Floro Sernande Jr. is an experienced multi-instrumentalist and bandleader who started
learning music at the age of 6. He has over 12 years’ of professional experience and
expertise across a range of genres, from classical to jazz, and from latin to pop. A
graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Music, he majored in flute,
and minored in Afro-Latin music on percussion and various string instruments.
He has played with artists and groups such as Bo Razon, David Chala, Jun Cadiz.
Joao Mascarenhas, Royal Hartigan, Ted Lo, Dulip Charith Wijesinha, Michael Alba, Barnaby Bruce and Chris Polanco.
His career has included professional engagements with many international hotels,
including the Intercontinental, Four Seasons and The Peninsula. He also performed
as a musician for several years at Hong Kong Disneyland
Classical
Floro began his classical training at the Philippine High School for the Arts, NationalArts Center. As a classical flautist, he has been a member of the Manila SymphonyOrchestra, and played with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1998 he won 2nd
place in the 1998 NAMCYA (National Music Competition for Young Artists), and was featured on Paco Park Presents.
He was selected to play principal flute with the South-East Asian Youth Orchestra in 2004, and recently received his Higher Diploma in classical flute from Trinity College London. Last year he attended a master class with flute-legend James Galway.
Jazz and Afro-Latin
At the University of the Philippines, Floro studied Afro-Cuban, Caribbean, Brazilian and African music and rhythms. He performed at the 3rd Manila Jazz Festival, and at the 2005 World Expo in Nagoya, Japan. He has been a member of the Jewelmer Jazz Band and the University of the Philippines Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble, and In 2013 was invited to a master class with renowned jazz flautist Magnus Lindgren. A latin and jazz bandleader since 2005, he currently leads two groups in Hong Kong: Banda Orbita, an Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble; and Salvaje, http://salvajehk.wordpress.com/ a Brazilian batucada group.
Banda Orbita is building a dedicated following from music-lovers attracted to the
authentic and passionate playing of the band, whilst Salvaje is also creating a stir in the
city, having performed with Brazilian maestro Joao Mascarenhas and his trio at the first
FreeSpace Festival in West Kowloon Cultural District. This performance was featured
on RTHK’s ‘The Works’.
Studio Work
Floro is also an experienced studio-musician. He has recorded flute and percussion on album projects with artists such as Chin Chin Gutierrez (“Mater Vitae” and her awardwinning “Uyayi”), the Radioactive Sago Project and on 3 albums with the Makiling Ensemble in the Philippines. In Hong Kong, he was featured on Chris Polanco’s
album ‘My Music Road’ in 2012.