About Us » History

Koinonia was originally organized during the May of 2003 through the efforts of its founding members with some of which are still active in the group. It took a few months and courageous efforts to encourage young adults in the community of the Our Lady of Fatima ugnayan to join the newly formed music ministry. Nevertheless, all hard work were paid off with the inclusion of more members and the music lessons from its first choirmaster, Mr. George Bersabe, a former seminarian and a professor at the La Consolacion College -- Novaliches.

Mr. Bersabe, however, had to cut short his choirmastership due to unforeseen circumstances. The ugnayan leaders and choir members looked for a new musical director to fill the shoes left by the group's former choirmaster. After a long search, the group welcomed its new and current choirmaster, Mr. Daniel Mier, a seasoned choir member from Fairview, Quezon City. He was acquainted to the group by being the musical director of the now defunct Dolmar Angels Choir.

Under his vessel, the choir restructured with an SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) voice spectrum and a new set of repertoire to the delight and surprise of its fellow members in the music ministry of the Mother of the Redeemer Parish--the resident parish of the Koinonia Choir.

The choir expanded its borders as they celebrated their second season by welcoming aspiring members that are outside their home ugnayan. From there, Koinonia aimed to further foster music as a medium to inspire and to sustain faith among the young believers in Deparo and Bagumbong by performing liturgical and sacred songs during masses and other liturgical celebrations at the MRP, the other parishes under the Archdiocese of Novaliches, and as well as with the surrounding developing communities.

As the cliche goes, changes are inevitable. Thus, the organization prompted to change its name from Villa Maria Youth Choir to Koinonia Choir in its third season in order to break away from the image that the choir was serving the interests of the ugnayan alone while still continuing to accept members who are outside of their core ugnayan.

The turning of a new leaf, however reluctant some core members of the group are, also brought changes to neighboring choirs as it defined and solidified the identity of the group. Some member choirs of the music ministry also changed their names into something that best describes their ministry. The name Koinonia, according to its members, is the near-perfect term that describes the group where friendship bloomed as they achieve their common goal of serving Him through singing. In one way or another, the renaming of VMYC to Koinonia has done some good to the choir and its members as well--without them pinpointing the constructive changes.

Moreover, being a youth-managed organization, challenges always came their way. The group continued to do what they love to do while constantly anchoring themselves to our Creator who provides what is best for everyone. Spirituality of members, a common problem within most choirs in the Philippines, has also plagued the group during the onset of the rush of trainees and new members. Thus, the members provided (and still comes up with) activities for the wholistic development and growth of members aside from musical training given by their choirmaster.

Koinonia continues to reach out and be of service to the communities from which they belong to up to this very day.