Tacoma Refugee Choir Presents

Season Sponsors

Allen Family Philanthropies, ArtsFund, ArtsWA, Bamford Foundation, Florence Kilworth Foundation, Gottfried and Mary Fuchs Foundation, King County Employee Giving Program, Marco Heidner Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation

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Community Partners:​

Tacoma Community House
Thrive International - Tacoma
Malaya Tacoma

Visiting event information tables to learn more about

community resources and opportunities.

Program Notes &
Artist Biographies

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“Isu Tauya Pano”

Traditional Shona (Zimbabwe)

“Isu Tauya Pano” translates as “We have come here together.” A traditional Shona children’s song from Zimbabwe, its lyrics celebrate the joy of gathering—coming together as many, sharing love, laughter, and the company of one another.

“Help Me Find a Home”

words by Aboubakr Hassan

music by Erin Guinup

guest conductor: Erin Guinup

The words of this song were written by Aboubakr Hassan, describing his experience of fleeing Chad as a refugee. The lyrics are a sustained plea—for a home that doesn’t have to be left by force, where bombs don’t fall, where sleep comes peacefully, where love is shown and welcome is at every door. From exhaustion and longing (“I’ve been burning in the sun for so long”) the song moves toward community: a home where we can come together and sing, and heal those who have lost their families and their homes.

“Handog”

by Florante de Leon

soloists: Kaelin Lor
with special guest: Roger Rigor

“Handog” means gift or offering in Tagalog. The chorus repeats: “One day I will grow old and pass away, but there will be a song I will leave behind for you as remembrance. Because, at one time, we were all together.”

This song is performed in loving memory of Kai Dana-René Sorem. “Handog” was Kai’s favorite karaoke song, and the first song the choir was learning together when she came to rehearsal with her mother in February.

Members of the choir also remember:
 

Bonifacio Aguinid • June Aguinid • Leona Aguinid • Tom Aguinid • Nathan Basher • Kalavanti Bhatt • Juniper Blessing • Keegan Clothier (2010–2025) • Lourdes Domingo • Renée Nicole Good • Ina Mae Guyton • Robert Guyton • Sara Denise Hernandez Baisa (1993–2025) • Edward Jones • Henry Jones • Virgil Jones • Sybil Kelly • James Romero Lane • Rosita Aguinid Lane • Kirk Nelson • Koji Oka • Mary Jean Owens • Alex Pretti • Adam Staples • Arthur Waskow (1933–2025)

“This Is My Wish”

by Angela Lauer and Tim Lauer

“El Periquito”

Traditional Venezuelan folk song

Guest Performance:
Tumbarrancho Venezuela

"Acidito"
"Tu Boca"
"Oriente es de otro color"
"Los Dos Gavilanes"
"Moliendo Café"

“Coming Back!”

by Erin Guinup, Michael M.I. Cole, Mariia Pozhar
additional lyric by Julie Staples

Special Dance Performance:

Fire Dolls
Thrive International, Tacoma

“Life”

by Artsiom Lukyanenka

soloist/conductor: Katia Marynevich
 

“Life” is sung in Belarusian and declares that life is in our hands—that even in the face of fear and forces working against us, we hold the power to reverse the tide. The singer acknowledges fear directly, then returns again and again to the same defiant truth: when the dark night comes, we will be dancing. We will stay together and celebrate being alive.

“A.I.E. A Mwana”

original composition by Daniel Vangarde & Jean Kluger 

Swahili adaptation by Black Blood 
 

In Swahili, “A.I.E.” is a joyful exclamation—something like “Oh yes!” The lyrics describe a simple, happy scene: a family heading home together at the end of the day—spouse, children, everyone tired and ready for sleep—calling out loving farewells to parents and friends before the night comes.​

“Isu Tauya Pano” (Reprise)

Traditional Shona (Zimbabwe)​

“Better Together”

music by Katia Marynevich

additional music and lyrics by Tacoma Refugee Choir
 

Concert premiere — a Tacoma Refugee Choir original, written this season

Tonight marks the concert premiere of this Tacoma Refugee Choir original, written this season.

“Magsayawan”

written by Charo Unite & Ernie de la Peña

with special guest: Roger Rigor
 

“Magsayawan” means “Let’s Dance.” Roger Rigor is one of the seven founding members of VST & Company, the iconic Filipino disco group that pioneered the Manila Sound in the late 1970s.
 

The song is a jubilant call to set every worry aside and give yourself over to the dance floor—no need to dress up, no need to look a certain way, just come as you are and move to the music. The chorus promises that once you start dancing, time disappears, tiredness is forgotten, and by midnight even sadness gives way to the sheer delight of being alive and together.​

“Everyone Can Love Someone”

by Trésor John, Nathalie Bajinya & Erin Guinup
 

TRC alumni are invited to join the choir onstage for this closing anthem.


 

Artist Biographies

Erin Guinup
 

Erin Guinup served as founding Executive and Artistic Director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir from 2016–2024. With the choir, she has spoken at TEDxSeattle, Starbucks, the Global Migrant Festival, and led the choir in performances for over 50,000 people, including performances for the Governor’s State of the State Address, National Race & Pedagogy Conference, and ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati.

Erin is a classically-trained soprano and has had a vibrant musical career, having been a featured soloist with esteemed ensembles including Symphony Tacoma, Ensign Symphony, and Tacoma Concert Band singing a broad range of classical and contemporary songs, including Carmina Burana, La Bohème, and the title character in Mary Poppins. She performed a one-woman show about female musical theatre composers internationally and has sung in over a dozen languages through projects including Silkroad Ensemble’s Global Musicians Workshop and Israeli-Palestinian choir Common Ground Voices in Jerusalem and Europe.

A sought-after pedagogue specializing in musical theatre technique, her students have performed on Broadway, opera stages, and television. She wrote a popular blog on Belting featured on JW Pepper, and has written chapters for three books including “So You Want to Sing Music by Women,” “My Body Was Left on the Street: Music Education and Displacement,” and “Screw the Diet, Bon Appétit!” As a composer, her choral and solo works have been featured on PBS and network television and are sung by school choirs.

Erin has an MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute and BM in Music Education and Vocal Performance from University of Puget Sound. She is an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and has been recognized by the American Academy of Teachers of Singing and as one of 5 Women to Watch by South Sound Magazine.
 

Tumbarrancho Venezuela
 

Tumbarrancho Venezuela is a musical and social group established in Seattle, Washington in 2023 to attract and bring Venezuelan artists together to perform and spread the love of classic Venezuelan songs and traditions. Led by Executive Director Amelia Cabrera and Artistic Director José Tovar, their musical repertoire consists of Aguinaldos, Gaitas, and other well-known Venezuelan folk songs.

 

Fire Dolls
 

The Thrive Center Tacoma Fire Dolls is a vibrant and inspiring dance team made up of strong, determined, and talented young women participating in programs at Thrive International Tacoma. The team chose the name “Fire Dolls” because, in their words, “we are strong, powerful, incredible, and determined—always beautiful like dolls.”

These young women represent resilience, courage, and hope. Each of them made the difficult journey through the Darién Gap alongside their families after leaving countries including Venezuela, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of safety, stability, and a future. Today, they proudly represent the diverse and united community of Thrive Center Tacoma and our “big family” in a small village on Hosmer Street. Through dance, the Fire Dolls express their strength, culture, sisterhood, and joy. Their performances celebrate survival, unity, empowerment, and the beauty of young women rising above challenges together.

 

Roger Rigor
 

Roger Rigor is one of the seven founding members of the iconic 1970s Filipino disco band VST & Company, celebrated for shaping the landscape of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). Philippine-born and raised, retired public-school math and science teacher, “Kuya” Roger, as he is fondly called by many of his young students, is the Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Philippine Progress. He is actively involved with young artists, collaborating and creating music that reflects the times and the issues that impact the Philippines. His work promotes the reawakening of the Filipino voice and narrative in music—from the roots of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and against the backdrop of the copy-cat years of Western cultural influence—and he also teaches Tagalog through the Foundation’s effort to bridge the cultural gap prevalent among the growing global Filipino diaspora.
 

Musicians

Gianni Aiello (guitar)
Charles Brown II (bass)
Willie Garza (percussion)
Orlando Morales (piano)
Keri Panlasigui (viola)

Joseph Phillips (drumset)
 

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Crew

Veronica Davis (Company Manager)

John Huddlestun (Projections)

Akida Dancer, Mike Figueroa, Derek Durham (Tacoma Arts Live)

Dmitriy Yemelyenov and PROFIGROUP LLC (Video)

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Rally Planning Committee

Julie Staples, Kath Ross, Marsha Mutisi, Kate Modic, Diane Tilstra, Caroline Brandau, Casper Baisa, Gail Brandt, Lucia Guerrero

 

Special Thanks

Tacoma Public Schools
Tony Gomez

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