1,188 concert attendees filled the Samuel P. Dizon Academy (SPDA) Gymnasium as the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP) brought together the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and AUP choirs for “Symphonic Soundscapes: An Evening with the Manila Symphony Orchestra with AUP Choirs under the Baton of Jeffrey Solares,” a fundraising concert for the AUP Medical Center on September 27, 2026.

The sold-out concert turned an evening of symphonic and choral music into a collective effort to support the University’s vision for the AUP Medical Center. AUP sold more than one thousand tickets, drawing members of the AUP community, alumni, friends, donors, and guests who gathered not only for the performance but also to contribute to a health-care project intended to serve the University community and its surrounding communities.

At the center of the evening was the Manila Symphony Orchestra, founded by Alexander Lippay in 1926. MSO is one of Asia’s oldest orchestras and the longest-surviving artistic institutions in the Philippines. Throughout its history, the orchestra has performed with internationally recognized artists and Filipino National Artists, contributing to the country’s cultural life.

Under the baton of Jeffrey Solares, MSO presented a repertoire spanning classical works, film scores, and Filipino music. The second part of the program included music from The Mission, The Prince of Egypt, Spirited Away, and James Bond, followed by choral collaborations.

The AUP chorale community joined the orchestra through performances featuring the Advent Euphonic Chorale, AUP Academy Choir, Celestial Echoes, Unceasing Cantica, Music Majors Chorale, Sola Gratia Chorale, Chimes, and The Philippine Meistersingers.

One of the concert’s highlights was the encore, with the AUP choirs and MSO performing “Shine On, Dear AUP!” under Solares, bringing the University’s musical identity into the fundraising initiative for the Medical Center. AUP alumnus Ace Daniel conducted the orchestra.

From the orchestra’s century-long musical heritage to the voices of AUP’s choirs and the generosity of its supporters, Symphonic Soundscapes demonstrated how the university’s values of Academic Excellence, Christlike Character, and Exemplary Service can converge in one evening of music, partnership, and giving.