HIMIG KABATAAN: Golden Award, College and Adult Category, at the 15th World Peace Choral Festival

Representing Home, Twice

By Mireia Amba Cuenca

As second and third-generation Filipino Canadians, many of us in Himig Kabataan Cultural Society have never truly lived in the Philippines. Some of us, like me, have only visited as infants leaving us with little more than photos to look back on and stories passed on from our parents. We may not speak any Filipino language fluently, but through music, we have found another way to understand where we come from.

That is what makes HKCS so much more than just a choir. It has become my second family. It has given me a community where I can grow musically while also discovering a part of my identity. Through the voices of those around me, I have learned that culture is not defined solely by where you are born or the language you speak, but also through the traditions we choose to carry forward.

Representing both Canada and the Philippines at the World Peace Choral Festival was therefore an incredible honour that made standing in Vienna feel almost surreal. I kept thinking about how our choir began with rehearsals in someone’s home. Now, we were performing on an international stage alongside choirs from all over the world. Every performance carried a special responsibility beyond just singing well: to honour the culture we had worked so hard to understand and preserve while proudly representing the country we call home.

One of my favourite memories happened away from the stage. Backstage, singers from different countries naturally joined together in song, reminding me that although we came from different cultures and spoke different languages, music allowed us to understand one another anyway.

Then, winning the Gold Award in our category, along with the Special Award for Folk Song, was an unforgettable moment. Yet what stays with me most is what happened afterward. Backstage, our choir instinctively gathered together and sang the Philippine national anthem. Looking around the room, I realized that each of our voices carried the same gratitude and pride as we saw from our parents and families cheering in the audience while waving both the Philippine and Canadian flags. This reminded me that this achievement belonged not only to us, but also to the generations who came before us and made these opportunities possible.

For the next generation of Filipino Canadians, I hope we never take that gift for granted. We have the privilege of belonging to two cultures, and with that comes the opportunity to celebrate, preserve, and share both. Through Himig Kabataan, I have learned that music can bridge oceans, connect generations, and remind us that we never have to choose between our roots and our future. We can proudly carry both wherever we go.