WATCH: Unearthed performance of Swedish choir singing 'Leron Leron Sinta' in international competition goes viral
Who would've thought a Philippine folk song would be sung on an international stage by Swedes?
An unearthed choir piece is going viral on social media, showing a Swedish choir performing a beautifully arranged Leron Leron Sinta for an international competition.
Filipino users have been sharing the performance on social media platforms, expressing their "Pinoy pride" for the folk song and their amazement at how well the Swedes pronounced the Filipino words.
"Wow! Our very own Filipino folk song dominating internationally," one user captioned in a video on TikTok.
"Goosebumps listening to them sing our Leron Leron Sinta," a user commented.
"[They] nailed the accent... as if I was listening to a Filipino choir. Excellent job!" one user said on YouTube.
The said piece, arranged by Saunder Choi, was performed by the mixed choir Hägersten A Cappella with its conductor Kerstin Börjeson in the fifth International Baltic Sea Choir Competition (IBSCC) in September 2022.
Choi is actually a Filipino composer based in Los Angeles who has performed with the Philippine Madrigal Singers from 2008 to 2011 as well as written for Lea Salonga, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, Ballet Philippines, and more.
The group won awards for Best Conductor, Best Compulsory piece, and the grand prize, accumulating a score of 94,33 points.
In September 2023, it was performed again by mixed choir S:t Jacobs Vokalensamble with its conductor, Mikael Wedar.
Leron Leron Sinta is a Philippine folk song written by author and playwright Alberto Florentino, which translates to "My Dear Little Leron."
The story of the classic folk song varies; some interpret it as a story about courtship, while some believe it is a work song, specifically about harvesting fruits from trees. Nonetheless, it is commonly included in children’s songs introduced at the pre-elem and/or elementary level.
Watch the performance below: