Marc Ballesteros
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Marc Ballesteros

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"Ating Paraiso (Our Paradise)"


Flash floods, forest fires, oil spills are easily attibuted to as "natural disasters" ... or to an extreme as "acts of God". Unfortunate events like these are charged to nature taking its course. There are groups that say otherwise, that these are inflicted by man upon himself - who else denudes forests, divert water sources and make machines that fail?

Whatever the case maybe, the bottomline is that we need to be aware of our environment and nature. And that is what "Ating Paraiso" (Our Paradise) is about.

"Ating Paraiso", a musical compositioin by Marc Ballesteros and writer Elsa Ballesteros provides a powerful and fervent plea that awakens the heart and see what has befallen the earth and our environment due to indifferences fostered by lack of awareness, among many reasons. It was said that Marc wrote "Ating Paraiso" after visiting the Philippines, his homeland. While strolling with relatives along city streets, he immediately felt saddened upon chancing some shanties where several unkempt children and dogs milling around. Those with him were touched when Marc and Elsa purchased food from nearby vendors and gave them away. Marc was concerned with the children's living conditions but was told the job was too big to solve immediately for one person but not too big to start caring for. It is with this inspiration too that co-producer Elsa Ballesteros, together with Marc Ballesteros and Arnold Buena, co-arranged the music and background vocals for the composition.

The lyrics of the song implores us to look around and see what we've done to the environment and help save it from decay. It calls our attention to the dying trees, polluted waters, and disappearing forests that affect not only man but other inhabitants of the planet.

Listening to the music is absorbing, and can be likened to a journey and survey of the dismal state of our environment. Hearing and understanding the song in itself motivates one to embark on something ... anything that can better the environment ... our paradise .. ang "Ating Paraiso". - Basta Pinoy News


"Consul General of Toronto"


On behalf of the staff of the Philippine Consulate General, I would like to thank you for extending a warm welcome to His Excellency, President Fidel V. Ramos and the First Lady, Mrs. Amelita M. Ramos, as well as the members of the President's official party, during their visit to Toronto on 27th and 28th November 1997.

I wish to thank you particularly for your efforts and cooperation in ensuring that the Filipino community affair organized by the Philippine Consulate General last 27th November 1997 at the Convocation Hall of the
University of Toronto is a resounding success. Your rendition of "Ating Paraiso", together with Ms. Elsa Ballesteros, was both moving and educational.

Again, thank you! - Philippine Consulate General of Toronto


"One more upcoming singer from Canada"


"Marc is the latest Filipino-Canadian to hit Philippine show business. Music has always played a major role in his life. His mother used to sing with the church choir while they were still living in Manila and Marc learned to play the guitar while still a little boy. All through his life Marc improved on his music by listening to the works of the likes of The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Buddy Holly, Huey Lewis and the News, and Supertramp. He also began writing his own songs, most of them in the same Pop-Rock variety usually turned out by his idols. Surprisingly, Marc has not lost his Filipino touch. He is adept in Tagalog including its nuances and has just the slightest Canadian accent. He is also quite a looker which should go big with the ladies." - The Philippine Star


"The Real Marc Ballesteros"

Viva Record's newest bet for singing stardom is very much his own man.  Recording artist, aspiring balladeer, and as we discovered, all around bonafide music man.   Some years after relocating to Toronto, ON, Canada with his family, after a childhood of exposure to music and his mom’s work with a neighborhood church choir, after years spent learning to sing, play the guitar, piano and electronic keyboard, and after years spent writing and arranging songs, Marc has come home. And he thinks his original kababayans (countrymen) will like what they hear.  The first thing that strikes you is the almost flawless Filipino. Well, not exactly the first, because at 5’-11", with a dazzling, perpetual smile and eyes that seem to watch your every twitch, Marc is hard to miss on the street.  Believe it or not, however, he has spent his first few months doing just that, getting to know his hometown all over again (after ample warning from relatives and family friends about taxi-driving scoundrels and light-fingered pickpockets) and hopping on Jeepneys (a custom-built version of the American Jeep used as public transportation and extended to accommodate passengers).  "I’ve been malling (that's passing time in the malls), commuting, trying the native food. It was a little difficult adjusting at first because of the weather, and the traffic. But I have to tell you, our country is really an interesting place.  And you know when you’re home," Marc grins.  But has he been recognized? "Oh, a couple of times," he laughs. "Well, I do have my dark glasses, which I really need, anyway." And what does he feel about screaming fans?  "They can be a lot of fun.  It’s very flattering.  But fans can be very visual.  It would be nice if they could listen to the song, not just the singer."  Which brings us back to the fluent Filipino. "We speak mainly Tagalog a Filipino dialect) at home. I could speak Tagalog when we left here, when I was a kid. And my parents never let me forget it."  Even as children, however, Marc and his sister would sometimes pick up guitars left around the choirloft after masses and strum themselves to proficiency. Later on, when Mom and Dad bought a piano, Marc survived one lesson -- and spent the rest of his years learning to play on his own.  Music was relegated to a hobby, but already Marc had his idols -- Elton John, Billy Joel, the Beatles ("I’m a Beatles man!" he exclaims). Together with other late-blooming Beatles fans from his high school, Marc would listen to the Fab Four’s music for hours, and the friends would hold Friday night jam sessions. "Anywhere we could find a space", Marc recalls with a laugh.  "Stairways, rooftops, parks, even in exercise rooms, while everyone was doing their daily workouts."  In high school, the bug took a serious bite, however, during their annual concert, Marc was invited to perform a number before a large body of students and faculty. "I got a lukewarm reception at first," he remembers, "probably because I was relatively unknown." It came as quite a surprise when Marc performed his song number -- and was greeted with a standing ovation. He participated annually through high school and was the only act who received such ovation every year.  From that amateur public debut, it was a step on to professional performance.  Marc performed on Toronto’s multi-cultural television shows, weddings, anniversaries, seminars and other affairs for organizations. It was at these gigs that Marc found himself being continually asked if he had a record or album out on the market. "I guess that’s when the idea was planted in my head. I decided to seriously look into making music my profession."  In 1994, Marc came to Manila and met with PARI (Philippine Association of Record Industry) president Danny Olivares and singer Pilita Corrales, who helped him audition with four of the country’s major recording labels.  After signing up with VIVA Records, he began recording his self-titled Debut Album.  The launch of "Marc Ballesteros," the album, has given the young balikbayan(homecomer) even more opportunities to get to know the country better on promo tours. So how has Philippine show biz treated him so far? "Very well," Marc says diplomatically. "Of course, you hear a lot about it, but there are some things you learn only when you experience it, the attention and the glitter included." Marc promises to keep his perspective, however, by "keeping my head right where it is -- firmly attached to my shoulders!  I just remind myself that this is a temporary thing, an opportunity I have to make the most of."  That includes, of course, grabbing any opportunity to truly make a difference in the scene. "Of course every performer dreams of a solo concert," Marc says. "Then there’s the dream of producing my own albums, recording more of my songs...".  For now, he’s kept at his songwriting, "a continuous process," he insists.  His own composition "Angel of my life," the album’s first single, has been getting a lot of airplay. So is he singing about anyone in particular?  "That’s a love song about my idealism, about my idea of a perfect woman,"  Marc smiles enigmatically. "So are you hearing violins in the background yet?"  Seriously now, "I think that’s one advantage I have as a singer. I really love music; I’m a music man. I understand all the little nuances about writing and arranging a song. Everytime you hear me sing, I can only be singing something I know inside. And that’s about as real as it can get!" - The Philippine Daily Inquirer


Discography

Goin' All The Way (EP)
Marc Ballesteros, self-titled (EP)
Babe, I Love You (Single)
Ating Paraiso (Our Paradise) (Single)
Viva Pop Tracks Compilation (Single)

Music Organization affiliated with:
SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada)
SAC (Songwriters Association of Canada)
JPF (Just Plain Folks), Toronto Chapter

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Toronto based Marc Ballesteros is a singer, composer, musician, performer, recording artist, and actor. Although he's been singing since he was a child, he only started his musical career after venturing in the Philippines in 1995. He was signed to the country's biggest label, VIVA Records. His self-titled album, in which he wrote 6 of the 8 songs, was released later that year.

Earlier that same year, Viva Records released "Viva All-Star Pop Tracks" album, a compilaton of various VIVA artists and adaptations of pop tunes in which Marc recorded Elton John's "Can you Feel the Love Tonight".

In 1998, Marc released in Toronto, ON his single, "Ating Paraiso" (Our Paradise, a raising of consciousness song with the realization of the abuse and effects to the environment that is present in today's world. This song was also used to help commemorate the Philippine Republic Centennial celebration (1898-1998).

Marc collaborated with a group of artists in Canada in 1999 to include his song "Babe, I Love You" on a CD compilation which was released the following year.

Although most of his songs are pop/adult contemporary, Marc's love of music is not limited to that genre alone. He enjoys a wide range of musical style including classical, rock, country, R&B, jazz, etc. With the desire to appreciate the arts even more, he ventured into acting and stage musicals. With a vocal range of middle bass to high tenor, he performed his first broadway musical in November 2000 entitled, "The Secret Garden", a presentation of Theatre Aurora. After "The Secret Garden" run, he joined Music Theatre Etobicoke for the production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in which he played the role of Asher, one of Joseph's 11 brothers. This was shown in February of 2001. He played the role of Smudge in the four-part harmony musical production of "Forever Plaid" which ran during the dinner-theatre series at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Aurora, ON and at the Newmarket Theatre, ON from September thru October, 2001. This was a production of Howard Johnson Hotel and Mainstreet Theatre Company. In the Spring of 2003, Marc joined other artists to present a medley of favourite Broadway hits presented at Markham Theatre for Performing Arts and was entitled "A Taste of Broadway".

In the Summer of 2003, two of Marc’s songs were selected in the first singer/songwriter competition held at Maryhill Winery and Amphitheatre in Goldendale, Washington, USA. He was selected among 40 other songwriters nationwide.

He just finished recording his latest CD entitled, "Goin' All The Way", released in 2005, which reflects the versatility in his music. He currently performs his original compositions at various venues including the favourite tourist spot, Fishermen's Village in Punta Gorda, Florida and several clubs/restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee including the world renowed Bluebird Cafe.

You can read more of Marc’s works, photos, current and archived performances, and listen to sample clips by going to his website at www.marcb.net. You can also check out his songs by clicking the Audio tab on his EPK.