Ang Kalatas Volume V June 2015 Independence Day Special Edition | Page 24

THE CHOIRMASTER ROCKS
Kundiman is alive in Oz

SHE and her friends would not

let Kundiman fade away. The
choirmaster has become a tireless
advocate to preserve a unique
Filipino genre of music from a
hundred years ago, a thousand
miles away from home.

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JUNE 2015

“AS A composer and arranger, Kundiman has touched
my heart in a sense that its rhythm is gentle, its intervals
is dramatic and its melody is smooth and flowing that
could spell romance, makes work easier and takes away
stress in some way or another,” says Louisa Afalla Tagudin,
known to many in the community simply as ‘Tita Loy’, the
untiring choirmaster of the Sydney Sonata Singers.
“As time goes by I felt Kundiman is slowly fading

away. I considered myself so blessed when I met Ester
Creencia, a very important person to the group who
loves traditional songs like me. Credit is given to Ester
as the founder - she brought the first group of friends
whom I called the pillars of this multi-awarded group.”
Tita Loy is a busy body but their vision years ago to
form the Sydney Sonata Singers are bearing fruit. Last
year was a special breakthrough period for the choir

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