Haraya Choir

07/10/2026

Someone pinch us… we’ve just recorded at the VOCES8 Centre!!! 🤏🥹🎙️

There was definitely a lot of “OMG, we’re actually here!” as Haraya walked into the VOCES8 Centre in London for our professional recording session.

For those who may not know it, the VOCES8 Centre is the home of the world-renowned vocal ensemble VOCES8 and an international centre for vocal excellence, with a state-of-the-art recording and production studio dedicated to some of the very finest vocal and choral music-making and recording in the world, so to find Haraya standing there, about to make our own recording, was quite a moment for us.

And to make this first even more special, we had the enormous privilege of working with a Grammy-nominated producer and audio engineer behind the desk.

As far as we know, this was also the first time Filipino voices singing Filipino music have been professionally recorded within those walls. And there we were, a bunch of very proud British Pinoys, bringing a little bit of the Philippines into that extraordinary space. 🇵🇭🇬🇧❤️

There was a lot of awe, a lot of love, a few nerves, and above all, an enormous amount of gratitude to have found ourselves there, making music together.

Because behind that “OMG, we’re actually here!” was an awful lot of hard work. Many, many hours of rehearsing and learning, a fair amount of blood, sweat and tears (figuratively, thankfully! 😂), sacrifices made along the way, and a group of people who have kept turning up and giving so much of themselves to this choir.

We are, after all, a volunteer choir, built simply from a shared love of singing and a belief in what Filipino choral music and musicians can bring to the UK. So to look around that studio and realise where all that work had somehow brought us was incredibly special.

So for now, we’re just pinching our cheeks and taking this little milestone in. ❤️

Very soon, we’ll be able to share what we made in that room with all of you. And we really can’t wait. 🎶

05/10/2026

✨ WHAT A NIGHT! THANK YOU! ✨

We are still on a high after a truly wonderful Haraya Singers Gala! 🎶❤️

What an absolute joy it was to see our singers take the stage and share their voices, musicianship and personalities with such a warm and enthusiastic audience. The concert was so beautifully received, and we could not be prouder of everyone who performed.

One of the loveliest things about the evening was seeing just how far people had travelled to support our singers. We even had wonderful friends and supporters come all the way from Swindon to cheer us on! That kind of support means more to us than we can say. 💛

The Gala was created to shine a light on the incredible individual talent within Haraya, from soloists and small ensembles to the moments when our voices came together as one choir. Saturday night reminded us just how fortunate we are to have such talented, hardworking and generous musicians within our Haraya family.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who made the evening possible: our wonderful singers, accompanists and musicians; everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes; those who helped organise, prepare and promote the concert; and every friend, family member and supporter who bought a ticket, shared our posts, brought someone along or simply came to cheer us on.

And most of all, thank you to our audience. Your warmth, your applause and your encouragement created such a special atmosphere for our performers. Seeing so many happy faces at the end of the evening and hearing your lovely comments afterwards made all the hard work worthwhile.

Another beautiful milestone in Haraya Choir’s 10th anniversary season, and an evening we will remember for a very long time. ✨🇵🇭🇬🇧

Maraming, maraming salamat. Thank you for believing in our singers, supporting our music and being part of the Haraya journey.

Here’s to the next one! 🥂🎶❤️

03/10/2026

03/10/2026

A special treat, live from the Haraya Singers Gala: the Haraya Choir performs “Yanni’s Aria”

02/10/2026

✨ ONE DAY TO GO! TOMORROW NIGHT!✨

The wait is almost over… Haraya Singers Gala is TOMORROW! 🎶🔥

Here’s a little taste of what will open tomorrow evening’s concert: a few of our Lakan boys performing Peace of God by Tinashe Jera, captured live at the Chichester Festival earlier this year.

And this wasn’t just any performance… it won them the TOP PRIZE in the Male Voices category! 🏆

Tomorrow night, you can hear Peace of God LIVE, as it opens the Haraya Singers Gala and sets the stage for a whole evening showcasing the voices of Haraya.

The videos are only a glimpse. Come and hear what these voices sound like live.❤️

🔥 JUST ONE DAY TO GO!🔥

🎶 HARAYA SINGERS GALA
📅 TOMORROW – Saturday, 3 October 2026
📍 St Cuthbert’s, Earl’s Court, London

One stage. One evening. The singers of Haraya in the spotlight.

Tomorrow, we sing. See you there! 🇬🇧🇵🇭✨

30/09/2026

🇬🇧🇵🇭 Celebrating British East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month at King’s College Hospital 🎶

Haraya Choir sang at King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill yesterday, as part of its celebration of British East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month, with our assistant conductor Jeffrey leading the ensemble.

It was a real pleasure to share Filipino music and culture in a place that means so much to so many communities, and especially lovely to perform for NHS staff, patients and visitors.

As a British-Filipino choir, occasions like this are particularly meaningful to us. They give us the opportunity to celebrate our heritage, share a little of the extraordinary musical richness of the Philippines, and be part of the wider East and Southeast Asian community here in Britain.

A huge thank you to King’s College Hospital for the warm welcome and for inviting Haraya to be part of the celebrations. We were very proud to sing for you! 🇵🇭❤️🇬🇧

26/09/2026

This week we highlight our Tenor, John Ray Castro 💙

John Ray is a theatre nurse working in Luton. He joined Haraya in June 2022 and originally began his choir life as a Baritone - auditioning with us after not singing more than a decade! He then went on short hiatus to take singing lessons, and slowly built himself back to be a Tenor 2, which he has subsequently been singing as since 2023.

John Ray was living and working in the Philippines, and had his goals set on moving to the UK. During that time, he searched for a Filipino choir to join, and discovered Haraya in London - another big push he used to galvanise him in making his international move.

A music enthusiast, he used to play the piano, and has also tried his hand at the viola. When he is not practicing Haraya songs, he continuously listens to opera, oratorios and other singing genres, trying to dissect and study techniques and explore ways to singing songs more easily.

John Ray serves as a reminder to work on our talent and craft, and to persevere with our passions - and one can become a strong soloist like he is! 🎖️

23/09/2026

Ten years of Haraya has taught us that building a choir is about so much more than building a beautiful sound. ❤️

Of course, we value musicianship, excellence and ambition. We work incredibly hard for them. But with every passing year, we become more certain that character matters just as much as talent.

We value people who remember those who invested in them long before there was an audience to applaud them. Over the years, Karlene has opened not only the doors of Haraya but the doors of her own home, freely giving countless hours of her professional expertise, vocal training, musical coaching and mentorship to singers simply because she believed in their potential and wanted to see them grow. That spirit of generosity has always been part of Haraya.

We value people who are grateful for the time, teaching, encouragement, opportunities and generosity they have received along the way. Because however talented we may be, none of us arrives anywhere entirely by ourselves.

We value singers who work just as hard when there is no stage, no photograph and no spotlight. People who can possess extraordinary talent without needing to announce it. Who celebrate other people's successes wholeheartedly. Who speak with the same kindness in someone's absence as they would in their presence. Who understand that integrity behind closed doors matters far more than appearances in public.

We value honesty too. The kind that allows people to be genuine with one another, without pretence, politics or performance. To give constructive criticism with kindness and receive it with grace. To be secure enough to hear something that might make them better, and generous enough to help someone else become better too.

And we value real humility. The kind that allows even the most accomplished musician or singer to still listen, learn, accept correction and recognise that there will always be more to discover.

Over ten years, people naturally come and go. Paths diverge, new chapters begin, and every chapter teaches you something. We are grateful for those who have genuinely contributed to our story, but we have also learnt that the right people are not necessarily those with the biggest voices or the greatest desire to be seen. They are the people who share the values behind what we are trying to build.

And goodness, are we SO PROUD of the people we have today.

There are some MONSTROUS TALENTS in this choir, but somehow even BIGGER HEARTS. Hardworking, honest, generous, grounded (sometimes hilarious!🤣) human beings who show up for one another. People who understand that no individual is bigger than the ensemble, that friendship and kindness are things you practise rather than perform, and that someone else's success takes absolutely nothing away from your own.

Perhaps one of the loveliest things about reaching ten years is knowing more clearly than ever what matters to us.

Not simply what we want Haraya to sound like, but what we want Haraya to be

A place where excellence and kindness can coexist. Where people are challenged because someone believes they can be better. Where knowledge is shared generously. Where hard work matters more than attention, substance more than appearances, and the success of one is something for everyone to celebrate.

And where enormously talented people can still have enormously generous sincere hearts.

Which is why, for one very special evening, we are delighted to turn the spotlight onto them. ✨

THE HARAYA SINGERS GALA

For this concert, some of the individual voices you normally hear within Haraya step forward as soloists, giving us the chance to celebrate not only their artistry, but the wonderful people behind it.

These are singers we admire, colleagues we trust and human beings we are incredibly proud to call our Haraya family.

And we cannot wait for you to meet them. ❤️

📅 Saturday, 3 October 2026
📍 St Cuthbert's, Earl's Court, London SW5

Come for the music. Come for the voices. Come and celebrate the beautiful human beings behind them.

Paper tickets are available from Haraya members, with tickets also available on the door.

17/09/2026

This week we highlight our Alto and Head of Music Preparation - Eghipsie P De Los Reyes 🌸

Eghie has a strong background in music, as her family are musically inclined. She entered Conservatory of Music in her college years - and throughout that time she learned how to play banduria, flute and piano, which sharpened her skills.

Eghie has been singing with Haraya for 3 years now, and also shares her love for music by leading a separate Filipino (church-based) choir in London. She has the desire "to inspire more Filipinos to express themselves through music. Our culture is so rich and we are proud of it."

Thank you for lending us your talents ate Eghie, and we join you in manifesting a Royal Albert Hall performance for Haraya in the upcoming years ✨

14/09/2026

What an afternoon at CelebrASIA 2026! 🇵🇭❤️🇬🇧

Our hearts are very full after such a wonderful day at Battersea Power Station. Thank you to everyone who came, listened, cheered and supported Haraya. The warmth of the audience throughout our set was incredible. ❤️

We are immensely proud to represent Filipino music in the UK, and it is always a privilege to be given a stage where we can share even a small glimpse of the extraordinary breadth of music, languages and traditions found across the Philippines.

For this performance, we also debuted our beautiful T’boli and Blaan traditional attire for the very first time, and the response was incredibly touching. After our set, audience members came up to us to say how wonderful it was to see their own heritage and tribe represented and seen here in London. 🇵🇭

Those conversations meant so much to us. The Philippines is made up of so many peoples, regions, languages and traditions, and we know that one short performance can only ever offer a glimpse. But if someone in the audience can look at our stage and feel that a part of their own heritage is being seen and celebrated, that is something very special indeed.

And somehow, even the weather was on our side! ☔️✨ The rain stopped just in time for our performance, stayed away throughout our entire set… and then started again afterwards! We’ll happily take that little bit of CelebrASIA magic. 😂🙏

Then came another wonderful surprise. During our post-performance interview onstage, our host invited Haraya back to CelebrASIA next year! 🥹🎶 The Festival Director came to see us personally in our dressing room and reiterated the invitation. To be asked back seconds after going down the stage, was such a lovely moment. CelebrASIA 2027, here we come! ❤️🥳

A huge thank you to the entire CelebrASIA team for inviting us, for looking after us so beautifully, and for creating such an important platform for Asian artists and communities.

And to our wonderful audience, maraming, maraming salamat po!!! Your smiles, cheers and incredibly warm reception gave us so much energy on that stage. We felt every bit of it. We loved that some of you also sang along with us during our set!!🥹

What a privilege to share our music, our heritage and a little glimpse of the Philippines with London.

Thank you, CelebrASIA. We’ll see you again next year! 🇵🇭❤️🇬🇧