The CompanY: "We are family"

Author: Reyma Buan-Deveza
Column: Entertainment

To many, they are a singing group. Others might see them as a group of friends. But as far as the country's premiere vocal ensemble The Company is concerned, they are family.

Close to approaching their 25th anniversary as a group, The Company is still very solid, and busy with their distinct performances here and abroad.

"We'd been together for almost 23 years now and we are still here -- together," Moy Ortiz, the leader of The Company told ABS-CBNNews.com.

The group shared that some of their ways to bond and to keep their relationship strong are eating and watching movies and musical plays together.

"We go out to eat but it doesn't necessarily mean that it should be fancy - but it should be clean," Ortiz added.

According to the new tenor of the group, Jay Marquez, they also consider their rehearsals as a time to forge stronger ties.

"When we are doing our rehearsals for our shows, usually we go to the place of one of our members, like in (Annie Quinto's) house she's always the 'taya', we eat food and just drink coffee."

Annie Quintos, a soprano alto, is one of the group's founding members.

Sweet Plantado, also a member of the group, said that another way to keep their band together is to constantly communicate.

"Of course open communication just like any other relationship you need that," Plantado said.

The group is one in saying that the reason they are still united is because of love of their craft, and continually discovering things they can still offer as a group and as individuals.

The group was formed in the late 80s by Ortiz and his 11 friends. After 23 years and seventeen studio albums that have reaped 38 music industry awards, The Company has become the country's premiere vocal group.

They will now share the training, knowledge, experiences, and insights they have acquired in their long career by conducting a summer workshop.

The Company joins forces with music school Trumpets' Musicademy to offer a summer class called "Star Powers."

The group said the program is designed to provide intensive training for vocal performers in one's chosen style of contemporary music.

The workshop will run from April 2 to May 31, and will be held at the Trumpets Musicademy studio at the 5th floor of Shangri-la Mall.

The Company will also have a reunion show entitled "Music Museum Back to the Academy: a Dream Reunion" with the top 6 winners of ABS-CBN's Pinoy Dream Academy Season 1 on April 12th, at Museum Museum in Greenhills, San Juan.

Catch their latest album "Destination: Bossa" under Viva Records.

Source: ABS-CBN News