Music Department

Director

Sheen Sanchez is a Music Educator, Choral Conductor, and Singer. He has been teaching choirs, handbells, and piano at San Gabriel Academy since 2016, as well as directing the choirs at White Memorial Church of Seventh-day Adventists since 2012.

His passion for teaching music started when, at 17 years old, he became the Assistant Conductor of the University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors (UPSA). From then on, he has been enhancing his teaching and performances, sharing his talents and the experience that god has given him.

In Los Angeles, Mr. Sanchez served as Teaching Artist at Ramon C. Cortines High School for the Visual and Performing Arts, Music Director at Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church, Founding Conductor of Los Angeles Young Ambassadors, and has sung with Inspiravi Vocal Ensemble and Donald Brinegar Singers.

Prior to moving to the United States in 2012, Mr. Sanchez travelled Asia, Europe, and North America with the Philippine Madrigal Singers (MADZ) from 1998-2008, winning competitions including the European Grand Prize for Choral Sining in Arezzo, Italy in 2007. As a soloist, he has sung the tenor lead roles in Glück’s Orphée et Euridice, Mozart’s Magic Flute, and Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. He also sang the role of Little Bat in Carlisle Floyd’s Susanna as well as tenor solos in Dubois’ Seven Last Words, Mozart’s Coronation Mass in C and Berlioz’s L’Enfant du Christ. Mr. Sanchez also sang in El Paso Opera’s II Trovatore and Singapore Lyric Opera’s Madama Butterfly as a chorus member.

Mr. Sanchez was vocal coach and guest conductor of various choirs in the Philippines including the University of the East Chorale, University of Visayas Chorale, and the Kilyawan Boys Choir, among others. He was also Vocal Coach of Tanghalang Pilipino (Cultural Center of the Philippines’ resident theater company) and META (Assumption College’s Theater Company).

Under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the CCP and the Philippine Society of Music Educators, Mr. Sanchez held Vocal and Choral Workshops and Music Teacher’s Camps to different regional choirs and music institutions around the Philippines.

Mr. Sanchez was a faculty member of the School of Arts and Design of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and the Madz School at the Arts in the City teaching applied voice, music theory, dictation, sight-reading and music literature.

Mr. Sanchez holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice from the University of the Philippines under the late Bass-Baritone Emmanuel Gregorio and a Mast of Music Degree in Choral Conducting, graduating magna cum laude, from St. Paul University Manila under Professor Eudenice Palaruan.

Whenever he can, Mr. Sanchez travels and spends time with family and friends, exploring different cultures and cuisines. In his spare time, he works out and plays tennis.

Director

Melvir Ausente has been the Director of the San Gabriel Academy Orchesra since 2014. Mr. A, as the students call him, is a professional singer and conductor with a Bachelor’s Degree in Conducting from the University of the Philippines.

An active and passionate musician, Mr. Ausente participated in competitions and music festivals with the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers and traveled throughout North America, Asia, and Europe from 2022 to early 2008. He represented the Philippines in the World Youth Choir in Europe during 2006 and 2007. Shortly after coming to the United States, he became a member/soloist of El Paso Chamber Singers and a chorus member of the El Paso Opera in its 2008 production. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Ausente sang with the Los Angeles Master Choral (LAMC) and received several Baritone solo opportunities following his debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH) in the 2010 Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along Concert. Having performed in WDCH and the Hollywood Bowl with both LAMC and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (LAPO), Mr. Ausente was a soloist for the North American Premier of Linberg’s Grafitti with LAMC and LAPO held at the WDCH. Currently, he also directs Inspirare Vocal Ensemble and A Tempo.

It is Mr. Ausente’s firm belief that God guided him to his calling. His current position was not his original choice, but since God sent him on this path, it made sense to him that San Gabriel Academy was his destination. Says Ausente, “Life as an educator is not a walk in the park, but knowing that God has prepared me for this job makes me enjoy and value every challenge as well as every victory. I love my job, because i not only get to inspire students to do their best in their craft through discipline, hard work, and being an effective team player, but I also get to direct them to The Way, The Truth, and The Life.”

Ausente has a spontaneous and optimistic personality. He loves to travel, explore places, hike, go on food adventures, and practice Brazilian jiujitsu. When the pandemic began, he found a new passion–sailing in his 30-foot sailboat.

Director

Jojie Lagonera is a Seventh-Day Adventist music educator. She has been teaching general music since 2009 at San Gabriel Academy Elementary . She has a degree in BSEd Music from the Adventist University of the Philippines and has earned her Teacher certification in Adventist Education at La Sierra University and has recently received the Kodaly I certification at the Azusa Pacific University, summer of 2022.

She is also affiliated in different music organizations such as ACDA (American Choral Directors Asso.), KASC (Kodaly Association of Southern CA)Music Education Institute and the LACC (Los Angeles Children's Choir).

Aside from being a teacher in school, she is also involved in directing church choirs, bell choir, as well as playing the piano and the organ for church services. She also gives private lessons to students of all ages.

Her ultimate desire for teaching music is for the students to be able to give back the praises and glory to God, our Creator.

Psalm 95:1 “ Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!”