Remember, Rebuild and Sustain: Walang Iwanan is the theme of the gala benefit event and concert for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which was organized by the Scripps College Music Department and Joint Music Program and will be held on February 2 at the Garrison Theater, Scripps Performing Arts Center in Claremont.
The event will come alive, not only with the sound of music, but also with the purpose of giving.
The gala event opens with a Philippine cultural exchange/info session about the Philippines and workshop in the Philippines aftereffects of Haiyan/Yolanda, to be led by Ms. Annie Cuevas-Lim, Director of Tourism at the Philippine Consulate in LA and Mr. Tony Olaes, Chairman of Gawad Kalinga.
It segues into the pre-concert Musicking That Matters at the Boone Recital Hall and Pattison Courtyard in the Scripps Performing Arts Center, featuring student groups and faculty performers from all of the Claremont Colleges: Scripps Music Department and the Joint Music Program of Scripps, Claremont Mc Kenna, Harvey Mudd and Pitzer College.
Feature performers include Maestro Bob Shroder, Musical Director/Conductor of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO); Friends in Harmony, a Los Angeles-based choir from Tacloban; Inside Out Cross Road Choir; internationally-renowned classical music performers such as Canadian opera soprano Anne Harley; former USIA Artistic Ambassador to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, a Fulbright scholar and concert pianist Hao Huang; former soloist with Boston Pops Orchestra, violinist Rachel Huang; critically-acclaimed Los Angeles-based pianist Gayle Blankenburg; the Claremont Chamber Choir.
VIP attendees include California State Senator Leland Yee; Atty. Alma Luna Reyes; Princess Elenora Borisovna Kantemir (from the family of Prince of Moldova, Prince Dmitri Kantemir);Scripps College Dean of Faculty Amy Marcus-Newhall; Scripps College Associate Dean of Faculty Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert and other representatives from the Claremont Colleges.
Gawad Kalinga is a Filipino philanthropic organization, dedicated to rebuilding communities to sustain progress towards recovery for disaster victims.
Since 2003, they have been building homes for the poorest of families with the help of sponsors.
Families are taught Christian values and skills for livelihood. They also help make new homes for other needy families, side by side with the volunteers of Gawad Kalinga.
This is one of the greatest examples of a good effort propagating to do even more good acts for others — helping them rise out of their impoverished lifestyle and mentality.
The Scripps College Office for Public and Community Events is a co-sponsor of the event.
The well-attended press conference at Mayflower Restaurant was organized by Dr. Marilou Dichoso and Dr. Glen Diaz, in collaboration with the Fil-American Press Club of California and Philippine Press Photographers (PPP/USA).