Welcome to this section of our website, my dear kabalens and friends. A hug back to our balik-kabalens and bambanense.com die hards who visit us frequently and who show their appreciation through emails and such. This author just got back from a Far East vacation, including a visit to our beloved town. With the waning of November and Christmas and 2008 just around the corner, let's get down to it and revisit our youthful talents from our hometown.
Orange Tuazon, a shy but talented teen-ager from Bamban, Tarlac and Angeles City, is our featured musical artist. Born to lucky parents John A. Tuazon and the lovely Ma. Elisa Macapagal-Tuazon, she was baptized Jeanne Loren Macapagal Tuazon, though she is more well known by her pet name, Orange. Her baby brother, unable to pronounce Loren when they were children, called her "Oyen", which metamorphosed to Orange as the years rapidly flew by.
Looking at Orange's musical pedigree, we see that she is from the Tuazon musical family. Dad is John A. Tuazon, a former math teacher at Sto. Nino Academy (Fr. Uly Navarro's teacher, as a matter of fact) and a talented guitarist with his own band. Orange is the granddaughter of the late Raymundo "Doy" Tuazon and Cleopatra "Nene" Arcilla-Tuazon of San Roque, Bamban, Tarlac. Both "Ingkung" Doy and "Apung" Nene were tiples or choir members at the Sto. Nino Parish Church in Bamban. Her paternal grandparents were music masters and composers. Orange's Uncle Ditts Tuazon, known as the Johnny Mathis of Bamban, currently is the musical director of the Marriage Encounter Music Ministry. He also organized various music bands such as drum, lyre, rondalla and choral groups.
Orange attended various Catholic schools in Angeles City such as the Lorenzo Ruiz School and Chevalier School. Her immense talent convinced ArtiSta. Rita's big boss, Andy Alvis to bring an Arti performance to Chevalier. With great faith in his new discovery, Andy not only allowed some Arti singers to perform at this school, but had Orange lead the group and perform the lead in "Atin Cu Pung Singsing." Orange and the young Arti singers who performed proved that even at a young age, they have what it takes to rock the Kapampangan musical world.
Orange's musical talent was basically discovered by her parents. When she was 8 or 9, her Dad installed a karaoke software into their first computer. When Orange repeatedly sang "I Will" (Beatles), her parents liked what they heard in the young tykester (the word "mipasulit" comes to mind) and bought a karaoke. Thus, a star was born. She loves jazz, alternative music and opera. The first song she sang in public was "Vision of Love" (Mariah Carey). The teen-aged soprano also plays the piano and keyboards as well as the guitar, violin and the bamboo flute. She started winning recognition for her music at her elementary school, the Lorenzo Ruiz Center. She is the only ArtiSta. Rita talent from Bamban, Tarlac.
Her favorite singer is Lea Salonga (http://www.leasalonga.com/) because when Orange was younger, she used to watch Lea perform and was impressed by her singing talent and wanted to imitate her. Orange was inspired to start singing by Lea. Christina Aguilera (http://www.christinaaguilera.com/) is also a favorite because she has a powerful voice. A recent favorite is Houston's own Renee Olstead (http://www.reneeolstead.com/), a young and upcoming jazz and soul singer who was also influenced by the late Janis Joplin, another Texan (http://www.officialjanis.com/bio.html). When asked that inevitable question about her favorite song, Orange replied: My favorite song is "Taking a Chance on Love," a really old song published in 1940 but Renee Olstead and Jane Monheit (http://www.janemonheitmusic.com/) did their own
remake and they are wonderful.
I had an early Christmas gift when I was treated to a Tuazon musical show in Bamban recently. The children (below 10) who had their sugar treats and energy boosts even before the party started ran and shouted as they showed their appreciation of the big, open space of the Hilltop Pavillion Room. The men laughed as they shared jokes only men would, and the ladies talked of things we'd rather not print here. The food servers watched from behind the various dishes. However, when Orange stood up to sing, everyone took a respite from whatever they were doing and listened. She was able to catch everyone's attention with her voice. You all will have an idea as to the magnitude of her musical talent when you listen to her sing on bambanense.com.
"Do not cry Pepito. Show these people that you are brave. It is a rare opportunity for me to die for our country. Not everybody is given that chance."
Saying attributed to Supreme Court Justice Jose Abad Santos of San Fernando, Pampanga when he was captured with his son and was interrogated by the Japanese in 1942.
