Of Workshops and War

After my travels around Western Asia and the Caucasus, I decided to spend a few days in Qatar—to see Doha, experience a little more of the country, and, most importantly, share music with Filipino choirs there.

I had the immense joy of leading a workshop with three wonderful Filipino choirs in Doha. It is always a privilege to share what I have learned with fellow singers—to help them discover new possibilities in their voices, refine their musicianship, and hopefully elevate the way they make music together.

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snippets during the workshop and the post workshop obligatory selfie

But beyond the music, there is something especially meaningful about connecting with fellow Filipino musicians abroad. Seeing them carve out time for rehearsals while balancing work, family, and everyday life reminds me of how deeply music runs in our community. Despite the demands of their busy lives, they continue to come together simply because they love to sing.

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with the Philippine School Doha Choir, Sacred Heart of Jesus Choir and Maharlikans Vocal Ensemble Philippines.

After the workshop, I had the chance to slow down and take in Doha's beauty—basking in its stunning skyline and peaceful evening atmosphere aboard a traditional dhow. The night ended beautifully with dinner and coffee with members of the Maharlikans Vocal Ensemble.

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the day (and night) before the war, or should I say the calm before the storm

Little did we know that the world was about to change just hours later.

My flight took off about an hour before the airspace closed. Already airborne, I was settling into my beautiful Qsuite pod when I checked the news before going to sleep—and, to my surprise, the war had begun.

I tried asking the flight attendants what had happened, but they were just as unaware of the rapidly unfolding situation. Upon landing, our flight was diverted to Clark instead of Manila, as the parking bays in Manila were already full because of the numerous cancelled flights to Western Asia. It was then that one of the flight attendants calmly—but rather shockingly whispered to me, that while we were flying near the Pakistan border, the captain had seen several missiles in the sky and had even been contemplating turning the aircraft back to Doha.Another flight, bound for Melbourne and departing only an hour after ours, had to return to Doha.

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Thanks to Starlink, I got this update while airborne. Really lovin the signature drink of QR - this lemon mint drink is so refreshing! Some coffee before sleeping and yup, that selfie before reading the news.

I am incredibly grateful that our flight continued and that we arrived safely back home.What makes it even more surreal is that I had actually been considering extending my stay in Doha for another two days. Had I done so, I might have found myself stranded there for weeks.

It was only after landing—and now, writing this—that the gravity of what had happened truly sank in.Gosh. I had missed the war by just a few hours.

What had been a beautiful, peaceful evening of music, friendship, and sightseeing suddenly became a story of how narrowly I made it home.

My heartfelt thanks to Maharlikans Vocal Ensemble Philippines for hosting me and making my stay in Doha so memorable. Little did we know how quickly the world would shift the following day.

Praying for the safety of all my friends, colleagues, fellow musicians, and everyone in the affected region. May everyone find their way home safely.