A World Class Choir with a Filipino Spirit
It was unusual for me to see the campus quiet and deserted. Usually, people would compete for elbow room in Ateneo's busy corridors at this time of the day. But today the country is celebrating Eid 'l Adha. And there were only a few people at sight -- maintenance crew and small groups of students doing their projects. However, as you walk through Gonzaga Hall, you cannot help but notice some students dashing up the stairs as if they are going to be late for class. As you climb up the stairs, the silence in is gradually filled by the sound of sopranos vocalizing. You follow the sound and you find yourself in a small room in Gonzaga. Here, the Ateneo College Glee Club (ACGC), the premier singing group of Ateneo, rehearses three times a week from 4:30 to 9:00 in the evening.
ACGC President Will Tan already warned me that the choir practices are "intense" especially as the Christmas season draws near. And truly, the intensity of the practices is already felt during the vocalization. Assistant conductor Arja Viray leads it. To say that he is fastidious is an understatement. He focuses on making the sound of the choir consistent and is not afraid to single out the person breaking that consistency. Using practical tips on how to attack the notes and to put the proper placement of sound, Arjay almost always achieves the sound that he wants.
After an intense vocalization session, Arjay begins rehearsing Kampana ng Simbahan arranged by Anna Abeleda-Piquero. This piece is a Tagalog Christmas song composed by Juan L. Silos, Jr. while the lyrics are written by Serapio Y. Ramos. Silos' background as a rondalla composer is apparent in the rhythm and melody of the 16 piece. The next piece Himig Pasko, however, contrasts Simbang Gabi's festive motif. By this time, ACGC choirmaster Maria Lourdes "Malou" V. Hermo takes the reins. After one round of the song, she asked the choir, "What picture comes to your mind when you are singing this song?" The choir responds by describing a cool and serene Christmas night. Using this image, Professor Malou is able to get her point across and the choir ended up sounding differently from the first run through.
Composed by the Apo Hiking, arranger George Hernandez heightens this imagery through his arrangement. he begins his arrangement with silent hums by the choir to set the atmosphere. This is followed by a section with the sopranos singing the melody. The rest supports them with long sustained chords. Here, Professor Malou stresses the important of diction. Although the sustained notes may sound beautiful musically, the audience should still understand the words. In the second section, the piano accompanies the choir using ascending arpeggios, Professor Malou points this out and wants the choir to sing with more movement in this section. "The piano accompaniment also tells you a lot on how you should sing the piece," she reminds the choir.
The choir then proceeded to practice several other Christmas pieces. One of which is the Nigerian Christmas carol Amuworo ayi otu nwa (For unto Us a Child is Born) by Christian Onyeji. This piece demands a fuller sound from the choir and a jazzy singing style. The choir is able to fulfill this demand, showcasing their intense versatility. Moreover, traditional Christmas carols such sounded afresh with their chosen arrangements and vibrant renditions.
After the Christmas repertoire, the group had a short break. Here, I had the chance to speak to one of their vocal coaches Maria Blanca Krystl Buesa. According to her, each choir member has individual vocal lessons on top of the group rehearsals. For her, this intense regimen allows the choir to be in top shape.
The rehearsal for the European repertoire began with Anton Bruckner’s Virga Jesse Floruit. This piece is an acapella motet written in 1885. Although Bruckner was an Austrian composer and his compositions are usually attributed to the German folk. Despite this, the choir’s singing style was still very Filipino. Professor Malou points out the “sad” sound quality of the choir when it comes to the pianissimo parts. “This piece is German,” professor Malou exhorts, “and as such you need to be more objective with your singing.” She further contrasts it with the next piece by Pierre Villette. “Humne a la vierge is a French piece,” she says. “Here, you need to be more malandi (flirtations),” Professor Malou exhorted comically.
This remark really gave mean insight. I believe that ACGC, along with many singing groups in the Philippines excel in the international choir community. Their dedication to their craft allows them to have immense technical abilities to sing whatever songs given to them. And at the same time, they are able to empathize with music from a culture completely foreign to them without losing touch of their own Filipino spirit. For me, this showcases the immense versatility of our talents.
It was half past dinnertime already. And I and some other observers decided to go home already (perhaps to enjoy the last few hours of this holiday). But even as we leave, the choir continues to rehearse. Not a single sign of tiredness can be seen on their faces.
*This article was originally featured in the 2011 edition of the Blue Sound magazine. Edited by Storm Sevilla.