Thirteen solo artists and bands lent their talents to pay tribute, promote and spark hope for the future of Original Pilipino Music. Presented by developer Avida Land Corp., the concert is the first in an OPM concert series to be held in different venues.

Artists who contributed their talent for the show include Sitti; Jim Paredes; Myrus; Princess Velasco; Sabrina; 1:43; Arnee Hidalgo; Grace Note; Callalily; 6cyclemind; Pedicab; True Faith and Aries Sales. The night's emcee-ing duties were done more than ably by host and radio jock Gelli Victor.

"We are all fans of OPM and we'd like to do our part in helping it grow further so that the next generation will have the legacy of OPM for them to enjoy," says Tess Tatco, Marketing Head of Avida.

"The Makati concert is only the first leg of Tunog Natin, which is a series of concerts to be held in key locations in line with our product launches. We ask everyone to support this campaign,"Tatco added.

Romance and rock
One of the highlights of the evening was the performance of legendary singer-songwriter Jim Paredes, who helped usher in the first golden age of Original Pilipino Music in the mid-1970s and throughout the 1980s, via the Apo Hiking Society a musical group that gave Filipinos classic pop hits such as "Pumapatak ang Ulan", "Doobidoo", "Awit ng Barkada", "Batang-bata ka pa", "Ewan" and many others. Jim Paredes wrote many of these hit songs.

Contemporary bands 6Cyclemind, Callalily and all-girl group Grace Note provide the hard-rocking numbers, balanced by the more New Wave and easy-listening sound of 1990s veteran band True Faith. Funky, electronic music from Pedicab was at turns danceable, innovative and sophisticated.

Refreshingly melodious and sweet-voiced Sitti, also known as the Philippines' bossa nova queen, sang both new songs and old favorites from her repertoire.

Acoustic vocalist Sabrina's performance was a crowd pleaser. Her very Asian look and Asian-flavored vocals showed everyone why she's the number one international act in Thailand-she sells more records over there than Justin Bieber.

After Sabrina's set, all the show's artists led a candle lighting ceremony in tribute to OPM. The lighting ceremony was accompanied by a moment of silence and reflection: the light from candles held by all the artists onstage symbolized the hope for the future of OPM.

"The candle lighting ceremony was a very meaningful portion of the show. It really expressed what sets apart this concert series from other shows. Tunog Natin does not simply present OPM-it's meant to call the audience to action in actively supporting Original Pilipino Music.

"Supporting this concert series is one way to contribute to OPM's future. There are other ways that should be obvious. Buying OPM artists' albums, watching their shows, not buying pirated recordings-there are many ways to assure that our music survives and thrives," says singer-songwriter Myrus, Tunog Natin's project head.

New sounds plus nostalgia
Myrus, also dubbed "The Sentimental Prince of OPM", started the second half of the concert. He gave his distinctly soulful and intense rendition of ballads, as well as one playful love song, "Pusong Lito", that brought smiles among the crowd. "Pusong Lito" is his own composition.

Myrus, whose versatility and skill allows him to transition seamlessly from sentimental ballads to RnB and more upbeat, danceable fare, later sang a duet with RnB artist Arnee Hidalgo.

Arnee's unmatched, smooth vocals left the audience in silent awe for a few moments, after which they gave rich applause. She also sang a heartfelt, exquisite rendition "Bakit Ba?", another Myrus composition.

"Tunog Natin" was also an opportunity for artists Myrus, Arnee Hidalgo, Aries Sales, Princess Velasco and Jim Paredes to showcase their new singles for the first time to a live audience.

"Tunog Natin is a good opportunity for singers and songwriters to perform their new singles and new compositions live for the first time. Since the purpose of the concert series is to help sustain the future of OPM, what better way to do this than to show the audience that OPM keeps on evolving and that Filipino musicians continue to add to its rich legacy?" says Myrus.

Boy band 1:43 (pronounced "One Forty-three") performed amid the loudest, most giggly squeals of delight during their set-from their loyal followers who are mostly teens and tweens. Interestingly, there were also some men in the group. Host Gelli interviewed one of these men, who, it turns out, knows all the names of the 1:43 members. After the hard-rocking bands and romantic ballads, 1:43's young, refreshing sound quickly gave them distinction.

The night's final act was acoustic princess Princess Velasco. Despite being the last act and the lateness of the hour (already approaching midnight), Princess was able to renew the crowd's interest-and watching their enthusiastic response to her songs, one would not think it was already the last number for the night. Known for her easy listening acoustic sound, Princess gave everyone a delightful surprise when she sang a formidable version of the rock hit "Darna."

"The support of the artists, the audience and Avida Land is just overwhelming. I am so glad that this first ‘Tunog Natin' concert is so successful. Their support gives me hope that OPM will never fade from our musical heritage. The styles may change from one generation to the next-but the beauty of the music continues to define our Filipino identity and give us profound meaning," says Myrus.

Throughout the show, all the Filipino artists rallied the audience behind OPM-a gesture that was welcomed and returned enthusiastically. The feelings of pride for our own music filled the air.

Sabrina and Princess-who are hitmakers and sought-after artists through their covers of foreign songs-were sincerely and deeply moved by their inclusion in a show with an all-OPM lineup. They gave their heart and soul in performing their OPM favorites.

There are more "Tunog Natin" concerts scheduled in various venues to rally Filipino audiences behind OPM and ensure that it will continue to beautifully express the aspirations and collective story of our race-and nurture the heart and soul of every Filipino for generations to come.