Once a year on a late Sunday afternoon in December, something familiar and quietly magical unfolds at The Peninsula Manila. Families arrive dressed in their Sunday best. Children tug at their parents’ hands as they enter The Lobby and look up at the towering tree that has watched Manila grow for decades.

Later, after musicians of a 49-piece orchestra have finished tuning their instruments, the light softens, and the city gathers for an afternoon that feels like coming home.

Welcome to the 40th season of Christmas Concert at The Pen!

For forty years, Christmas Concert at The Pen has been woven into these scenes. It has welcomed generations of Manileños who return not only for the music, but for the feeling it brings.

Over the decades, The Peninsula Manila has opened its doors to extraordinary Filipino talent. Artists who first sang here as promising young performers have returned as some of the country’s most admired voices, a quiet testament to how this tradition has nurtured local talent across the years.

This 40th season brings together the Manila Symphony Orchestra under Jonathan Velasco, mezzo sopranos Cris Villonco and Yanah Laurel, and the 50-voice Ateneo Chamber Singers. Their program will weave together carols, film and Disney favorites, light opera selections, and beloved holiday pieces, including the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah.

Kevin Tsang, managing director of The Peninsula Manila, reflects on this milestone with warmth. “We are delighted to have this wealth of Filipino talents at this year’s festive season concert. Year after year, these artists bring their heart and brilliance to The Lobby. Our hope is that this afternoon brings the spirit of Christmas into the hearts of our audience and becomes a joyful finale to their year.”

He adds, “The first part of the concert will feature a playful mix of Barry White, movie musicals, light opera, Disney, and a well-loved Filipino pop classic. As tradition dictates, the second part will be filled with the familiar sounds of Christmas. Aside from the 'Hallelujah Chorus,' which remains as magnificent today as it did when it was first performed in 1742, we have holiday songs and orchestral pieces that will inspire joy in both first-time listeners and those who return each season.”

What makes the concert endure is the way it brings people together. Guests sing along. Strangers exchange smiles. Children hear their first live orchestra. Families who have been coming for decades whisper to one another that it still feels as uplifting as the very first time.

As The Peninsula Manila approaches its fifth decade, the 40th season of Christmas Concert at The Pen reflects a legacy shaped by and shared with the city itself: a legacy of Filipino talent, community, and the shared joy of welcoming the season in one of Manila’s most cherished holiday traditions.

The 40th season of Christmas Concert at The Pen will be held on Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Lobby.

Table reservations at The Lobby are available at P75,000, with a set deluxe festive merienda menu for 10. Tables for four are available at P30,000, with a set deluxe festive merienda menu. The Upper Lobby seating is available at P20,000 for tables of four, with a set festive merienda menu.