Artist Spotlight: Tenor & Music Educator Pete Avendaño
Next up in this FASO@10 spotlight series is tenor and music educator Christopher "Pete" Avendaño. Watch Pete and many more at “FASO@10: A Decade of Music, Harmony and Community” on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the historic Alex Theatre!
1. Pete Avendaño’s no stranger to FASO!
He performed at our inaugural concert at the Saban Theater. Here’s his hauntingly beautiful performance of “Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan” from the concert!
2. Pete’s music career took off when he joined the Tiples de Santo Domingo, the oldest boy’s choir in the Philippines.
During his time in the ensemble, he was often featured as a boy soprano soloist.
3. Pete’s a University of Santo Tomas (UST) alum.
Pete was a member of the acclaimed UST Singers and earned a bachelor’s in music from the UST Conservatory of Music. With the UST Singers, he embarked on concert tours to Europe, North America and South America. Pete also performed in Singapore Lyric Opera productions of "Il Pagliacci," "Cavalleria Rusticana," "Il Trovatore," and "Macbeth” while he was still a UST student.
4. Pete’s a passionate and driven music educator.
Under his direction, the Immaculate heart of Mary Children’s Choir has won accolades and awards at home and abroad! The ensemble won two silver medals at the 2012 World Choir Games in Cincinnati. They performed at the 2015 National Children’s Chorus Festival at Carnegie Hall, the 2015 International Congress of Pueri Cantores in Vatican City and Rome, and the 2017 Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, among others. Here’s a sample of the choir’s award-winning sound!
5. Pete has a wide variety of hobbies.
His hobbies include gardening and working on DIY projects. He’s also been a huge Lakers fan since 1984!
Be a part of this history-making event as FASO celebrates 10 years of Filipino musical creativity and artistry on Saturday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m., at the Alex Theatre, on 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203. Order tickets online here and check out info on the Alex Theatre’s physical box offices here. Children 2 years of age and under may enter for free. Student discounts and group rates apply. Contact Louie Ramos at luisramos91201@gmail.com, for more info on those special prices.