Saunder Choi is a Los Angeles-based Filipino composer who has written a wide variety of works, from contemporary classical instrumental, vocal and choral works to jazz charts and popular music arrangements.

As a composer, his works have also been performed, programmed, recorded and read by the USC Thornton Symphony, Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Philippine Madrigal Singers, the Crossing Choir, the LA Master Chorale, USC Chamber Singers, Peninsula Women’s Chorus, Kalistos Chamber Orchestra and the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium Chorus. He has been commissioned by the L.A. Choral Lab, Andrea Veneracion International Choral Festival, Salt Lake Choral Artists, SYC Ensemble Singers of Singapore, Choral Arts Initiative, University of the East Chorale, University of Visayas Chorale, etc. As an arranger and orchestrator, Saunder has written Tony-Award winner Lea Salonga, the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, Maestro Gerard Salonga, the Tim Janis American Christmas Carol Show at Carnegie Hall, Jose Mari Chan, Ballet Philippines, and the Hong Kong production of Pippin.

He sang tenor and was one of the resident composers of the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers, joining them in several national and international goodwill tours, international music festivals and concerts. He also sang with the First Church in Boston Choir, the Boston Choral Ensemble and the USC Chamber Singers. As a conductor, he directed the Philippine Cultural College Annex Campus Youth Choir from 2006-2011, leading them to participate in local Philippine choral festivals and competitions. He currently sings with the L.A. Choral Lab and founded Lore Vocal Ensemble. He also serves as the choir director at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in North Hollywood and teaching artist for Pacific Chorale.

Born in Manila, Philippines, he holds a Bachelor of Arts major in Communication Arts degree from the De La Salle University-Manila and a Bachelor of Music in Composition, minor in conducting from the Berklee College of Music. He completed his Master of Music in Composition at the USC Thornton School of Music, where his primary composition teachers were Ted Hearne and Donald Crockett. He also took orchestration classes with Stephen Hartke and Andrew Norman. In the past, he has studied composition with Andrew List, and Vuk Kulenovic, and had master classes with Chen Yi and Robert Kyr. He studied conducting with Larry Livingston, Isaiah Jackson and Francisco Noya. His works are published with Santa Barbara Music Publishing and Earthsongs. Select works are also distributed by MusicSpoke.

The premiere mixed choral group of Asia's oldest Catholic university, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas.
Founded in 1992 by Prof. Fidel Gener Calalang Jr.

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