| Erlinda Sijera Lachica Baltimore, Maryland Community Leader, Music Director and Educator |
“If you have been given a gift, use it, develop it and share it with
others. Otherwise, you lose it!” This is Erlinda Lachica’s guiding
principle in life. She lives by this philosophy and teaches it to her
family and students.
Erlinda Lachica was born on August 5, 1942 to parents Agapito
and Matilde Sijera— the oldest of six children. The Sijera family
lived in Davao City during the tumultuous years of World War II,
then moved to Manila when the war ended in 1946. While in
Manila, Agapito became the president of his own salvaging
company; Matilde, an accomplished couturier, opened a dress
shop specializing in formal wear. Erlinda entered Concordia
College where she received her elementary, and her secondary
education and her Bachelor of Music degree, graduating Cum
Laude in 1960.
Indeed, music has played a prominent role in Erlinda’s life ever
since her first piano lesson at age 8, when she decided to make
music her life’s work. She immediately cultured a deep affinity for
the piano works of the Romantic Era and devoted many hours
each day to the study of such composers as Chopin, Liszt, and
Rachmaninoff. After only two short years of private piano lessons,
others. Otherwise, you lose it!” This is Erlinda Lachica’s guiding
principle in life. She lives by this philosophy and teaches it to her
family and students.
Erlinda Lachica was born on August 5, 1942 to parents Agapito
and Matilde Sijera— the oldest of six children. The Sijera family
lived in Davao City during the tumultuous years of World War II,
then moved to Manila when the war ended in 1946. While in
Manila, Agapito became the president of his own salvaging
company; Matilde, an accomplished couturier, opened a dress
shop specializing in formal wear. Erlinda entered Concordia
College where she received her elementary, and her secondary
education and her Bachelor of Music degree, graduating Cum
Laude in 1960.
Indeed, music has played a prominent role in Erlinda’s life ever
since her first piano lesson at age 8, when she decided to make
music her life’s work. She immediately cultured a deep affinity for
the piano works of the Romantic Era and devoted many hours
each day to the study of such composers as Chopin, Liszt, and
Rachmaninoff. After only two short years of private piano lessons,
various members of the school faculty and even parents of other students began to take notice of Erlinda’s
natural musical abilities. At the tender age of ten years old, they began asking her to teach or accompany her
fellow students for the school’s programs and performances. Even back then, Erlinda’s selfless and giving
nature was evident. She was always willing to accommodate any requests. In fact, she was only eleven years
old the very first time she was asked to play the organ for an entire wedding ceremony.
Erlinda gave her first public piano recital at age 13, in which she performed Addindel’s “Warsaw” Concerto.
During her years at Concordia College, Erlinda received certificates in Gregorian Chant and Sacred Music and
her awards included Best Conductor and Best Accompanist. Erlinda began her career in 1960, teaching
piano at Concordia College. In those years, she shared her “gift” within her community as volunteer choir
director and organist of Sampalucan Chapel. She served as president of the Legion of Mary and actively
participated in the Cursillo Movement.
Erlinda’s parents put a high value on providing educational opportunities for all their children. Despite their
financial struggles, they were able to put Erlinda and her five siblings through college—emphasizing that this
was the only inheritance they could pass on to their children. Armed only with this acquired knowledge and a
bright hope for the future, Erlinda decided to take a leap of faith by leaving what she knew for the Great
Unknown. With just a tourist visa and a gift of 10,000 pesos from her father, Erlinda took a chance at fulfilling
her dream and started a new life in the United States. Her gamble paid off. After years of hard work and odd
jobs, she earned a Master’s Degree in Applied Music from the prestigious Peabody Conservatory.
In the mean time, she had met and married Basilio Lachica in August 1971. The day of her Master’s Recital in
May of 1972, she was seven months pregnant with her first daughter, Melissa. In 1975, she gave birth to a
second daughter, Elaine.
As an educator, Erlinda has taught music at St. Francis School for Special Education, Dundalk Community
College, Essex Community College, and the Baltimore City Public Schools. In 1981, when Erlinda was laid off
from the Baltimore City Schools as a result of a major reduction in force, she was able to turn disadvantage
into opportunity and earned a Bachelor Degree in Spanish from Morgan State University. She re-entered the
Baltimore City School System as a Spanish teacher and was known for teaching Spanish lessons through
music. In 1987, she was voted Teacher of the Year by her colleagues at the Hartford Institute. Erlinda is quite
an asset at her current school as she is both a Spanish and Music teacher at the Harbor City Learning
Center. She also teaches voice lessons at the Music Preparatory at Towson University. Twenty five years
after Erlinda first played a volunteer organist at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption ( the first
Catholic cathedral in the U.S.) , she was appointed Musical Director. There on Sunday mornings, you will find
her playing the organ and conducting the choir at the same time. When the Pope came to Baltimore in
October 1995, Erlinda was one of the few, fortunate people to meet him during his private visit to the Basilica.
When the late Mother Teresa visited Baltimore last year in May, Cardinal Keeler requested that Erlinda take
charge of the music during this exclusive Liturgy. The Cardinal had invited the Santo Nino Choir to sing
together with the Basilica Choir. The two choirs sang in tandem for this special event— a once in a lifetime
opportunity.
Despite the numerous professional engagements that have filled her career, Erlinda’s real successes lie in
the vast amount of work she has done for the community. As a member of the Board of Directors of the
Baltimore Asian Trade Council (BATCO), a multi-Asian organization, Erlinda served as program coordinator
for Entertainment during the Asian Festivals held every year. She also worked to strengthen the ties among
Asians in Baltimore, both in business and in culture. She was featured as one of Maryland’s Asian Women
in the Resource Packet for the Maryland Women’s History Week. In 1984, the former Mayor Clarence ‘Du’
Burns presented her the City of Baltimore President’s Citation to Citizens of Outstanding Merit Award. She
was involved in many projects supported by the Mayor’s Office from 1980-1985.
Keeping the Filipino heritage alive continues to be one of Erlinda’s missions. She has always kept herself
busy with directing cultural presentations promoting Filipino music and dance. Working with various Filipino
organizations, she was the Musical Director of the Maharlika of Maryland, a Filipino-American musical and
dance group, performing in ethnic festivals, city fairs, church social gatherings and school programs. The
Maharlika also sponsored musical concerts as a fund raiser to support deserving music students in the
Philippines. She has also been involved with other Filipino organizations including the Katipunan, APPM, and
the Knights of Columbus.
For the past seven years, she has directed the Santo Nino Choir, a group composed of professional Filipinos
who raise money for charitable purposes. Most of the choir members are also members of the Knights of
Columbus and the Kaycettes (its female counterpart). Their colorful and festive performances have brought
them to the Basilica of the Assumption, Towson University, and the Kennedy Center in New York.
Erlinda is a member of the American College of Musicians, the Royal Academy of Music, Maryland Music
Educators Association, Maryland Foreign Language Association, and the Trinity College London.
When close friends and family have tried to describe Erlinda, the words humble, selfless, generous, giving,
warm, and caring immediately come to mind. It is not difficult to see why she is so well loved. She is
someone who is always there to lend her support and encouragement.
Looking back at the twenty-nine years she’s been in Maryland, Erlinda is thankful for the blessings that she
continually receives from God. She has a strong marriage to Basilio, her husband of twenty-six years.
Melissa, now 25, is happily married to Matthew Short and they share four beautiful daughters. Elaine, 22, who
just received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music, Major in Voice, at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns
Hopkins University, is an accomplished musician in her own right. Erlinda’s whole family live her philosophy
of using their God-given gifts and sharing them with th e rest of the community.#
natural musical abilities. At the tender age of ten years old, they began asking her to teach or accompany her
fellow students for the school’s programs and performances. Even back then, Erlinda’s selfless and giving
nature was evident. She was always willing to accommodate any requests. In fact, she was only eleven years
old the very first time she was asked to play the organ for an entire wedding ceremony.
Erlinda gave her first public piano recital at age 13, in which she performed Addindel’s “Warsaw” Concerto.
During her years at Concordia College, Erlinda received certificates in Gregorian Chant and Sacred Music and
her awards included Best Conductor and Best Accompanist. Erlinda began her career in 1960, teaching
piano at Concordia College. In those years, she shared her “gift” within her community as volunteer choir
director and organist of Sampalucan Chapel. She served as president of the Legion of Mary and actively
participated in the Cursillo Movement.
Erlinda’s parents put a high value on providing educational opportunities for all their children. Despite their
financial struggles, they were able to put Erlinda and her five siblings through college—emphasizing that this
was the only inheritance they could pass on to their children. Armed only with this acquired knowledge and a
bright hope for the future, Erlinda decided to take a leap of faith by leaving what she knew for the Great
Unknown. With just a tourist visa and a gift of 10,000 pesos from her father, Erlinda took a chance at fulfilling
her dream and started a new life in the United States. Her gamble paid off. After years of hard work and odd
jobs, she earned a Master’s Degree in Applied Music from the prestigious Peabody Conservatory.
In the mean time, she had met and married Basilio Lachica in August 1971. The day of her Master’s Recital in
May of 1972, she was seven months pregnant with her first daughter, Melissa. In 1975, she gave birth to a
second daughter, Elaine.
As an educator, Erlinda has taught music at St. Francis School for Special Education, Dundalk Community
College, Essex Community College, and the Baltimore City Public Schools. In 1981, when Erlinda was laid off
from the Baltimore City Schools as a result of a major reduction in force, she was able to turn disadvantage
into opportunity and earned a Bachelor Degree in Spanish from Morgan State University. She re-entered the
Baltimore City School System as a Spanish teacher and was known for teaching Spanish lessons through
music. In 1987, she was voted Teacher of the Year by her colleagues at the Hartford Institute. Erlinda is quite
an asset at her current school as she is both a Spanish and Music teacher at the Harbor City Learning
Center. She also teaches voice lessons at the Music Preparatory at Towson University. Twenty five years
after Erlinda first played a volunteer organist at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption ( the first
Catholic cathedral in the U.S.) , she was appointed Musical Director. There on Sunday mornings, you will find
her playing the organ and conducting the choir at the same time. When the Pope came to Baltimore in
October 1995, Erlinda was one of the few, fortunate people to meet him during his private visit to the Basilica.
When the late Mother Teresa visited Baltimore last year in May, Cardinal Keeler requested that Erlinda take
charge of the music during this exclusive Liturgy. The Cardinal had invited the Santo Nino Choir to sing
together with the Basilica Choir. The two choirs sang in tandem for this special event— a once in a lifetime
opportunity.
Despite the numerous professional engagements that have filled her career, Erlinda’s real successes lie in
the vast amount of work she has done for the community. As a member of the Board of Directors of the
Baltimore Asian Trade Council (BATCO), a multi-Asian organization, Erlinda served as program coordinator
for Entertainment during the Asian Festivals held every year. She also worked to strengthen the ties among
Asians in Baltimore, both in business and in culture. She was featured as one of Maryland’s Asian Women
in the Resource Packet for the Maryland Women’s History Week. In 1984, the former Mayor Clarence ‘Du’
Burns presented her the City of Baltimore President’s Citation to Citizens of Outstanding Merit Award. She
was involved in many projects supported by the Mayor’s Office from 1980-1985.
Keeping the Filipino heritage alive continues to be one of Erlinda’s missions. She has always kept herself
busy with directing cultural presentations promoting Filipino music and dance. Working with various Filipino
organizations, she was the Musical Director of the Maharlika of Maryland, a Filipino-American musical and
dance group, performing in ethnic festivals, city fairs, church social gatherings and school programs. The
Maharlika also sponsored musical concerts as a fund raiser to support deserving music students in the
Philippines. She has also been involved with other Filipino organizations including the Katipunan, APPM, and
the Knights of Columbus.
For the past seven years, she has directed the Santo Nino Choir, a group composed of professional Filipinos
who raise money for charitable purposes. Most of the choir members are also members of the Knights of
Columbus and the Kaycettes (its female counterpart). Their colorful and festive performances have brought
them to the Basilica of the Assumption, Towson University, and the Kennedy Center in New York.
Erlinda is a member of the American College of Musicians, the Royal Academy of Music, Maryland Music
Educators Association, Maryland Foreign Language Association, and the Trinity College London.
When close friends and family have tried to describe Erlinda, the words humble, selfless, generous, giving,
warm, and caring immediately come to mind. It is not difficult to see why she is so well loved. She is
someone who is always there to lend her support and encouragement.
Looking back at the twenty-nine years she’s been in Maryland, Erlinda is thankful for the blessings that she
continually receives from God. She has a strong marriage to Basilio, her husband of twenty-six years.
Melissa, now 25, is happily married to Matthew Short and they share four beautiful daughters. Elaine, 22, who
just received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music, Major in Voice, at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns
Hopkins University, is an accomplished musician in her own right. Erlinda’s whole family live her philosophy
of using their God-given gifts and sharing them with th e rest of the community.#
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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