Raymond Roldan is a singer, voice teacher, choral conductor and music arranger. A Bicolano, he was born and raised in Naga City. His elementary studies were at the Naga Parochial School, whose alumni include Sen. Raul Roco, Magsaysay awardee Jesse Robredo and baritone Jonathan Zaens. At a young age Raymond then wanted to be a priest and entered the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary. After four years he left, studied voice culture and finished a bachelor's degree in English at the Colegio de Santa Isabel.
It was during this time when he won first place in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1990, and was invited as featured artist in the National Music Festival in Iloilo City in 1991. After graduation he taught English Literature for a year at the Colegio de Santa Isabel and the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary. When he decided to pursue musical studies at the University of the Philippines College of Music, it was there that he embarked on a colorful musical journey as a singer, teacher and musician.
Roldan completed a course in Italian Opera Art offered by the Cursos Internacional de Canto Francisco Viñas in Barcelona, Spain, under the tutelage of famous soprano Magda Olivero. There he also competed in the prestigious FRANCISCO VINAS INTERNATIONAL SINGING COMPETITION with more than 200 participants throughout the world, and received positive comments from the Panel of Judges. He also was a finalist in the 1997 MARY GARDEN INTERNATIONAL SINGING PRIZE in Aberdeen, Scotland.
In 2009 Roldan was tenor soloist of Georges Bizet's TE DEUM with Jeannelle Bihag, Jai Sabas Aracama and the Manila Symphony Orchestra in MASTERWORKS, Ballet Philippines 40th anniversary presentation at the Cultural Center of the Philippines . Roldan also sang the role of Foresto in the Philippine premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's opera ATTILA, with Jeannelle Bihag, Rainier Cruz, Reuel Tica at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium, University of the Philippines. He was also featured in NBN 4 weekly show PACO PARK PRESENTS in celebration of Women’s Month with soprano Jeannelle Bihag and pianist Fiona Rivera, and the 2009 Philippine Independence Celebration CANCIONES ESPANOL Y FILIPINO concert at the Podium.
Roldan was music conductor of the musical FACES OF LOVE, performed at the RCBC Yuchengco Auditorium, Makati City. He is also slated to compose SONGS OF ST. JOSEPH, the musical with Fides Cuyugan-Asensio as librettist at the Meralco Theatre, Manila on November 2009 .
In 2008 Roldan was featured in the opera L'ELISIR D'AMORE as Nemorino, with Jeannelle Bihag as Adina at the University of the Philippines Dalisay Aldaba Hall, UP Theatre. He was also part of the 2008 WORLD VOICE DAY Medical City celebration concert with soprano Joscephine Gomez and baritone Vladimir Valera.In 2007 Raymond and his wife Jeannelle were featured as the SINGING SWEETHEARTS in the PRELUDIUM concert, together with the Choraliers, Bert Robledo and Dean Raul Sunico. He also sang the role of Marcello in Giacomo Puccini's opera LA BOHEME. It was the same year that the couple were invited to be part of the ROYAL LONDON CIRCUS as the Singing Ringmaster and the Singing Princess, where they toured parts of Western Malaysia together with their son Giancarlo Ray.
In 2006 Raymond and his wife Jeannelle were invited by the Amade Virlaine Foundation to perform in the presence of Prince Andrea Casiraghi of Monaco in his visit to the Philippines. The same year Raymond performed the tenor part in W A Mozart's opera DER SHAUSPIELDIREKTOR as part of the MOZART AT THE MALLS series at the Podium and The Block SM North EDSA together with the UP Symphony Orchestra, and the tenor soloist of the UP College of Music Christmas production of G F Handel's MESSIAH at the Nicanor Abelardo Hall. In October 2005 Roldan was featured in a solo concert at PACO PARK PRESENTS, where he performed arias from TURANDOT, L'ARLESIANA, L'AMICO FRITZ, LA BOHEME and WEST SIDE STORY. In February 2005 he was featured in the concert AN EVENING WITH FILIPINO TENORS: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL ARTIST LEONOR OROSA GOQUINGCO.
In 2004 he was seen with the best in Philippine Music Theatre in the 3rd NATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He is cast as the lead role of Tino in the Filipino zarzuela HIBIK AT HIMAGSIK NINA VICTORIA LAKTAW, written by Lucien Letaba and National Artist Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera. In 2003 he was chosen to be the tenor soloist of Vaughan Williams work A SERENADE TO MUSIC in the International Gala Night of the 2003 ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL with the Netherlands Youth Symphony Orchestra and the UP Concert Chorus in Scotland.
Roldan debuted his first solo international performance at the World View Festival at Sacramento, California, USA, with the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra as the soloist of National Artist Lucio San Pedro's SA DALAMPASIGAN. From then on he has worked with various music ensembles in the Philippines, among then the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Manila Symphony Orchestra, the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, the UP Festival Orchestra, the Crosswave Symphony Orchestra and the Velvet Mood Music Ensemble.
From 2002 till 2008 Roldan was voice instructor at WORKSHOPS@ABS-CBN, under the supervision of Beverly Vergel and Johnny Manahan, where he tutored up-and- coming talents of STAR CIRCLE and STAR MAGIC.
visit his website and blogs at
www.geocities.com/rymndroldan
rymndroldan.multiply.com
http://www.rayjenpopera.i.ph/
