Sound of the SEAson

SUARA FALL 2026 CONCERT

Ring in the SEAson with Suara Southeast Asian Choir on 11/18 at the historic House of Explore Indonesia! 

Sound of the SEAson: A Southeast Asian Holiday Concert

Music weaves the passage of seasons across Southeast Asia (SEA). From gamelan gong cycles driving West Sumbawa buffalo races before the rains, to Baduy angklung invoking sacred rice-planting rituals in Sunda, and work songs sustaining Peninsular Malaysia's fields. It marks time, celebrates triumphs, and gathers communities close. 

"Sound of the SEAson" is a thoughtfully curated 14-song program that pairs songs typically sung in November and December from SEA with seasonal classics from the Western world.

From the SE Asian world, the selections include Loi Krathong, celebrating Thailand's festival of lights held on the 12th month of the lunar calendar; Amihan, capturing the comforting monsoon season in the Philippines; Ewa Bule, a Malaysian harvest song; Bèo dạt mây trôi, a Vietnamese classic about steadfast love; and Sik Sik Si Batu Manikkam, a Batak folk song set entirely to nonsense syllables. 

From the Western world, the selections includes Deck the Hall, a world premiere arrangement by Suara artistic director featuring four-hand piano and trumpet; Jewish-American composer Flory Jagoda's Chanukkah classic, Ocho Kandelikas; English Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis's O Nata Lux (O Born of Light); English composer John Gardner'sTomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day; and an American holiday staple that holds a beloved place in the hearts of Filipino karaoke-goers everywhere: Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You -- all selected with a thoughtful (and even nerdy) connection to the SE Asian counterparts.

HEXI (House of Explore Indonesia) is a former Art Deco bank now reimagined as a communal marketplace. The ticket and merch table will open at 7:30 PM, 30 minutes before the concert.

Suara warmly welcomes young audience members. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and remain under supervision for the duration of the concert. We appreciate your help in maintaining a fun but respectful listening space for our community.

Can’t attend but still want to support us? Donate today at https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/suara-southeast-asian-choir. 

Suara Southeast Asian Choir is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Suara Southeast Asian Choir must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.