Jared Martin, Tiffany Viray To Add Young Voices to OPM Concert in Manhattan April 27

New York--Filipino-American singers Jared Martin, 21, and Tiffany Viray, 17, are poised to lend their singing flair to the upcoming tribute concert to Original Philippine Music (OPM) composer-lyricist Cecile Azarcon billed as "An Evening of Original Philippine Music with Cecile Azarcon and Sounds of Manila" at Peter Norton Symphony Space (2537 Broadway and 95th Street) on Sunday, April 27, at 7 p.m.

Expect Jared, who recently shared the stage with one of Azarcon's more popular song interpreters, Martin Nievera, at a concert in Atlantic City, and Tiffany, who appeared in televised auditions at "The X Factor" on FOX in 2011, to collaborate on one or two OPM duets, which according to both were songs that have been playing in their respective homes since they were two or three years old.

"That's all that was playing when I was at the kitchen of my grandparents. It's a fundamental part of my love for Filipino music, which should be deemed important by all Filipinos. We don't just borrow music from America. We have our own music that we should be proud of," says Jared, who classifies himself as a classical pop crossover artist, and is currently enrolled at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia's bachelor's program in vocal performance and master's program in music education.

Pop singer Tiffany, who is also a working high school student from Freehold, New Jersey, adds, "OPM is how we portray our own music, and how we portray our own message. That's a beautiful thing. And I'm glad I grew up singing OPM duets with my dad!"

"Let's keep OPM alive!" Jared enthuses.

"Our music is definitely different from others," says Tiffany.

Among Azarcon's timeless hits, "Ikaw ang Lahat Sa Akin," which, apparently, was the first Tagalog single of then up-and-coming pop balladeer Martin Nievera in the '80s, and revived in the '90s, was the one that stood out for both young singers, especially to Jared, "My earliest memory of me performing was when I was two years old singing 'I Will Always Love You' by Whitney Houston on top of a table at Pizza Hut and belting out 'Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin' by Martin Nievera in the kitchen!"

Besides "Ikaw ang Lahat Sa Akin," OPM icon Azarcon also wrote "Even If," recently revived by Tony winner Lea Salonga; "How Did You Know," recently revived by Gary Valenciano; "Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin" by Nievera; and "I Think I'm In Love," originally sung by the Pop Diva Kuh Ledesma, and many more!

The concert "An Evening of Original Philippine Music with Cecile Azarcon and Sounds of Manila," which also celebrates the 35th anniversary of Azarcon in the entertainment business, is produced by Synergy Production & Marketing Inc.

Besides Jared and Tiffany, the one-night-only concert will also showcase an all-OPM repertoire, newly arranged by renowned musical director and arranger Lorrie Illustre, and will feature live performances from Azarcon; Sounds of Manila band, made up of Ronnie Sabangan, Hermie Angeles, Suzanne Lansangan-Sabangan, JR Gendrano, Bobby de Leon (on hiatus) and Aaron Garcia (on hiatus); seasoned show band vocalists Arnel Arcedo and Tony Gado; and guest guitarist Carlo Tampac of Chapter 2 band.

As a special treat to concertgoers, Sounds of Manila will also launch in the concert one of Azarcon's three newest songs that is included in the band's debut album. Titled "Sounds of Manila Sings Cecile Azarcon," the album features 10 songs written and produced by Azarcon, and arranged and co-produced by Ilustre, available in this month and at the concert hall lobby.

For tickets ($60-VIP, $45-Orchestra, and $35-Balcony), visit www.symphonyspace.org/event/8306/Music/an-evening-of-philippine-music or call Symphony Space box office at 212-864-5400 from Tuesday to Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

You may also buy tickets at Synergy Production & Marketing Inc. at tel. no. 212-206-1627.

Concert sponsors include GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, Anthilla Land Corporation (ALC), Mortgage Unlimited, Directv, X-clusive Marketing , The Filipino Reporter, Filipino Express, The FilAm.net, and Pinoy Radio.

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