"Meet Me for Noche Buena" by Saunder Choi

Robert Istad conducts the world premiere of the Pacific Chorale-commissioned "Meet Me for Noche Buena" by noted LA-based Filipino composer Saunder Choi, a tenor in the chorus whose work has been described as “fresh and earnest” (San Francisco Classical Voice). From Grammy-winning Pacific Chorale's "Carols by Candlelight" concert on December 3, 2022, at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church Newport Beach.

Video & Audio Captured by Arts Laureate, https://www.artslaureate.com/

SEASON SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Platinum Season Sponsor -- Phillip N. and Mary A. Lyons
Silver Season Sponsor -- Charles and Ling Zhang

The “Carols by Candlelight” concerts are generously sponsored by Trish O’Donnell in loving memory of John O’Donnell.

COMPOSER’S NOTE
Growing up, a paról (Filipino Christmas lantern) was both a familiar and expected sight during the holidays — hanging by windows, attached to street lamps, all around malls and other public spaces, in the zeitgeist of every Filipino. They can be as simple as ones crafted from bamboo and colorful Japanese paper, or as elaborate as those made from capiz shells and even LED lights. Aileen’s poetry paints a joyous, nostalgic, and colorful picture of Noche Buena — a Christmas Eve celebration shared amongst Spanish colonized countries. The ubiquitous Philippine star lantern forges a link between past and present. It symbolizes the transfer of tradition from one place to another, bringing along with it other holiday traditions like bibingka (a traditional baked rice cake) and queso de bola (a ball of red Edam cheese) — because is it even a Filipino gathering without tons of food?

In the middle of this new carol, as we “sing our favorite Christmas songs,” I took the opportunity to quote one of my favorite ones while growing up — Payapang Daigdig | Peaceful World by Felipe De Leon — our version of “Silent Night.” I specifically included the phrase sa bughaw na langit | in blue sky because it is an image that is shared amongst cultures no matter where you are.

At its heart, Meet Me for Noche Buena is really about journeys and relationships; people bringing and sharing their various holiday traditions in new places — whether you’re an American in Japan, an Italian in Argentina, or, like Aileen and myself, Filipino immigrants who have found a home in California.
—Saunder Choi
https://www.saunderchoi.com/

TEXTS
Meet Me for Noche Buena (2022)
Saunder Choi (b. 1988) TEXT: AILEEN CASSINETTO
Maria Cristina Navarro, soloist
WORLD PREMIERE COMMISSIONED BY PACIFIC CHORALE

Pasko na naman!
(It’s Christmas once again!)

Follow the story of the paról
Haggled and hand-carried
Tarried, gloried and ferried
From Quiapo to San Francisco
Now hanging on my window

Follow the string of lights
We’ll sing carols tonight
Everything’s big and bright
A little Christmas charm
Greets you with open arms

Meet me for Noche Buena
Where it’s not quite like home
But a different kind of warm

Meet me for Noche Buena
Where it’s merry at midnight
Gather and give thanks
Gather old friends new

We’ll countdown to midnight
Have some hot tsokolate
Bibingka and Queso de bola
At iba pa | etcetera

We’ll open presents
Be children again for a moment
Making star lanterns
With bamboo and paper
To light our way back home

You’ll find me where the holidays
Are merriest, look for the paról
Brightest in darkest night
I’ll be singing my favorite
Christmas song. All I want is home.

ARTISTS
Robert Istad, Phillip N. and Mary A. Lyons Artistic Director Chair
John Alexander, Artistic Director Emeritus
Kibsaim Escarcega, Assistant Conductor

SOPRANO: Rebecca Hasquet (section leader), Chelsea Chaves, Kathryn Lillich, Katie Martini, Maria Cristina Navarro, Sarah Thompson

ALTO: Jane Hyun-Jung Shim (section leader), Emily Border, Denean R. Dyson, I-Chin Betty Feinblatt, Stephanie Shepson, Emily Weinberg

TENOR: Nicholas Preston (section leader), Daniel Alvarez, Saunder Choi, Jason Francisco, Alan Garcia, Sammy Salvador

BASS: Ryan Thomas Antal (section leader), Michael Fagerstedt, Matthew Kellaway, Jackson McDonald, Jason Pano, Raphael Poon