Adlaw nga Halandumon: Celebrating the life and musical legacy of Nars Fernandez

There are songs that are heard, songs that are remembered, and songs that quietly become part of the way a community prays. For generations of Catholics across Mindanao and the Visayas, the music of Narcisa “Nars” Fernandez has done all three.

On August 21, 2026, the Adlaw nga Halandumon: The Nars Fernandez Tribute Choral Festival brought together church choirs, clergy, religious, musicians, and the faithful at the Holy Cross of Davao College Gymnasium to honor a life dedicated to sacred music and was organized by the Sta. Cecilia Chorale in partnership with the Ascension of the Lord Parish, the festival was an expression of gratitude, remembrance, and communion, celebrating Fernandez’s contribution to sacred music and preserving an important part of the musical heritage of the local Church.

A homegrown musician from Davao City, Nars has devoted decades to serving the Church through sacred music. She is recognized as a liturgical composer, choir mentor, and music educator whose works have become an enduring part of the Catholic sacred music tradition in Mindanao and the Visayas. Her hymns, responsorial psalms, devotional songs, and liturgical settings are known for accessible melodies, strong congregational character, and deep spiritual grounding.

Among her most notable contributions is Huni sa Kinabuhi, or “Melody of Life,” a multi-volume collection of original liturgical and devotional compositions written primarily in Cebuano-Visayan. The collection became an important resource for church choirs and music ministries throughout Mindanao and the Visayas and contributed to the development of culturally rooted Filipino liturgical music.

Fernandez earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano in 1969 and later completed a Master’s degree in Church Music and Liturgy, with a concentration in Composition, from Saint Joseph’s College in 1979. She went on to serve as a choir trainer, liturgical formator, music director, and mentor to church musicians in the Philippines and abroad. In 2005, she was recognized as one of the pioneers of Philippine liturgical music, affirming her role in shaping a distinctly Mindanawon and Visayan expression of Catholic sacred music.

The tribute brought together communities from the Archdiocese of Davao and the Dioceses of Digos, Tagum, and Mati, demonstrating how Fernandez’s music has crossed generations, communities, and diocesan boundaries. The celebration began with a homecoming walk for Fernandez and her family.

The first major segment, The Community Witness, featured choirs from Tarragona, Mati, Bansalan, Matanao, Davao, and Tagum. Among the participating ensembles were the Himig San Pedro Claver Choir, San Isidro Labrador Parish and Carmel Choirs of Mati, SCALA Men’s Choir, Voces Sancti Michaelis Youth Choir, Padre Pio’s Home for Children and AJC Sisters Rondalla, St. Mary Perpetual Choir, Tagum Saring Himig, Koro Carmelli, and the ReMaSe Schola Cantorum of the St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao. Their performances presented a diverse selection of Fernandez’s compositions and demonstrated the breadth of her musical influence.

The tribute also included citations of honor from the Office of the Third Congressional District Representative of Davao City and Holy Cross College of Calinan.

After a brief intermission, the festival continued with The Living Legacy, bringing together the Sta. Cecilia Chorale, Krusyendo, the Voices of the South Children’s Choir, clergy, and choir delegations from the eight vicariates of the Archdiocese of Davao.

The segment opened with a combined Aleluya Medley, followed by performances from the Sta. Cecilia Chorale and Voices of the South Children’s Choir. Fr. Jose Junar Dela Victoria and Mr. Martino Aldepolla shared the story and how it took them years to plan out the tribute. Fr. Junar joined the group in singing Amahan Namo afterwards. The participation of children and young singers emphasized that Fernandez’s music continues to be passed from one generation to another. Krusyendo then performed Maghimaya Ka Maria with Bro. Noelvic Deloria, SC, and after it Huni sa Kinabuhi.

The remainder of the program presented Fernandez’s music through the seasons of the Church: Advent, Ordinary Time, celebration and patronal feasts, Lent, Easter, and vocation. Choirs from different vicariates performed medleys and some of the Davao Clergy: Rev. Fr. Rolando Mandreza, Rev. Fr. Dexter Veloso, Rev. Msgr. Edgar Labagala and Rev. Fr. Anthony Silvosa sang songs about vocation.

TThe celebration reached its emotional climax with the presentation of awards from the Archdiocese of Davao and the Diocese of Mati. In his message, Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, D.D., shared: “Your music, your lyrics capture our hearts as we try our best to come close to Jesus, and for that Nars, we are indebted, and be assured that we continue to pray for you for more years to come and to thank the Lord because of you. Miadto siya sa office ganiha dear friends, nagpasign siya og two new booklets of songs for us so we expect two new booklets. I don’t know how many songs Nars for us. Busa, Nars, daghan kaayong salamat our tribute is filled with love, respect, appreciation, sense of pride, and because of you we thank the Lord.”

Nars Fernandez then delivered her acceptance speech and expressed her gratitude to everyone who prepared and attended the said choral festival. It was followed by a special performance of Salamat Gayud in which she personally accompanied the song that was sung by her niece and it was followed by the Grand Tutti Premiere of “Adlaw nga Halandumon.”

The evening concluded with Archbishop Valles’ final blessing and the communal singing of “Ang Tawag,” as performers and audience became one choir. The festival had been preceded by a Thanksgiving Mass at San Pedro Cathedral on August 20, together with technical preparations and fellowship activities for the participating choir delegations.

The significance of Nars Fernandez’s music lies not only in the compositions she created, but in the people who continue to sing them. Her songs have become part of the ordinary life of the Church, particularly in parishes, GKKs, prayer gatherings, schools, seminaries, and communities. That is why Adlaw nga Halandumon was more than a tribute concert. It was a gathering of communities carrying forward something from Fernandez’s lifelong offering: a musical tradition that gives voice to faith.

Adlaw nga Halandumon: The Nars Fernandez Tribute Choral Festival truly was a day to remember. Daghang salamat Nars Fernandez!