THE MAN who introduced McDonald?s to the Philippines has the singing chops as much as the beef. To George Tan Yang, chairman and founder of Golden Arches Development Corporation, his biggest achievement is producing and performing in his solo concert at Cultural Center of the Philippines.

For a man of a certain attitude (don?t say man of a certain age), he has accomplished what most people can?t ? ?I could sing like a young man!? Then he guffaws, ?Maybe I think I can. When you get old, the voice is lost. Retirement starts at 60. I?m just starting. I want to give something back that is also meaningful.?

Past life

Yang considers singing his elixir of youth, pointing out that his hair has grown thicker since he indulged this passion. He doesn?t even need reading glasses.

Looking fresh and stylish, he is in purple Versace shirt with sleeves neatly rolled up and the tails neatly tucked into dark Armani pants with a slim Gucci belt. He is neatly accessorized ? Cartier black leather watch and well-worn pair of Aldo Brue shoes.

He apologizes for the clutter in the office as the conference table is laden with stacks of photos of his CCP concert. His desk has papers, folders, Orbit breath mints, Godiva bars, Tabac boxes and a small LV bag. The walls are filled with covers and clippings of Yang, the taipan and president of companies, from real estate, food services, marketing licensing to information technology. A small wooden table has a diorama of a tuxedoed Yang standing with a mike on proscenium stage.

The most striking elements on the wall are a shrine of a Chinese deity and a painting of a dragon in between a large image of Jesus Christ and a statue of Sto. Niño set in an alcove.

?I?m a Catholic but I?m also open to Eastern religion,? says Yang and starts waxing philosophical about their tenets.

?I believe in reincarnation. The Catholic religion doesn?t, but in the beginning, the Christians did. It?s the most logical thing. How do you think Mozart could compose music at five? Where did he get the knowledge? It?s from a past life.?

Ergo, how could Yang?s singing talent suddenly emerge late in life and without any formal training?

Chutzpah

When he performs with professionals, who say they are graduates of the finest music schools, he has a spiel ? ?When it?s my turn, I say I?m a graduate of MKU ? Manila Karaoke University.? For his lungs-for-singing, he gives credit to years of swimming, tennis and golf.

Yang began his musical career by setting up his own karaoke at home and singing old songs by Frank Sinatra, Jerry Vale, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and Matt Monroe. Music is the closest thing to expressing the inexpressible. Whenever he sang, he felt he had given space for his spirit to unfold.

Five years ago, he had his singing debut in Jose Mari Chan?s concert. With chutzpah, he sang ?The Prayer? with guest artist Anna Fegi. ?The place was packed, attended by businessmen. They gave me a standing ovation not because I sang that well; they were just surprised to hear me [sing],? recalls Yang.

In November 2004, he met Rachelle Gerodias who is now his vocal coach. Soprano Shirley Bangayan encouraged Yang and even gave him musical scores for practice. On his own, he vocalizes for 20 minutes every other day. Once or twice a week, he rehearses his repertoire with a pianist.

Chan produced Yang?s first CD with a pianist from Hyatt as accompanist. The tracks included songs rarely heard today such as ?How Deep is the Ocean? and ?Once Upon a Time.?

?People said it was done with innocence. It wasn?t professional but my pitch was there.? After two CDs, ?Forever Yang? and ?The Night is Yang,? the taipan produced his first commercial CD with Universal Records, ?Always Yang,? which features Neapolitan songs, Spanish songs and Broadway hits. He mixed the sound tracks from great tenors and other tracks acquired in New York.

?It?s not selling great, but it?s selling,? says Yang, taking into consideration that there was no marketing blitz. However, for the Christmas season, blue-chip companies such as Mercedes Benz and Coca Cola bought hundreds of copies of ?Always Yang.? With more than 1,000 copies sold as corporate gifts, the proceeds went to Yang?s Klassikal Music Foundation.

Hitting high notes

?I felt Filipinos are not getting enough good music,? Yang said. ?When tenors and sopranos perform, there are lots of empty seats. Look at Rihanna and Chris Brown. They get a standing crowd at Bonifacio Global City ... In the Philippines, they only like rock [or pop]. Why? our culture is too Americanized. I like to bring good music.?

The foundation has begun supporting six scholars. ?They would have stopped singing because they don?t have the money for tuition.?

Last year when Yang performed in a function attended by the diplomatic corps, CCP president Nestor Jardin was in the audience. He was impressed by the taipan?s prodigious talent and suggested a possible co-production.

With six months? preparation, not knowing anything about production, Yang tapped director Freddie Santos.

His concert scored many triumphs. He was challenged with such familiar pieces as ?Nessun Dorma,? ?Una Furtiva Lagrima,? and ?La Donna Emobile.?

?In my concert, I hit the C-sharps on three occasions ? but held shortly,? he broke into a chuckle. ?I didn?t want to take the risk of sustaining it too long. I have to build my confidence.? He was backed up by his scholars and performed duets with Gerodias and Kuh Ledesma.

Real beef

While organizers usually struggle for sponsorships, Yang raised P3.8 million from corporate donors. ?The money is still intact and will go to the foundation.?

He also has another reason to feel jubilant. In recent months, McDonald?s, with its 290 outlets, has been experiencing the best spikes in sales. He?s still trying to figure out what ticks during an economic crunch. ?It?s beginning to sink in the customer?s mind that this is the place where we can get good food and good value for money,? says Yang whose favorite is the Quarter Pounder with French Fries. ?It?s real beef and very thick. It?s like eating steak.?

Today, Yang can afford to spend hours stretching his vocal range to the max since he?s handed the reins of Golden Arches to his eldest, Kenneth, the president and CEO, while he just acts as mentor.

Music has become a semblance of his life?s journey from the material to the sublime. It serves as his aspiration to live life more spiritually and to love more purely. ?My focus is no longer on expanding or building new things. I?m happy with what I?ve got, and singing allows me to concentrate on something else that is beautiful,? says Yang.