THE BAMBOO ORGAN
COMMUNITY
DIEGO CERA ORGAN BUILDERS
The Diego Cera Organ Builders Inc. is a company that specializes in building organs, specifically pipe organs. Pipe organs are musical instruments that produce sound through a series of pipes that are controlled by a keyboard. The company is likely involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of pipe organs for various institutions such as churches, concert halls, and schools.
The company was founded in 1994 after organ builders Cealwyn S. Tagle and Edgar M. Montiano (1969-2002) completed their training under the Master Organ builders of Helmut Allgauer Orgelbau in Grunbach am Schneeberg, Austria. and of Klais Orgelbau in Bonn, Germany.
To further extend their knowledge, they also participated in several workshops in organ building organized by the International Society of Organbuilders (ISO) and the European Center for Conservation, Restoration and Renovation (ECCRR) in Alden Biesen, Belgium. Training under the intense supervision of Europe’s pipe organ masters, founders Tagle and Montiano mastered every aspect of the unique craft of organ building, particularly in the areas of design, woodwork, pipe making, voicing, tuning and proper restoration, among others.
Since its founding, the company has built over 40 custom-made pipe organs for local and international clients: the Catholic cathedrals of Pasig, Lipa, Cebu, Antipolo, Baguio and Calapan (Mindoro), Singapore, Shanghai and Novosibirsk (Russia). Furthermore, parishes, private homes, schools, music conservatories, seminaries and religious communities. The company also saved our historic organ patrimony.
Without a local organ company, the few historic organs of the Spanish time would have been lost forever, among them the organs in Baclayon, Loay, Garcia Hernandez (Bohol), and Argao (Cebu). Four more organs in Bohol are waiting for their restoration: Loon, Loboc and Dimiao (built by Filipinos), and the organ of Maribojoc.
It is without doubt that the restoration of the Bamboo Organ (1973-75) generated a revival of interest in the pipe organs in the country. The yearly organized International Bamboo Organ Festival was an opportunity to establish contacts with organists and organizations who wanted to support the training of Filipino organists as well as organ builders in order to secure the future of the Bamboo Organ.
With the help of Dr. Johann Trummer, then head of the Institute for Church Music at the University of Graz (Austria), some young Filipino students from Las Piñas, mostly selected from among the members of the Las Piñas Boys Choir, were provided with a scholarship to take up a course in church music and organ building. It is not only Las Piñas but the entire country that is benefitting from this scholarship program.
LAS PIÑAS BOYS CHOIR
The Las Piñas Boys Choir, a well-known group of young singing boys proud to be identified as one of the few surviving “Boys Choirs” in the Philippines, was founded in 1969 by Leo Renier for the purpose of having a group of young voices sing at church services. Composed of young boys between the ages of 8 and 15, they are enrolled at St. Joseph’s Academy where they enjoy academic scholarships and are directly exposed to the cultural activities offered in and out of the institution.
Several former members have chosen a career in music here and abroad. Among them is Cealwyn Tagle, the first and only pipe organ builder in the Philippines, and Professor Armando Salarza, who became the conductor and musical director of the Las Piñas Boys Choir in 2003. Under his guidance, the choir got nominated twice as Best Chorale Group in 2005, 2006 & 2007 Aliw Awards, and World Champions in the 5th World Choir Games held at Graz, Austria in 2008 for the Children’s Choir Category.
In November 2015, the choir performed during the concluding rites of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation held at the Philippine International Convention Center and was invited to perform at the Gala Dinner of the ASEAN 50 in November 2017.
The LPBC needs your support. Two years of Covid deprived the choir of an income to support the scholarship program. In addition, 2 years of “coaching online” prevented new members to be coached by the group, which happened before in a most natural way: they feel happy and confident when singing together.
For two years, they only heard their own voice at home , without the support of their friends (how dreadful!!). Now, it is as if the choir has to start all over again beginning with the youngest. When you support the festival, you also support the Las Piñas Boys Choir, an institution which is now 53 years old, part of the city whose name they carry wherever they go, promoting the town’s musical culture and heritage.
SPONSORS
