The Spy in the Sandwich

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

7:00 AM | This Week in Culture in Dumaguete: A Christmas Cantata by the Berea Choral Ensemble on November 28 and 29

The Berea Arts and Sciences High School returns to the Luce Auditorium featuring its choral ensemble in the Christmas cantata Everlasting Light: A Christmas Carol for a Dark World. They will be holding a series of concerts on November 28, Friday at 8 PM, and on November 29, Saturday at 10 AM, 3 PM, and 8 PM.The Christmas cantata features the music of Claire Cloninger and Mark Hayes.

The choral ensemble include the Berea Angklung Ensemble, the Berea Girls Ensemble, and the Berea chorus classes, performing under the musical direction of Guike Theophillus Panmei and the stage direction of Raphael de Leon Gregorio.

The show also features soprano Stefanie Diclas Quintin, the Silliman University College of Performing and Visual Arts Chorale, the Silliman University Church Children’s Choir, and the Silliman University High School Choir.

Berea Arts and Sciences is the first and only high school in the Philippines that offers extensive training in both the sciences and the arts. In Berea, students are set to a path towards gaining mastery of both the analytic and the creative spheres of learning. In their freshmen year, Berea students are exposed to various fields of learning through special elective classes in Creative Writing, Music, Visual Arts, and Science. These introductory courses expose the students to different fields of interest which help them decide later on what major track they may want to pursue for the rest of their stay in Berea.

Once in their sophomore year, students select a major track from four options: Creative Writing, Music (in which they will select a primary and secondary musical instrument), Visual Arts, and Science. Students will spend the next three years gaining mastery of their chosen track. In their junior and senior years, students are expected to undergo any of the following: a panel presentation, a music recital, an arts gallery exhibition, or a thesis defense.

While pursuing their track, students also take minor courses in music, making each Berean adept to various forms of musical performances. This is why the school is able to stage the annual Berea Artists and Guests Production, which showcases the talents of its students.

Since its founding in 2005, Berea has staged many musicales and talent productions at top-class theaters and venues in the Philippines, which include Francisco Santiago Hall, PhilAm Life Auditorium, UP Abelardo Hall, UP Church of the Risen Lord, Bohol Convention Center, Bradford Church in Cebu City, and the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium in Silliman University, Dumaguete City, among many others.

Berea has also staged major musical productions in the last four years. This includes the cantatas Everlasting Light and Celebrate Life, and the musicals David Rocks the Big G and Joseph, King of Dreams.

For their November 2014 concert at the Luce, Berea students are re-staging Everlasting Light, their choice in celebration of the 10th year founding anniversary of the school.

Gala tickets are available at P200, P300, and P500. Matinee tickets are available at P100. All tickets and season passes for Luce Auditorium shows are available for sale at the CAC Office at the College of Performing and Visual Arts Building II, and at the theater lobby before the show begins. For ticket reservations and other inquiries, call (035) 422-4365 or 09173235953.