An encounter with Josie Tan
MANILA, Philippines - As I watched Josie Tan walk to her position beside the piano at the Francisco Santiago Hall after the Light of a Million Mornings (with the UP Manila Chorale), and — with purposeful stride and confident air — bid the audience to Hark the Echoing Air (by Purcell), I remembered the first time I met her.
It was in her office when she was EVP of Far East Bank and Trust Company and head of Corporate and Investment Banking many years ago. I never imagined then that I would be seeing her in another space — a space I know so well — beside the piano, singing. Because of the extremely disparate situation, it is almost a travesty to compare this Josie with the one I met for the first time 15 years ago. Would it be apples and oranges? No! A resounding no!
Everything about this concert on a very dark and very rainy night related to the discipline and passion she imbues whatever she decides to undertake. Every step of the way which led Josie to her position as a banker – now director at BDO (Banco de Oro) Unibank and president of BDO Private Bank — began with discipline fueled by passion.
Just as in her banking world she is surrounded by a staff that she leads with a sure hand and authoritative voice — and passion — Josie in the music sphere has a staff of artists of the music and theater arena. First and foremost, Sonya Valencia, pianist and voice coach, Jay V. Glorioso, interpretation and movement coach, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Hermenigildo R. Ranera, Leo Rialp, stage director, The UP Manila Chorale with conductor Nikosw Ibarra R. Amante, Joseph G. Matheu, lighting designer, Winter David, set and video designer and Jethro Joaquin, sound designer.
Guest artist Jonathan Badon, a crossover tenor, tall and good-looking, contributed also to the success of the concert of this very special singer.
The audience was treated to a theatrical interpretation of a duet which ordinarily would have been just a song when sung out of context of the larger work. The male chorus members of the chorale for this number, All I Ask of You wore white Phantom of the Opera masks while the female singers wore black lace masks singing Masquerade. The group made an impressive entrance followed by Jonathan who made a great foil as Raoul for Josie as Christine. In this number, Josie revealed a persona seldom seen behind her bankers’ façade: a tenderness elicited from the lyrics of the song and support of Jonathan.
The “Libiamo Duet” from Verdi’s opera La Traviata gave Josie a chance for full use of her voice which has been developed to a professional level; her strong notes rose above the orchestra, matching the tenor note for note. The chorus provided another layer of professional singing to this concert staple.
Josie Tan, with this concert, triumphed over a formidable repertoire of five difficult opera arias which require utmost control and harnessing of emotional and physical resources after singing art songs in different languages — French, English, Italian and Filipino. Following the usual sequence of concert programming, Josie ended the evening with songs from Broadway musicals.
The audience was in for a delightful surprise when Josie bade the audience to listen as she regaled with her spontaneous, extemporaneous sense of humor, introducing us to still another Josie with a passion for music: a person with a rare talent of laughing at herself. She set all of the audience laughing when she, with authoritative overtones to her mezzo-soprano speaking voice, talked about her first experience rehearsing with orchestral accompaniment. Wondering why the orchestra had stopped playing while she was still singing, she realized the song had already ended moments earlier.
The audience thanked Josie with a rousing standing ovation for turning a dark rainy night bright with laughter and the light of a million mornings.
