Tag: choirs

#KoristaAko: Kristian Misa

Catching up before the first half of the year ends with blogposts so long overdue! Here is our next featured korista, a nurse based in New Zealand, and a co-actor/singer in one of the CCP productions I was part of, San Andres B.

Choral singing does attract Filipino koristas even when overseas. Kristian is one good proof.

Name: Kristian Albert Misa 
Current ProfessionNurse

Choirs Joined: 
Casa del Nino Children’s Choir
Casa del Nino Choral Ensemble
Himig Sanghaya Chorale
AUIT
Gisborne Chorale Society (New Zealand)
Auckland Chorale (New Zealand)


Why did I join the choir? 
At the age of 3, my aunt taught me two songs by Randy Santiago and she was surprised when I memorised the songs quickly. Back then, my parents were working in Saudi Arabia and my aunt had an idea of recording my voice on a cassette tape so that she can send it to them. After all her efforts to convince me to sing in front of the radio recorder and countless record overlays, she successfully managed to capture my singing voice on the cassette and snail-mailed it to my parents. The last time I listened to that tape was when I was 16 years old and until now I can still remember some of its contents – most of which are just me and my brother teasing our aunts – like asking our mom to send our other aunt a watch with a boxing glove that will punch her whenever she checks the time. Shenanigans aside, this is how my family discovered that I can sing. 

As I grew older and entered 3rd grade, I was drawn to a group of people singing and making harmonies in the music room just across our home room. I remember myself watching and listening to them through the room’s jalousied windows during school breaks. It was inviting; warm; and their sound had a sense of solidarity. At that time, I haven’t got any words to describe the sound I was hearing from the group. I was just entrapped, awed, and magnetised at the sound the choir was producing. Then one day, two of our school’s music teacher (they are identical twins) announced that they are forming a children’s choir and invited our class to join the audition. I was a shy and scrawny little boy and wouldn’t usually put myself in the spotlight unless someone is in the spotlight with me. Luckily, 4 of my classmates decided to join. This, of course, prompted me to try auditioning. After getting through the selection process, I was hooked and had never been not involved in any choral engagements that I have an opportunity to sing for since then. Looking back, I think it is the inexplicable feeling of euphoria you get when you hear music being produced that made me join the choir. 

What was that something or someone that influenced you?
No one in my family sings except myself and my grandmother. My grandma used to sing and dance ballet when she was in her teens. I can tell that she can sing because every night, she always lulls me a kundiman song “Basang Sisiw” which always unfailingly made me cry before I sleep as I literally imagined a lost chick wandering and getting wet in the rain. This, I guess, is where I got my empathy from. My grandmother always tells us to strive to be a better person and hone our skills if we ever discovered that we have one. She is my rock. She influenced a lot of who I am today.

Another person who influenced and introduced me to a higher standard of music is our conductor Katherine Trangco (Ate Katz, as we would call her, also conducts Auit Vocal Chamber Ensemble where Kristian and I first sang together -ed.). She opened my world to contemporary and avant-garde music which I have no difficulties of embracing. She was the one who pushed our choir to persist and aim higher whenever we study a piece. Her method of explaining why the music is written in such a way made us even appreciate and understand it. Her dedication to her craft as an artist and as an academic helped inculcate discipline and open-mindedness to each members of our choir.

What is your favourite song arranged or composed for choir and why?
I have a lot of favourites: Pamugun (Arr. Feliciano), Sat-sat (Trangco), Salitaan (Trangco), Magnificat (Arr. G. Swayne), just to name a few. However, the most memorable piece that I ever had the pleasure of learning is Brahm’s setting of Psalm 51 “Schaffe in mir Gott, ein rein Herz”.  

What was the hardest piece you’ve studied?
Chino Toledo’s “San Andres B” is by far, and without any doubt, the hardest piece I have ever studied. Its non-conventional time signatures, rhythm, and generous minor and major second intervals make it hauntingly difficult. Up until now, I never have imagined how I was able to memorise the whole choral part and some solo parts of the Filipino Opera.

Any choir/s or vocal ensembles you look up to and why?

Original members of AUIT Vocal Ensemble – simply because they’re just not humans.
Philippine Madrigal Singers – two-time European Grand Prix for Choral Singing winners. Emotionally charged interpretations; Musical standards; Range of genre they perform.
King’s Singers – Their sound; Musical Standards; Versatility despite all of them being male.
Ateneo Chamber Singers – Solid mature sound; Sacred music interpretations 
The Real Group – Jazz interpretations
Pentatonix – Pop songs
Swingle Singers – Vocal virtuosi  
Trinity College Choir Cambridge – Balanced voices
Tenebrae Choir – British contemporary music interpretations

What is your most unforgettable choral moment?
That’s when I joined AUIT Vocal Ensemble and premiered the contemporary Filipino opera “San Andres B” by Chino Toledo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I think this is my most cherished experience because, as an amateur performer and being a non-music major, I had to give tremendous amount of effort to learn and deliver the choral parts. I also had the privilege to work and perform with the best singers, musicians, actors, stage crews, and directors in the Philippine Theatre Industry.   

My choir now:
I recently just joined Auckland Choral, one of New Zealand’s premier choir. The history of the group extends back to 1855. Now, under the direction of Professor Uwe Grodd, we recently performed Bach’s St. John Passion in German. Being the only Filipino in the choir, I hope I can influence them to sing Filipino Choral Works.

Difference in culture:
All of our members can read music which is not common in choirs in the Philippines. In terms of how inclusive the choir is, we have a blind (soprano) chorister who has her own Braille version of the piece (this has been provided by the choir of course). The musical director also expects you to learn the pieces before you attend rehearsals. Other than what I have mentioned, there are basically no stark differences with regard to choral culture. 

#KoristaAko dahil:
1. Mahal ko ang kultura ng pagiging isang korista. 
2. Ang mga taong nakasalamuha at makakasalamuha ko ay nagsisilbing gabay upang mapaglinang ang aking sarili at sa kalaunan ay maituturing ko nang kapamilya. 
3. Napaigi ang aking disiplina dahil sa proseso ng pagaaral at pagbasa ng mga pyesa. (children, take heed! – ed.)
4. Higit sa lahat – dahil sa Musika.

Our final show for San Andres B (2013) at the CCP Little Theater. Kristian and I were dancing partners as well in this production. Triple threat! Photo by Kamole Orense.

#KoristaAko is powered by Touringkitty. Tune in for the latest post every month. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.

#KoristaAko: Touringkitty

Yup, that's my choir there!
Yup, that’s my choir there!

And yes, just because it’s my birth month, it’s my turn to answer for #KoristaAko! I realised I wasn’t even able to answer these questions for myself, so this should be fun.

For those who are not yet aware, Korista Ako has a Facebook Group Community already! Shoot me a private message at www.facebook.com/touringkitty so I could add you up.

Here we go!

In my most recent trip last June 2015. So glad to have done this again, and grateful for the opportunity.
In my most recent trip last June 2015. So glad to have done this again, and grateful for the opportunity.

Name: Mary Louise Macanaya Alcantara. Call me Em, or Touringkitty!

Current profession: Musician, educator, homeschooling mom, beautiful wife of a writer/CorpComm Manager/tenor chorister, church volunteer, choral conductorLATCH Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Contributing writer (PraySing Ministry, The Master Newsletter), Social Media Manager, part-timer in a lot of things.

Choirs joined: Blessed Elena Academy Glee Club (Grade school to high school), Mater Dolorosa Chorale (high school to college), Entwined Voices, Shrine of Jesus Music Ministry, Philippine Madrigal Singers, and many more wherein I was invited to be guest chorister.

Why did you join the choir? What was that something or someone that influenced you?: My mom would always sit near the choir when we go to Mass, so that’s probably my first exposure to choral music. The members of a particular group invited me to join them when I was in junior high, and I have been “choiring” for half of my life now. I really am amazed at how many voices can sound good together, and am always in awe when I hear choral music. The artistry, musicianship, hard work put into each chord really is commendable.

Another perk I got from joining choirs is traveling–for free! I must say, God led me to singing with choirs to experience His wonderful creation, and for that I am very thankful. Our first chorus class in college brought us to Baguio and Laguna for a concert tour of the UP College of Music. Another choir invited me to join their concert in Mindoro, still during college. Then came the Madz, where I was able to travel A LOT (three times in Europe, two in the US and some Asian countries, and all over the Philippines) AND join milestone competitions (and actually winning them!). And just recently, I was invited to join a performing group in a trip to Europe to participate in an important festival in Prague, and concertise in a couple more countries.

What is your favourite song arranged or composed for choir and why?: My favourite is Prayer of St. Francis (Delgado). Its arrangement always gets into my heart, and it’s my favourite prayer, too.

What was the hardest piece you’ve studied? Probably this one, which we had to memorise! This is A Day in Spring, a Korean contemporary choral music setting. There were quite a number of actions/facial expressions which the composer wanted us to execute. Watch this video and listen how one beautiful spring day sounds like.

Any choir/s or vocal ensembles you look up to and why?: Local: Madz, Ateneo Chamber Singers, The Company, among others. Foreign acts: Swingle Singers, King’s Singers, The Real Group, etc. Among the younger ones would include Acapellago, Pentatonix, and Cimorelli. I particularly liked these groups because of their musicality and the varied repertoire they all know.

What is your most unforgettable choral moment?: When Sir Mark (Carpio, Madz choirmaster) assigned to me a very important task in the Madz–pitchgiver. We were in the tour already, and were hosted, so he made a call to my hosts’ home phone, and there he told me the beginning pitches of that night’s repertoire. The rest, as they say, is history. I am so grateful for that trust he gave me, despite my fears and doubts and uncertainties.

#KoristaAko dahil: Lahat ng Pilipino kayang maging korista! Mas masaya kumanta kapag sama-sama.

 

 

#KoristaAko is powered by Touringkitty. Tune in for the latest post every last Wednesday of the month. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.

PRESS RELEASE: 2nd CCP and ASEAN Arts Market

ccp arts market
CCP Arts Market is your one-stop shop for networking in the arts.

Come and catch a multi-cultural flare of Performing Arts at this one-day arts market. 

Get to know and interact with the top performing groups in the Philippines and neighboring ASEAN countries – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia and Lao PDR at the 2nd CCP and ASEAN Arts Market which will be held on February 14, 2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The event will offer opportunities for networking, showcasing of performance samplers and business matching of performances and other programs of arts organizations and agencies in the Philippines.

Show programmers, organizers and arts enthusiasts are welcome to attend.

Hurry and reserve your slots. For further inquiries, please call 8321125 loc. 1710 or  email culturalmanagementdivision (at) gmail (dot) com.

Touringkittyps: Five ways to celebrate World Choral Day

Happy World Choral Day!

Music in indeed the universal language. And the Philippines is very blessed to have a musical culture, especially a choral-singing culture where there are just so many choral groups already–in the churches, in schools, in offices, both private and public, and in communities. Our choral groups are among the most known in the world. They share God’s gift of music to different parts of the world, participating in choral festivals and winning international competitions. Our choral directors are sought-after clinicians and adjudicators both locally and internationally. Even our own choral music is popular, and our composers are commissioned by other world-renowned choral groups to create new music for them.

And what better way to celebrate choral music than through this annual event called World Choral Day.

World Choral Day this year will be celebrated on December 7th.
World Choral Day this year will be celebrated on December 7th.

The International Day of Choral Singing is an international choral event to extol the values of solidarity, peace and understanding. This is an initiative of respected conductor and composer, Alberto Grau from Venezuela, which started in 1990.

So, whether you are a chorister, a choral aficionado, or someone who likes music, here are five ways to celebrate this chorally wonderful day:

1. Pop in any choral music CD to start up your day. Or go to the internet and get to know a new choir through their video performances. Or hear Mass, and you’ll surely be blessed and delighted to hear church music sung, most probably by choirs.

2. Attend a choral concert. There is nothing like watching a live choral concert. You may check out Kumpas: The Philippine Choral Community Newsletter, a project of the Philippine Choral Directors Association for a rundown of upcoming concerts.

The PCDA will have its own World Choral Day celebration on December 7th in Cavite.

PCDA Celebrates World Choral Day!
PCDA celebrates World Choral Day!

 

3. If you a choral director or chorister and you will have a choral concert anytime this month, register your event as part of the World Choral Day. Visit http://www.worldchoralday.org/events/subscription and be part of the celebrations. Oh, and make sure to include Original Pilipino Music in your repertoire!

For the choral groups having a concert this month, please read the Proclamation written for the World Choral Day. This is always read during the choral concert. Ideally, the audience should have a copy so they could read along. The Proclamation has been translated to 14 languages, and aims to foster world peace and understanding through choral singing. Click this link for the Filipino and Cebuano translations which you can use for your concert. Other languages can be found here.

Here is the reading of the Proclamation in Filipino read three years ago as led by Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, in a Thousand-Voice Concert he spearheaded. The translation was written by PCDA Secretary Joy Nilo.

4. Support our local choral artists by booking a choral group for your next event purchasing original CDs, watching their concerts or sponsoring their fundraising projects, which helps a lot in bringing their music to more audiences.

If you’re a choral director, you should start building your own library of choral works. You can purchase choral compositions and arrangements of our Filipino composers/arrangers or commission them for new works.

5. If you haven’t yet, sing in a choir now! No less than Philippine Madrigal Singers Choirmaster Mark Carpio encourages us to do so in his TedXDiliman talk:

Do you have more ideas? Share with everyone in the comments section.

Don’t forget to like Touringkitty, Kumpas, and World Choral Day Philippines to be updated with the celebrations.

 

The Kumpas Page is powered by yours truly, Touringkitty. I am a member of the PCDA and a volunteer of the organization as Online Content Manager.

 

*Credits go to the Youtube video owners.

 

~ Touringkitty