Third time’s a charm! 🙂 For the past two years, I have been excited to catch the UST Christmas Concert Gala, and every time the formal invitation would arrive I would eagerly pencil it down. But December being one of the busiest times for designers, work would always get in the way.
This year, Ito’s and my schedule thankfully worked in our favor and we finally got the chance to enjoy an amazing evening of music that really ushered in the holidays and brought on the spirit of Christmas (on the first day of December too!). Happily, it also coincided with the celebration of UST’s 400th year–wow! The oldest university in Asia looked really spiffed up that night, with the gardens and chapel grounds all beautifully lit up.
The Christmas Concert Gala is on its ninth year, and is a by-invitation-only event chaired by Father Isidro Albaño and Maricris Zobel, for the benefit of the scholarship fund of the university’s Conservatory of Music, as well as to help in the conservation of the many heritage sites and historical monuments within the university.
We were caught in traffic and arrived late, but thankfully still caught most of the concert 🙂
The UST Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Herminigildo Ranera, played traditional classic Christmas songs
The gorgeous altar of the beautiful UST Santisimo Rosario Parish Church
The Christmas concert featured performances by distinguished alumni of UST’s Conservatory of Music as well as choral groups led by the internationally multi-awarded UST Singers
The concert helps in supporting the university’s many talented scholars & musicians
The orchestra played a truly beautiful instrumental version of “Pasko Na Sinta Ko”…sigh 🙂 We’re totally feeling the spirit of Christmas now!
Fashion side note: I wore the same Chantilly-lace terno dress I designed twice within one month! But anyway it was with a totally different crowd 😉
A scrumptious buffet spread with flowing champagne & cocktails followed in the decked out UST seminary hall and had guests going back for seconds, thirds & fourths
I loved the elegant, old-world decor. Over-sized silver centerpieces were adorned with fresh flowers–gorgeous!
Some of the musicians of the UST Symphony Orchestra that performed that evening–clap, clap, clap!
The historic, four-centuries old university was lit up and decked out with pretty, festive lights
I must have an old-soul because I really loved the beautiful, traditional feeling of the whole evening. As much as I believe in modernizing classics, I also believe that some things are best preserved for future generations to appreciate, and our musical heritage and national historical sites are just some of them 🙂
*Photos by Ito Ocampo
Dear Ms Ocampo Am on the UST Christmas Gala Committee and came across your blog. A million thanks for your kind words, beautiful photographs and most of all for your support. As we are now signed up for the duration we hope to see you next year and every year after that! Merry Christmas to you and yours. Many thanks again. Andrew Gan
Hi Andrew! The pleasure was truly all ours 🙂 The concert, and the entire night, was really beautiful–can’t tell you how much my husband & I enjoyed it. Thank you so much for your generous invitation, you can be sure we will be there year, after year, after year. Merry Christmas too, and looking forward to meeting you next year 🙂