Moy Ortiz, Artistic Director & Arranger Of The Company, Talks About How Their Musical Group Was Formed And About Their Coming 'Happy Together' Valentine Show

MOY ORTIZ is the artistic director and arranger of the vocal group known as the CompanY, which he also founded 30 years ago along with 11 friends who are part of his experience in singing in university choirs. The CompanY has since recorded 24 studio albums which have won countless awards. Moy has performed all over the world as part of the Ateneo Glee Club and the UP Concert Chorus. He’d later win the Awit Award for best vocal arrangement for five times.

Moy also studied at the Manhattan School of Music and later taught at the Ryan Cayabyab Music Studio for 8 years. He’s now teaching voice at Meridian International College (MINT) and the Asian Academy for TV Arts. He has produced hit albums for various singers like Sarah Geronimo, Rachel Anne Go, Aiza Seguerra, Christian Bautista and many more. He has composed his own music and jingles for various companies.

The CompanY will now perform with The New Minstrels for the first time in the “Happy Together”
Valentine concert at the PICC this Monday night. The other CompanY members are Anne Quintos, Sweet Plantado, Cecille Bautista and the comebacking Reuben Laurente. What happened to OJ Mariano who’s been singing with them for a while?

“He got sick, it’s painful, we all cried,” he says. “He has sepsis with anemia and he needs to rest for a while. It’s good Reuben, who used be with us before he joined performing in cruise ships, is currently in town on vacation. It’s really the hand of God helping us that did this. Otherwise, kulang kami. And with Reuben, it’s like working with an old high school friend. We’re just grateful he quickly agreed to be part of our Valentine show.”

Moy himself made all the vocal arrangements both for the CompanY and the New Minstrels. “Yes, as early as June of last year, ginagawa ko na ito. It’s good I’m familiar with all of the voices of everyone. Bale this is five voices for us and five for New Minstrels.”

Eugene Villaluz, one of the founding members of the New Minstrels, is Moy’s uncle. “He’s the brother of my mom. I grew up listening to the New Minstrels rehearsing their numbers in our home in Sct. Delgado. I’d sit at the stairs and watch them. They started in the 70s at sila ang inspiration ko. Ang CompanY naman started in 1985 and it’s an honor to finally perform with them on one stage in ‘Happy Together’, with them and us singing our hit songs. We’ve prepared a lot of love songs since it’s Valentine and we’re also doing new songs, so even Millennials will enjoy our show.”

Moy has written a full length jukebox musical containing all their songs, “Harmony”, to be produced by Nineworks Theatrical Company. We can’t wait to see it. Meantime, you can get your tickets for their “Happy Together” concert at TicketWorld (891-9999), TicketNet, 911-5555 and Viva Live, 687-7236.