The torrential rains did not dampen the spirit of Koro Ilustrado nor did it stop their family, friends and supporters from the parish – headed by our beloved Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Reu Jose C. Galoy, Music Ministry Head Mr. Edmund Lim and other members of the Parish Pastoral Council – as the all-male choir staged their fourth major concert last Saturday, August 2, with higher aspirations and a higher purpose.
Dubbed as Koro Ilustrado: Higher, the concert was both a kick-off to the choir’s fundraising activities — as it aspires to participate in festivals and compete at international choral competitions abroad next year — and also share part of the proceeds with the disadvantaged children of the Bahay-Ampunan nina Hesus, Maria at Jose.
Bahay-Ampunan was founded in 1998 and situated within the convent grounds of the Blessed Sacrament Missionaries of the Poor Brothers by providing for the primary needs of disadvantaged children like food and medicine. Five boys from Bahay-Ampunan accompanied by a brother were part of the audience. One of the boys even rendered a song, acapella, as their way of participating in the night’s musical treat and showing gratitude for the generosity of all donors that evening.
Meanwhile, Fr. Efren Jimenez led the opening prayer and Koro Ilustrado praised and thanked God with the first song “Confitemini Domino” (Psalm 106:1), a sacred motet by Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina. The Ilustrados sang their hearts out throughout the evening with a broad repertoire which included a German Lied by Franz Schubert “Die Nacht,” contemporary arrangement in Latin of the prayer “Anima Christi” (by John August Pamintuan) and a text from the Canticle of Simeon “Nunc dimittis” (by Joy Nilo), a modern Ilocano folk song “Ubing a Battit,” as well as 80s hits like Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the inspirational “Warrior Is A Child” and Depeche Mode’s “People are People.” Koro Ilustrado, known for their flair for entertainment, also showcased their versatility by belting out and dancing up to recent hits like Beyonce’s “Halo” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” mashed up with Psy’s “Gangnam.” 
The rains may have continued heavily outside but the support and appreciation for the Ilustrados were similarly outpouring inside the Santuario de San Antonio.In the end, Koro Ilustrado obliged two encore numbers and ended with a high-energy, celebratory rendition of Shakira’s “Waka-waka.”
The concert was not made possible without the full support of the parish and with this, Koro Ilustrado is sincerely grateful.
Koro Ilustrado is a member of the Santuario de San Antonio Parish Music Ministry and serves during the 4:30pm Mass every 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. For information on their activities and other performances, you can check out http://www.koroilustrado.weebly.com or add them on Facebook (facebook.com/KoroIlustrado) and/or Twitter (twitter.com/KoroIlustrado).
Santuario de San Antonio Parish 