Singing in a choir has become a indulgence to me. From the time that I've heard a choir perform way back when I was 5 years old, my mind has never stopped from looking for that sound that will make my life meaningful. There is this hidden longing ever since to sing. I've tried to compete (yes, compete!) for singing contests, but I was not lucky to win.
It was back in my college days that the longing has come to an end. I was one of the founding members of the PATTS Universal League of Singing Enthusiasts, the choral group of PATTS College of Aeronautics. I was a all-male choir at first, but then the ladies were welcomed. With PULSE, I was able to bring out the male voice (bass kasi ako eh hahaha) in me. And with the help of the trainers and conductors, the music the choir sings are performed magnificently. It touches hearts and souls. After a year of stay, I was voted to be the Chieftain (president) of PULSE, and with the leadership skills (meron ba?), together with the rest of the officers and advisers, we made the choir flourish and grow. Below is the group picture of PULSE, February 2007. Yours truly sits third from the left.
It was back in my college days that the longing has come to an end. I was one of the founding members of the PATTS Universal League of Singing Enthusiasts, the choral group of PATTS College of Aeronautics. I was a all-male choir at first, but then the ladies were welcomed. With PULSE, I was able to bring out the male voice (bass kasi ako eh hahaha) in me. And with the help of the trainers and conductors, the music the choir sings are performed magnificently. It touches hearts and souls. After a year of stay, I was voted to be the Chieftain (president) of PULSE, and with the leadership skills (meron ba?), together with the rest of the officers and advisers, we made the choir flourish and grow. Below is the group picture of PULSE, February 2007. Yours truly sits third from the left.
But then, since college life is about to end, so is my tenure to the choir. Though I wish to stay, time may never permit me to do so. It was a tearkjerking graduation for me because I'm not just saying goodbye to my College days, but I'm bidding farewell also to the people who were my colleagues to my indulgence.
Even not a member of the choir anymore, I still commited my self to PULSE, I attended their workshops and even joined the choir in a competition where we placed third. Christmas time in 2007 came and I joined the annual caroling. It was them who first rejoiced upon my feat of placing in the top 10 of the Aeronautical Board Licensure Examination (can't forget the faces of the people when I came into the school, Awwww). February came and the annual concert of PULSE was held. Only the students were allowed to join the concert since this is a school affair. I watched in awe as the choir sings my favorite songs. I could still see myself singing with them, but since I'm not a student anymore, its time for me to give way to the rest of the group to fly on their own wings.
I thought that my indulgences will end that day, but then God was so Good...
Right after the concert, I attended a six o'clock mass at EDSA Shrine. To attend mass that time was just a monthly schedule, but then who would have known something else has to happen.
The choir who serve the mass sung in a Capella one of my favorite inspirational songs, Lead Me Lord. They sung it beautifully, save for some sharps. Once more, I've heard a choir of heavenly voices and there is something with the group that magnetizes me to join them. True as it is, there came an announcement before the mass ends that "...The Singing Christians are currently looking for members..."
There was no time wasted. After the mass, I immediately proceeded to the sacristy to find a member of the choir and posed to join.
That night was the start of another spiritual indulgence.
Three months now has passed since I first sung with The Singing Christians. I was even blessed to have joined one the concerts and a few PULSE members saw the show. Indeed, God has made the way for me to flourish and share my blessings once more in the choral scene.
Below is the picture of The Singing Christians, yours truly at the back row, second from the right.
One of my inspirations to be in the choir is the worldly-acclaimed choral group The Philippine Madrigal Singers. Their vocal prowess was always been a challenge to me, as well as the discipline, the harmony, the dynamics. It feels too good to be true that a group like them exists, even If I had the chance to meet in person the man behind Madz, Mark Anthony Carpio (I had a book signed by him!). It is in fact a wild dream to be with them. Do I see my self inside this semicircle below? Only time can tell, God only knows.
But still, to serve God with the blessings he gave is still my life's ride today. May it be PATTS Universal League of Singing Enthusiasts, The Singing Christians or The Philippine Madrigal Singers, it will take more than gratitude to be serving the Lord through music.
Blessed be GOD!!
