PAGDIRIWANG PHILIPPINE FESTIVAL 2024
Rigor & Teza and Company
RIGOR & TEZA have been singing for a number of years both as a duo and as solo performers. They have been featured in various community events and organizational activities in Seattle and the surrounding cities specializing in original Pilipino music or OPM.
Rigor Coloma is a folksinger and songwriter in his own right. He has been composing Tagalog songs for a number of years with themes relevant to the time focusing on injustice, plight of workers, abuse of women and children, poverty and immigration among a few. Rigor has been closely identified with the popular song “Anak” by Freddie Aguilar. His plaintive rendition of the song rings nostalgia in the hearts of many Filipinos.
Teza Mendoza is a trained singer whose repertoire ranges from the classical, church, pop, RnB, top 40’s and jazz. She has been featured in a various musical events in Seattle and is lead vocals of several bands.. She boasts of over 400 songs of different genres in English, Pilipino, and Spanish. At her most recent vacation to the Philippines, Teza was featured at one episode of the RJ Bistro, whose shows are weekly televised nationwide.
Rigor & Teza are founding members of the IhawIhaw Project, an alliance of Filipino American musicians in the greater Seattle area.
Occasionally, Rigor & Teza would include other musicians/singers in their gigs not just to enhance the arrangement of their songs but also to pursue the Ihaw Ihaw mission of promoting Filipino songs among Filipino and FilAm musicians in the US. This year, they are featuring Ina Canimo & Onyx Acedera.
Ina is a classical singer who studied Voice at St. Paul College in Manila, Philippines. Here in the US, she is conductor of two choirs under her baton: St. Louie Catholic Church & Immaculate Catholic Church. As a singer, Ina has been active in musicals in the Philippines & is now involved with the other singing groups in Seattle. Ina is also a first rate pianist.
Onyx Acedera, on the other hand, is a top notch guitar player. A guitar player for many years, he is now the mainstay lead guitar of the popular band Harmonious Funk. ONYX has been very supportive participant of the Ihaw Ihaw Project for the past 10 years.