ABOUT OUR FOUNDER and CONDUCTOR

 

Haraya's founder and artistic director Karlene Moreno-Hayworth has always believed in the power of music and its connection to health, happiness and intelligence, she almost ended up as a music therapist after being accepted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music (graduates include Quincy Jones, John Mayer, Diana Krall, Paula Cole, Laufey) Music Therapy Course. She instead chose to pursue her first love-- SINGING, and took on a post graduate path in the United Kingdom.

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Karlene trained at the Royal Northern College of Music, Accademia Bel Canto (Austria), Rencontres Musicales de Wallonie (Belgium), Junge Oper Schloss Weikersheim (Germany), Associated Studios, and graduated Magna cum Laude (with high honours) from the University of the Philippines. She has been taught conducting and choir techniques by the best conductors, the who's who in the choral scene in the Philippines during her time in UP. She won the European Choral Grand Prix as a soprano member and soloist of an a cappella ensemble in the Philippines. She was granted a full scholarship to the prestigious Philippine High School for the Arts as a Voice major and is a NAMCYA (National Music Competitions for Young Artists) winner.

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As a professional singer and soprano soloist, she has represented the Philippines in a number of international festivals and events. Her work is mainly in opera, church and choral music. She is a member of the Philharmonia Chorus and has joined their performances at the Royal Albert Hall, Rheingau Festival (Germany), Orchestra National du Lille (France), St Paul's Cathedral, BBC Radio 3 broadcast Easter at King's College live from Cambridge, and Royal Festival Hall. 

 

She is also an in demand voice technician and choir clinician, having a busy singing and piano music teaching studio. Her students include professionals in the London's West End, young singers who are at the Royal Opera House Youth Opera programme, a choral scholar at the Royal Chapel who has sung for the King's coronation, the Queen's funeral and various important national events, and many other students of different levels, performing in different musical genres, many consistently receiving distinction and merit marks at the Associate Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity Examinations. 

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Karlene has led and continues to lead Haraya and its singers in their choral success in competitions, events and concerts.

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