Prepare to be captivated as the all-male choral ensemble Aleron serenades audiences in a mesmerizing two-act music concert titled “For Light, I Close My Eyes.” The enchanting performance will take place on July 30, 2023, at 7 pm, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater), and on August 5, 2023, at 7 pm, at Areté, Ateneo de Manila University, The Doreen Black Box.
Directed by the talented Floy Quintos, this two-act choral feature will delve into the profound themes of love, loss, life, and death. Aleron’s mission is to give voice to human experiences, and they will be presenting a captivating repertoire of classic and modern pieces, including “Five Ways to Kill a Man” (2008), “The Bishop and the Pagan” (1992), “Excerpt from Urlicht” (1894), “Inganni dell’umanità” (1705), “The Singing Apes of Khao Yai” (1991), and “Ang Hamon ng Buhay” (2023). The concert will showcase a total of 11 choral pieces accompanied by piano maestro Clement Acevedo, D.M.A.
Aleron’s journey began as a humble passion project among friends and alumni of the Ateneo de Manila High School Glee Club back in 2006. Over the years, the ensemble has evolved into a vibrant community of like-minded musicians and professionals from diverse fields. Aleron has earned numerous accolades in international competitions, including First Prize at the 1st Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival in Manila (2013), Grand Prize at the 10th Busan International Choral Festival in Korea (2014), Overall Winner at the 31st Takarazuka International Chamber Chorus Competition in Japan (2015), First Prize in the 10th Mainhausen International Choir Competition in Germany (2017), and two 1st Prizes in the 2nd Limburger Männerchor Festival in Germany (2019). The ensemble has also been recognized as an Ani ng Dangal awardee by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Guiding Aleron with passion and expertise is choral director and voice teacher Christopher Arceo. He boasts an impressive background in the choral field, including singing for the San Francisco Choral Artists under Magen Salomon and the Grammy-award winning San Francisco Symphony Chorus under Ragnar Bohlin. Under his leadership, Aleron has curated concert programs that embrace creative innovation. In 2017, Aleron was honored to be the featured Filipino choir at the World Choral Symposium for Choral Music in Barcelona, Spain. In 2019, Christopher was the first non-European guest conductor at the Svenska Kyrkans Gosskörsförening, bringing Aleron to this annual gathering of male choirs in Sweden.
Co-presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, tickets for this extraordinary event are priced at Php1000 and can be purchased through the CCP Box Office and Ticketworld.
For more information, visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph. Stay updated with the latest news by following the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok. Experience the magic of Aleron’s soul-stirring melodies and harmonies as they take you on a remarkable musical journey like no other.
