• Community
  • Calendar
  • News & Features
  • Round Up
• Environment
• Opinion & Analysis
• Philippines
  • Features
  • News
• Videos

Unity concert preparations in full swing for Dec. 13

TORONTO – Preparations for the “Unity Concert: Rebuilding People’s Lives 2009” are in full swing. Organizers, the creative and production crew, promoters, and the musical performers – all of them offering their time and resources on a purely voluntary basis – are now working toward presenting a musical concert of a different kind in one of Toronto’s grant musical halls, the MacMillan Theatre, on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009.

The musical extravaganza, a collaborative production organized by various organizations led by the Community Alliance for Social Justice (CASJ), is a fundraiser for the victims of the recent typhoons that have devastated several areas in the Philippines. One hundred per cent of the net proceeds will be donated for relief, rehabilitation and disaster preparedness and mitigation, to be administered by the Citizens’ Disaster Response Centre (CDRC), a non-government organization that has been widely recognized in the Philippines and internationally for its outstanding services to disaster victims.
The concert is comprised of three segments — broadway classics, alternative music, and rock tunes – directed and performed by Filipino-Canadian musical talents. Over-all director is Randy Muere, with co-directors Karen Tan, Joyce Corpuz and Teresa Torralba handling the three respective segments of the show. Guest performer is Ma-Anne Dionisio, best known for her role of Kim in the Canadian production of Miss Saigon.

Other performing artists are Lilac Cana, Emilio Zarris, Karen Tan, Josie de Leon, Vonnie Beltran, Chyrell Samson, Jiva Andola, MFFC Youth Performing Arts Group, Levy Abad Jr, Belinda, Rona, John Flores, Cast of Angels, Melodious Vibes, Panyolito, Philippine Heritage Band, Myk Miranda and Santa Guerilla, Jeanette Ricasio, Cast of Angels, Out of Luck and DaBarkadaz and Early Warning Signs.

Among the concert sponsors are well-known personalities in the Filipino, Chinese and Italian-Canadian communities, that include, among others, Dr. Teodoro Tsang, Toronto Alpha through Dr. Joseph Wong and Flora Chong, Councillor Alex Chiu, Councillor Sandra Yeung and Mario Racco.

Among the major players involved in this fundraiser, aside from CASJ are Philippine Advocacy Through Arts and Culture (PATAC), Kababayan Community Centre, Santaginians Ontario, Filipino Migrant Workers’ Movement, Philippine Heritage Band, MercuryNews Online and the Labor Education Centre.

The invitation is open to all organizations interested to join the concert project and help the typhoon victims.

Da Barkadaz is a Filipino/Asian Hip-Hop Group consisting of various talents from the GTA. They all share the desire for music and talent which they believe should be shared with the community. The band will perform at the Unity Concert on Dec. 13 at MacMillan Theatre in Toronto.

Comments

Advertisements

Copyright © 2010 The Philippine Reporter - Toronto Filipino Newspaper Serving the Greater Toronto Area