Cebu’s Youth Orchestras Deliver Inspiring Performances Locally and Abroad During Holiday Season

Cebu’s Classic Youth Orchestra (CYO) and Christ Our Mighty Savior (CoMS) Chamber, both founded by Prof. Reynaldo Abellana, held notable performances during the recent holiday season.

From December 12 to 14, 2025, the CoMS Chamber embarked on a music tour across Hong Kong and Macau. Their concert, "Praise in Harmony," was themed "Songs of Hope, Healing, Faithfulness and Advent Light." The finale on December 14 was presented in partnership with the Hong Kong Adventist Academy Symphony Orchestra.

Opening with a solemn reflection on the ongoing conflicts in Israel, the program featured Christian hymns such as "All the Way My Savior Leads Me," "In Christ Alone," "Nearer, My God to Thee," "He's Been Faithful," and "Let There Be Peace on Earth."

The concert further addressed recent tragedies in Cebu, including the 6.9-magnitude earthquake on September 30 and Typhoon Tino on November 4, through pieces like "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," "Dwelling in Beulah Land," and "When We All Get to Heaven."

Highlighting the resilience of communities affected by the November 26 fire in Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court apartment complex, the ensemble performed "Side by Side" and "Happiness Is the Lord."

The event concluded with a celebration of the Advent season, featuring selections such as "Mansion Over the Hilltop," "Carry the Light," Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus," and "Joy to the World."

Meanwhile, on November 16, CYO staged "An Evening of Classics" at San Carlos Seminary College under the direction of maestro Obette del Rosario. The concert commenced with Mozart's Symphony No. 25 (first movement) and included Saint-Saëns' "Allegro Appassionato" and "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso," spotlighting soloists Jaque Mabalcon (cello) and Paul Gilbert Ramos (violin).

The second act featured Haydn's "The Bird," Anderson's "The Syncopated Clock," and selections from "My Neighbor Totoro," performed by the Classic Orchestra Young Ensemble led by conductor France Mabalcon.

The finale blended Doyle's "Potter Waltz," the overture from "Tanging Yaman," the Visayan song collection "Mga Awit Binisaya," and patriotic piece "Piliin Mo ang Pilipinas" with "4 Voices" and "Golden," performed jointly by CYO and the Classic Orchestra Young Ensemble.

Christ Our Mighty Savior Chamber, composed of musicians aged 9 to 21 from Cebu, is a Seventh-day Adventist music ministry group with an extensive performance history that spans over 50 churches in the Philippines and abroad, including tours in Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Europe.