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Hailed by Opera News as a “clarion high tenor,” and a “standout” performer by Seen and Heard International, “bringing musicality plus an attractive and flexible leggiero sound to his assignment,” Philippine-born American tenor Allan Palacios Chan has earned a reputation for performing a wide range of repertoire with style and a deep connection to his audience.

Allan Palacios Chan holds a BA degree in Music with a Minor in Theater from George Mason University School of Music, and a MM in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has been a Corbett Foundation Young Artist with Cincinnati Opera for four consecutive seasons and was a voice fellow at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California for two consecutive seasons where he sang in the West Coast premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s opera Second Nature. He recently sang the role of Sing Lee in the world premiere of Tacoma Method, his debut with Tacoma Opera. Allan Palacios Chan maintains an active concert schedule, having sung in such hallowed halls as the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. Allan Palacios Chan recently sang the tenor solos for the world premiere of Paul Leavitt’s Stabat Mater and was a guest soloist with the award winning Philippine Madrigal Singers for their first U.S. tour since the pandemic. Allan Palacios Chan recently sang a series of concerts for Washington Concert Opera this past month singing a varied program of beloved tenor arias and duets in the D.C. area.

Allan Palacios Chan’s musical interests span beyond opera, performing Kundiman (classical Filipino art song) and various anthems for official events of the Philippine Embassy of Washington D.C., at venues such as The Ronald Reagan Building and the State Department. Last April, he had the honor of performing as a guest of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. for the event titled Day of Valor—Araw ng Kagitingan, in honor of the fallen Filipino and American heroes of the Bataan Death March. He is so known for his singing of anthems, he was even invited to sing the Philippine National Anthem for Manny Pacquiao’s fight in Las Vegas with Timothy Bradley, Jr. Allan Palacios Chan is currently working on a crossover album featuring a unique take on classic hit songs from the recent past such as Billy Joel’s ‘And so it goes’ and ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries, in collaboration with composer/producer/arranger and multi-platinum songwriter Leonardo de Bernardini (“Leo Z”) who has worked with artists such as Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, and David Archuleta.

Allan Palacios Chan kept busy with virtual collaborations during lockdown, and recently worked with artists from the Mark Morris Dance Group of NYC, bringing new life to Nicanor Abelardo’s song ‘Mutya ng Pasig,’ in a performance entitled The Kundiman Project. He directed and co-arranged the music to his most recent virtual project, ‘Pilar’s Hallelujah’—based on Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’—which features over 100 artists from all over the world including dancers from Ballet Manila, The Mark Morris Dance Group, a former finalist from The Voice, USA, a cameo of Carlotta from Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera and the award winning ensemble from the University of the Philippines, The Philippine Madrigal Singers; this labor of love was created to commemorate the life and heroism of a fallen front liner.

When Allan Palacios Chan is not busy performing, he enjoys cooking, eating, spending time with his dog, and composing/arranging new music. He teaches private voice lessons and also performs as a professional church musician, where he developed his love of singing since his time in the children’s chorus.

With his single, “Coventry Carol/What Child Is This,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Allan Palacios Chan. Read below to learn more about Allan Palacios Chan, the story behind his latest single, and what’s to come.

Hi Allan Palacios Chan! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

My artist name is simply the name that I was given at birth. I was named after my father, Allan Chan, and my middle name is my mother’s maiden name, Palacios. It’s typical for Filipinos to have plenty of names…it’s from the old Spanish times, except we put the father’s surname last (probably switched from the American occupation).

What city are you from and where are you based now?

I was born in Manila, Philippines, and I grew up in Woodbridge, VA where I am currently based.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I decided to pursue a career in music in my senior year of high school. It was the only thing that really made sense in my life at that point, and to be quite honest, it’s been that way ever since. I started by studying music in college, and I moved on to graduate school at the conservatory at the University of Cincinnati where things started to really take off.

Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?

Yes, absolutely. I think a great deal of my sound and aesthetic comes from the languages that I spoke and heard growing up. Filipino languages are very emotional and onomatopoeic. I think that’s a big part of why Pinoys are so known for singing and the arts in general…it’s in our world view. I also grew up singing all sorts of styles. I started out singing Pop and R&B, and was also in the children’s chorus at our church growing up. I was always drawn to classical music, but did not start listening to opera until freshman year of college. After listening to a recording of Callas’ rendition of the Dinorah aria, I was hooked. My sound is starting to merge these days…I sing plenty of crossover concerts now, and I blend it all…crowds absolutely love it.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

Well, I was trained for years as a classical tenor. I have had—and still have—an active operatic and concert schedule. If you were to put a label on the genre of recordings I’ve been working on this past year, it is technically ‘crossover,’ a la Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. But unlike them, I’ve had a career as a classical singer before venturing into the realm of ‘crossover.’ Objectively, my ‘sound’ is both dark and bright…an aesthetic discovered during the Renaissance, also known as ‘chiaroscuro.’ Although, I blend a bit of the Gregorian Chant and Pop sounds of my upbringing. I’m not afraid to do that anymore…I use every tool in my arsenal to express the music at hand.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

I enjoy working out, and love food and drink of all sorts. I enjoy reading alone as much as I enjoy meeting new people. I think my favourite thing to do is watch streaming shows/movies and hang out with my dog…I know that probably sounds super basic, but it’s the truth.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

Growing up, I loved Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Jim Brickman, Kenny G, Whitney Houston, All 4 One, and NSYNC. As I entered my college years, I started to listen to a lot of operas…mainly Pavarotti, Björling, Reneé Fleming, Leontyne Price, Maria Callas, and Monserat Caballé. I also love Billy Joel, Queen. But, if I am going to be truly honest, I’d say my biggest musical influence has been the timeless Disney animation films…Lea Salonga, for sure.

Who would be a dream to collaborate with?

My dream music collaboration is with Lea Salonga. Can we make that happen? 🙂

What are some of your future music career goals?

I want people to hear something that they’ve never heard before when they hear me. I want people to walk away from my recordings/concerts feeling something real. I want to inspire people…as many as I possibly can.

Now onto your release, ‘Coventry Carol/What Child Is This.’ What inspired this song?

I love how old these songs are, yet so familiar to most people. I knew this recording would be the first thing many people would hear of me, so I wanted it to be both new and familiar. This is why we created the mash up of the songs, to create a scena of sorts; I wanted drama, but also gentleness. Christmas is magical, truly…but the first Christmas was also a bit hectic—traumatic, even. With the mix of these songs, I was also able to show a lot of my vocal capabilities…my range.

What is ‘Coventry Carol/What Child Is This’ about in your own words?

This song is really a combination of two carols. Our song presents a true duality: sadness and joy; tragedy and sublimity… two scenes in one. ‘Coventry Carol’ is a 16th century song depicting what is known as the ‘Massacre of the Innocents’ from the book of Matthew. It is a haunting lullaby sung to the children killed by decree of King Herod, in his attempt to foil the prophecy of the King of Kings. ‘What Child is This’ is a song written several hundred years later, although the tune it borrows (‘Greensleeves’) is from a folk song written in the same century as ‘Coventry Carol.’ ‘What Child is This’ is the answer to the tragedy that we hear in the first Carol. Even the characters present such a drastic contrast: instead of soldiers and weapons, we have shepherds and angels; instead of a powerful king (Herod), we have a lowly woman (Mary). We wrap the song up with the last verse of ‘Coventry Carol,’ in the same key as ‘What Child is This’…this is the final farewell to the slaughtered children, which unfolded as an eerie anticipation for the violent fate of ‘the babe.’

On a personal note, this song is about the sense of mystery and enchantment Christmas always seems to bring up for me and for many others. It is a little glimpse into one of the greatest stories ever told.

How did the collaboration with Leo Z come about?

Last December, I did a concert tour in the Philippines to help raise money for Indigenous students at Notre Dame School, General Santos City (where my mom grew up, and also where the famous boxer Manny Pacquiao is from). A couple producers who founded Ovation Productions (they book big-time celebrities to perform concerts in the Philippines, such as Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Andrea Bocelli, etc.) happened to be at the show, and liked my singing…they connected me with a manager in LA, Gina Orr (she currently manages NSYNC) for some career advice. She asked me—in her charming yet blunt NY way—what I wanted as an artist, and I told her that I want to bring both worlds of classical music and the popular genres together. She immediately thought of Leo, who has worked with other crossover artists such as Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli. He listened to some of my recordings and immediately wanted to work with me…I am very grateful for that. It’s been just a year since that tour, and we’ve already recorded an entire album, a Christmas single in anticipation of an entire Christmas album (this time, with some original works) and two music videos. I’m here for the rest of the ride, wherever it will take me.

What is your favorite lyric in ‘Coventry Carol/What Child Is This’ and why?

I think ‘Oh sisters too, how many we do, for to preserve this day…this poor youngling for whom we sing…’ I just love how medieval the language is there. You can almost see the villages, and the cobble stone walkways lit by torches.

What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from ‘Coventry Carol/What Child Is This?‘

Whatever beautiful memories come to them from listening to these timeless carols is more than enough of a message. Christmas is about hope, wonder, and anticipation. But, if I were to take a message from the entire experience…from my own personal journey throughout the whole recording process, and seeing events unfold in the world around me…I hope people allow for the coexistence of celebration and mourning, for this sense of duality within their own personal experience. To release any guilt or shame for the cohabitation of those or any other feelings that they may have of themselves, or the world around them. You don’t always have to choose a side…you’re allowed to be an absolute mess.

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

When I was able to finish an entire opera after rupturing my achilles tendon on stage, as a voice fellow at the Music Academy of the West. That was also the most painful.

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

There is nothing that we have to do, say, or think to establish our worth. And, that being yourself doesn’t require trying…that the real work is in finding the things that keep you from being just that, and then letting that sh*t go.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

There is an entire crossover album on the way out that should release within the next year. I’ll put updates on my website for that. I have a bunch of concert performances coming up, you can find the details on social media. I will include those details in the next question.

Where can we follow you on social media?

My website: www.allanpalacioschan.com
IG: @allanPCtenor
On Facebook: Allan Palacios Chan
Facebook group: The Allan Palacios Chan Fan Club
TikTok: Allan Palacios Chan

Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!

Thank you!