9-year-old boys find their voices through faith and friendship

By Cristina DC Pastor

For 9-year-olds Jacob Reynes and Scion Ticzon, singing in church is more than learning Mass hymns. It is also a chance to playdate with one another over basketball, video games, and McDonald’s.

The two boys are the youngest voices of the FILCA Youth Choir (FYC), a newly formed group bringing Filipino children and families together through music and faith. They are close friends, as are their families, even though Jacob lives in Staten Island and Scion in Brooklyn.

The choir performed during the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz on September 13. Both boys admitted they were a little nervous about singing before a large congregation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

But once they began singing, the nerves gave way to the joy of performing with their friends.

Jacob: ‘I want to play the piano’

Jacob Reynes, 9, is a fourth grader at PS 329 in Brooklyn. Born in the United States, he traces his family roots to Cebu and the Visayas.

With his naturally high voice, Jacob sings in the soprano range. He joined the FYC because he wanted to sing with his friends and with his older brother, Joseph, 19, who is a tenor.

“I wanted to sing with my friends and my Kuya,” he said.

Jacob’s connection to the choir began through his father, Jojo Reynes, a teacher of students with autism in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

The Reynes family is part of the Filipino community in Staten Island connected with the Missionary Families of Christ (MFC), a Catholic community that has ties to Father Rhey Garcia and the Sacred Heart Church. Father Rhey is the first Filipino pastor in the borough. Mar Inot serves as choir coordinator, and Ryan Gamilo the music director.

What began with about 15 families gradually grew into a larger circle of children who grew up together.

“We grew from our children,” Jojo said.

The children became friends, and their parents became part of a close-knit community.

The youth choir was conceptualized in 2026. Although still relatively new, word about the young singers has spread, and the group has already begun receiving invitations to perform. The choir is also expected to sing during Simbang Gabi later this year.

Membership has grown to about 50 young singers, ranging from 9-year-olds to teenagers.

The choir performs mostly Filipino religious music, including Tagalog Mass songs such as “Ama Namin,” as well as Offertory and Communion songs. The children are also learning newer pieces, including “Gloria” and “Papuri sa Diyos.”

Jacob, who is musically inclined, has taken some piano lessons. If he had to choose between singing and playing an instrument, he already knows which direction he would take.

“I want to play the piano,” he said.

Outside music, Jacob enjoys video games, sports and taekwondo. Roblox is among his favorites, although his screen time at home is limited.

Scion sings ‘for God, Jesus and Mother Mary’

Scion Ticzon, also 9, lives in Brooklyn and attends PS 253, also known as The Magnet School of Multicultural Humanities.

His parents are from Cebu and Iloilo. His mother, Bubbles Ticzon, teaches science at IS 239 Mark Twain School for the Gifted and Talented, while his father is a manager at a carpet company.

Scion sings bass, giving him a remarkably deeper vocal range than Jacob. He joined the youth choir about three months ago. Asked why he sings, his answer was simple.

“Because I want to sing for God, Jesus and Mother Mary.”

Scion said he feels he is getting better as a singer and enjoys learning Filipino religious songs through the choir, including “Maawa Ka,” “Santo Niño,” “Panginoon,” “Tinapay ng Buhay” and “Paghahandog ng Sarili.”

Like Jacob, he has an older brother, Sean, 17, who sings in the choir.

But singing is only one of his interests. Scion plays volleyball, basketball and soccer. He also enjoys drawing, building things, and making arts and crafts. Lego and paper airplanes are among his favorite playthings.

And while he enjoys music, he does not necessarily envision himself becoming a professional singer.

“I want to be an architect,” he said, explaining that he enjoys building things and creating art.

Growing up Filipino through music

The choir is part of a larger effort by the Filipino Catholic Apostolate (FILCA) to nurture Filipino culture and faith among a younger generation of Filipino Americans. Some of the children have also participated in programs such as Paaralan sa Konsulado, where they were introduced to Filipino folk songs and culture.

Families from Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island come together for rehearsals, with a central practice location chosen to make participation easier for children from different boroughs.

The choir’s repertoire also reflects the children’s connection to Filipino identity: traditional Catholic Mass songs familiar to their parents and grandparents.

For Jacob and Scion, however, the experience is more about something much simpler — friends, family, and having fun together.