19 June 2019

The talented Jose De Piro Kabataan Orchestra performed a series of concerts at four different Catholic schools last week.

The youth orchestra, comprising disadvantaged and impoverished young people from the Bataan Province in the Philippines, performed in full venues at Thomas Carr College, Tarneit, Trinity College, Colac, Caroline Chisholm Catholic College, Braybrook, and Our Lady of Mercy College, Heidelberg.

The vision to sponsor the orchestra to come to Australia was born when a group of Year 11 students from Thomas Carr College visited the Philippines on a mission immersion experience in 2018.

On their return, the college partnered with the parishes of St James the Apostle, Hoppers Crossing, and St Bernadette’s, Sunshine North. Together they were able to raise over $30,000 to bring the orchestra to Australia.

‘The ways in which the various Catholic colleges and parishes were able to come together to host, feed and embrace these young people speak of the richness of our Catholic faith’, said Thomas Carr College’s Director of Student Services, Mrs Geralyn McCarthy.

Jose De Piro Kabataan Orchestra was founded by Father Joseph Cremona in 2013 and named after Joseph De Piro, founder of the Missionary Society of St Paul, the congregation to which Fr Joseph Cremona belongs.

Now a fully-fledged orchestra with over 60 musicians, some of the young people have gone on to being offered scholarships at universities in Manila.