The Filharmonic captivates a generational mix at the Valley Performing Arts Center

By Lawrence C. Ochoa/ The FILAMLA and Inquirer.net

The Filharmonic, an acapella group of Filipino American ancestry wowed an audience of mostly college-age youth at the Valley Performing Arts Center based in California State Northridge November 21. They have recently reached fame being part of the Hollywood movie “Pitch Perfect 2” by taking center stage as one of the finalists of the musical competition that featured Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Ester Dean, Alexis Knapp and Hana Mae Lee.
The CSUN audience likewise included a good representation of Fil Am baby boomers who enjoyed the musical preferences of their sons and daughters and grandchildren.

Based in Los Angeles County, the group has become a favorite YouTube performer and was featured in NBC’s hit musical competition, “The Sing-Off”, making the semi-finals. They had earlier shared stage with Linkin Park, Black Eyed Peas and Pentatonix before being cast of the “Pitch Perfect 2”. They consist of six members: Vocalists VJ Rosales, Joe Caigoy, Trace Gaynor, and Barry Fortgang, vocal bass Jules Cruz, and Niko Del Rey. Their ages range from 21 to 27 and their voice ranges from deep bass to tenor.

It’s the sound that has been referred to as the more “urbanesque” or cool “hip hop sound with 90’s nostalgia.” The Filharmonic did not disappoint their mixed audience as they dished out an Earth, Wind and Fire favorite “September, ” and of course covering for American rapper Silento’s 2015 hit debut single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), among other R and B selections.
In an interview Jules Cruz said they were surprised with the response from the community particularly the Filipino Americans and those from the Philippines after “Pitch Perfect 2” became a worldwide favorite. “”We had no idea they would embrace us as quickly as they did,” he said.

Joe Caigoy said they got to know each other while participating in various acapella competitions, mostly at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, LA. “We noticed there were Fil-Ams in various groups and decided it would be nice to meld their common background: musicality, cultural heritage and talent. The first competition they went for was the “Sing-Off,” which was received warmly by American audiences.

The Filharmonic performance at the Valley Performing Arts was one of the projects this year by the Philippine Patrons of the Arts, USA (PPA). Annie Nepomuceno, a well-known LA-based performer and leader of the PPA with her husband Ed, said her group aims to highlight the talents of outstanding Filipino American performers among the local communities. “

“We’ve observed there is no booking agent nor talent agency that focuses on the talent and ingenuity of Filipino American artists; yet there’s thousands of Philippine immigrants who would cater and appreciate their performances.

“We want to make it easier for Fil-Am performers to get to mainstream venues such as the Ford Amphitheater, the Valley Performing Arts Center, Disney Hall, among others, without being limited by the mainstream agents’ stringent requirements.

The Filharmonic’s schedule is fully booked until next year performing in big concerts in Chicago and Arkansas.
Their short-term goal is to come out with an album of all originals in the near future. A combined concert with a local group in L.A. is being planned for the summer.
A CSUN musical group, “Acasola” provided their own excellent version of the acapella genre, as the night’s opening act.