoCentennial Celebration (2012).

Zip has adjudicated in solo vocal and choral competitions and given music education, vocal and choral workshops in the Philippines and Singapore and is active in charity works and benefit shows for different foundations and churches. He has participated in masterclasses and vocal coaching of Korean baritone Dae San No, HongKong Academy’s Nancy Yuen, US-based Filipino baritone Andrew Fernando, Malaysian operatic bass-baritone Chi Hoe Mak, mezzo soprano Agnes Barredo-Fenoli, American mezzo soprano Victoria Rapanan, renowned Filipino-American tenor Arthur Espiritu, Vienna-based tenor Abdul Candao, Italian tenor Gian Luca Passolini, Canadian soprano Megan Skidmore, Paris-based Florence Guignolet, Italian soprano Dr.Michela Bertagnolli-Febvre and Lyon-based conductor Maestro Florian Caroubi.

He hosted the Earth Hour Celebration 2014 in Manila, and the Paco Park Presents and Concert at the Park of National Broadcasting Network (NBN 4). As choral conductor, he recently led the Festival Chorus of the Colors of Worship Year 8 at the University of the Philippines in April 2014. He also conducted the Coro Omnia Deo at the Araneta Coliseum for the Holy Week Retreat of the Catholic Church with Auxilliary Bishop Teodor Bacani Jr.

As a former member of the University of the East Chorale, Manila Chamber Singers and Kammerchor Manila, Zip has toured Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Hongkong and Canada. While touring with NeoNocturne, he won seven medals at the 52nd Concorso Internazionale Di Canto Corale Seghizzi 2013 in Gorizzia, Italy. As vocal coach and chorister with the Manila Chamber Singers in Canada, he won two first places (contemporary and folklore) and a second place (mixed category) at the XV Kathaumixw International Choral Competition 2012 in British Columbia, Canada.

A member of the International Society of Music Educators (Australia), Philippine Choral Directors Association, Philippine Society of Music Educators, Philippine Organization of Classical Singers and Koro Filipino, Zip is a licensed music teacher and vocal instructor at the UST Conservatory of Music. The first Filipino opera scholar at the Birmingham City University, UK, he is pursuing a master’s in vocal performance and pedagogy.

Stefano Chen, Tenor

Vocalist Stefano Chen trained at the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music (1996-2001) and at the China National Opera House ( 2001-2003). His vocal coach Xinna Wang was one of the best tenors in the 1980s China opera scene. During his training in Beijing, Stefano performed recitals in Italian and Chinese.

In 2000, he produced a jazz album entitled Bop Within which received good reviews by the local media in China. In 2002, Chen assisted China’s television station CCTV to produce a promotional music album of both Chinese and English songs for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Bidding campaign. His work included guiding popular singers such as Guoqing Sun, Baoling Sha, Fan Ye and Rong Guo in diction for songs in English. In 2004, as a professional music producer, Chen collaborated with the China Record Company to publish a music album called, A Mountain Hut in Autumn Dusk. The album consists of famous poems of the Tang and Song Dynasties sung to the accompaniment of guzheng (Chinese zither) music performed by Professor Yun Qu, renowned for her zither skill in the world of Chinese classical music.

Before returning to Malaysia in 2008, Chen produced and recorded an audiophile album Guilty Pleasure in China and a Chinese New Age album entitled Beijing, The Voices. In Dec 2010, Stefano was invited by YTL Group to perform at Starhill Gallery, A Journey Through Time IV. Now based in Kuala Lumpur, Chen is a freelance vocal coach, music producer and professional singer.

CRIMSON GUIRJEM

Philippine Ballet Theatre Company Member and Soloist