The Filipino children's choir Serenata got praises from the international community for their splendid performance at the American International School in Jeddah Friday night. Almost a thousand expatriates - American, Japanese, French, Indians and Filipinos - took time to see Serenata perform, along with the newly formed children string emsemble. The audience, included diplomats from different countries. “It's a wonderful performance,” said US Consul General Martin Quinn. “If I had known that it would be a splendid performance, I would have told everyone I know to come tonight. It was so good to see the talented children gave such a performance. Thank you for inviting me.” Japanese Consul General Toshimitsu Ishugure, who saw the group perform for the first time, was all praise for the kiddy choir. “The show was wonderful.” The three-hour concert, billed “Serenata … with strings attached” in reference to the string ensemble, belted out English and other foreign songs, including classics, as well as Filipino folk song. The choir opened the show with the song “Something Is Coming Tonight” adapted from the West Side Story. This was followed by popular songs from the 70s and 80s like “Let It Be Me,” “I'll Never Fall in Love Again,” Build Me Up,” “Buttercup” and “Mama Mia.” The Filipino songs included “Nais Ko,” “Paraiso Ko,” “Anak,” and “Limang-Dipang Tao.” Grade schoolers Liza Torico and Adel Tanamor played an instrumental number, with Torico playing the flute and Tanamor in piano, for the song “Someone To Watch Over Me” while Sonny Austria, well-known in the Filipino singing contests circuit, sang “Nessum Dorma (No one sleeps)” popularized by opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, during the intermissions. The Serenata String Chamber Orchestra rendered mellow music such as “Feelings,” “Love Me Tender,” “Kailangan Kita,” “Singin' in the Rain and a medley of Filipino folk songs like Manang Biday, Ili
