by Kenneth K. Ong
Friendship comes in many forms, be it though gifts, sharing lunch, or in the case of Taiwan’s Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission, the many local Filipino-Chinese associations and the people of Davao thru a celebration of song and performance last March 18 to celebrate the 100th year founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Top-billed by the SEMISCON Vocal Band, the show was free for everyone who wanted to watch. SEMISCON is Taiwan’s first professional a cappella ensemble with a broad repertoire from classical, jazz, Broadway, folk, and Eastern and Western pop. To be honest, I was a bit hesitant as to how the jam packed crowd at Davao’s Central Bank Convention Hall would accept the performances since half of the songs of the evening are done in Mandarin, a language, that to most typical Dabawenyos, sounds more Greek than Japanese. But all my fears melted away as the crowd cheered and sang along one song after another and was able to grasp the soul the songs through the energetic elements of dance, design, comedy and style injected by the members of SEMISCON which goes to prove that music truly transcends both cultures and languages.
Adding to the singing were performances by acrobatic artist, Isaac Hou, who mystified the crowd with his flaming chain. A graduate of the Academy of Untamed Creativity in Denmark and the State University of Circus and Variety Arts in Russia, Hou’s crystal ball literally mesmerized the crowd and his iron hoop performance literally defied imagination and gravity.
