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The Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY), a Manila-based group oozes with talent and promise; it's ensemble of young musicians driven by dreams and challenges.
With most of its members coming from underprivileged families across Metro Manila and some provinces in Luzon, OFY performs with hope in their hearts that their music will open doors of opportunities and lead to a better future for each of them.
Since its formation in 2012, OFY has performed at various venues in Metro Manila as well as in front of several communities in provinces. In 2015, following its collaboration with the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the group performed in a music concert and conference at the Cultural Center of the Philippines with Jamie Bernstein and Tricia Tunstall. In the same year, it also performed in the ChildAid Asia Concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
On October 26, music enthusiasts in Qatar will have a chance to meet these passionate performers, referred to as 'scholars', during their concert at the Katara Opera House. It will be OFY's first international performance with full orchestra of the 69-member troupe together with Venezuelan Maestro Joshua Dos Santos, who became the group's music director and orchestra conductor in December 2017.
The much-anticipated Qatar tour of the Filipino group will kick off with a performance at the Special Events Area of the iconic Qatar National Library at 5pm on October 25.
In an email interview with Qatar Tribune, Joshua Dos Santos shared the inspiration behind the Orchestra as well as its home Ang Misyon, an organisation founded in 2012, which believes that learning orchestral music can bring about social change. Dos Santos also talked about the upcoming events in Qatar and what the audience here can expect from their programme.
Tell something about the works of Ang Misyon.
OFY is the performing arm of Ang Misyon. Ang Misyon gives underprivileged youth the opportunity to be trained and to excel in one art that Filipinos love: music. The organisation provides programmes and services designed to benefit its scholars and stakeholders, which include giving access to professional music lessons and materials, instrument support, opportunities for local and international performances, and opportunities to serve as junior mentors to younger scholars.
How dynamic is the orchestra scene in the Philippines?
There are a number of orchestras in the Philippines ranging from chamber to symphonic to local community orchestras.
How does OFY differ from other large instrumental ensemble in the Philippines and elsewhere?
The Orchestra of the Filipino Youth is anchored on the belief that classical and orchestral music will provide opportunities to our scholars to uplift their lives. We believe that orchestral music will open doors to our scholars to careers that may otherwise not be available to them. We also believe that the training provided to our scholars will instill discipline and rigour in them to excel in fields other than music. The overall vision of Ang Misyon the home of the OFY is to make classical music accessible to a greater audience.
Previous international performances featured members of the OFY as well as small groups of OFY scholars. Their performances were very well received by the audience. The Qatar performance of OFY will be their first-ever international performance featuring the full orchestra. The OFY was"discovered" by the Department of Foreign Affairs as one of their ambassadors for its cultural diplomacy programme that aims to showcase Filipino talent in international venues.
What are the types of music OFY performs and is known for?
The repertoire of the OFY is primarily classical music though recent performances have included original Filipino music as well as pieces from Venezuela, Japan and other countries.
What can the Qatar audience expect from the group?
The Qatar National Library performance will be a light repertoire featuring international pieces. The repertoire at the Katara Opera House will include Shostakovich's Symphony No. 12 the first time a Filipino orchestra will perform such a piece. Even more remarkable is the fact that the orchestra is composed of children and youth. Our youngest is 12 years old!
