The Choir
More than a choir, a family united by music.
The Kudyapi Choir is a musical ensemble dedicated to singing, dancing, acting and playing instruments such as the ukulele, guitar and piano. It is composed of 42 members between the ages of 5 and 23. The goal of the choir is for 3rd generation Filipinos, born and raised in Spain, to be able to learn, appreciate and become more familiar with the culture of the Philippines through music.
The choir usually rehearses every Wednesday and Friday at Casal Folch y Torres. They also participate in Holy masses at Iglesia San Agustin, both in Filipino and Spanish. In addition, they are constantly invited to be part of events such as Filipiniana, Independence Day, Ravalstoltada and Trobada de cors del Raval.
The name “Kudyapi” refers to a traditional two-stringed instrument from the Philippines. Besides, it also stands for: KU (Kultura), D (dance), Y (and), A (Art) and PI (Pilipinas).
Our Mission
The mission of our choir is to immerse ourselves in the artistic fields to enhance our musical and literary,
scenic and plastic talents.
We are looking for group but also individual evolution, to be able to share with each other the teaching and
wisdom that we are acquiring. Therefore, a space is created that encourages teamwork, good coexistence and,
above all, respect and discipline.
It is very important to emphasize that, through these tools, being a choir of Filipino origin, we try to teach
our culture to spectators, especially young immigrants who live and/or have been born in Barcelona, like us.
Our Vision
We have a vision that focuses mainly on spreading our talent and the richness of our culture until we can reach a professional level as a choir in the world of music. In addition, the development and creative growth of each member is promoted.
The Choristers
Soprano 1
Ana
Daniela
Dianne
Erin
Krisha
Patricia
Patrick
Phrencis
Yven
Soprano 2
Althea
Bernadette
Daphne
Ellyza
Faith
Gabriel
Jaden
James
Jewel
Jyrelle
Kara
Kathleen
Kayla
Khendie
Kobe
Kyrey
Lovi
Neil
Nelissa
Nica
Raiden
Stewart
Ysabel
Alto
Camille
Charmae
Fenina
Jynwell
Katrina
Leira
Bass
Aivan
Benjie
CK
Eduard
Eddie
Geo
Jomari
Junior
Michael
Ralph
The Mentors
The team of directors is essential in the success of the choir. The directors are Nats Sisma, Arnel German and Nieves Cabacungan, who collaborate voluntarily so that the choir works smoothly.
Nats Sisma
Nats Sisma is the artistic director and manager of the Kudyapi Choir. He organizes concerts and/or events, encourages the creativity of the members for their talents to be seen.
He finished his degree in Accounting Management in the Philippines and got a scholarship from the Spanish International Cooperation Agency to later travel to Spain. He completed a master's degree in Santiago de Compostela and another one in Barcelona.
Currently, he has other very important roles that greatly benefit the Filipino community, most of them volunteer works. Apart from that, he has also founded the Filipino magazine called The Filipino Expat Magazine.
Arnel German
Arnel German has a very important role in the choir as he is the musical director. Thanks to him, the members learn a lot through music. He teaches all the musical pieces, both those for the concerts and those for the masses, and makes sure that they are beautifully transmitted to the public.
He finished his university degree in Civil Engineering in the Philippines and traveled to Spain, where he completed a master's and doctorate degrees in Barcelona. He learned to play the piano in a program offered by his university, Mapua Institute of Technology. After joining the choir, he decided to successfully complete the “Dirección Coros Infantiles” course in Segovia.
Nowadays, he has a very important role in the Filipino community, working for the Barcelona City Council as a social mediator with the Filipino community in Barcelona.
Nieves Cabacungan
Nieves Cabacungan is the cultural relations officer. She is responsible for coordinating and communicating with representatives from churches and different government agencies, who constantly invite the choir to participate in their events. She always accompanies the members and oversees the activities of the choir.
Nats Sisma
Arnel German
