Chapter IV: The Choir, Part 1
"Why didn't you came back to the choir anymore, Mar?"
I wake up startled from my dream. The Abel blanket is still covering me. I look at the time, it's 6:30am. You might think I'm late, but not all my college class hours start early like my junior and senior Highschool classes. Some of my college classes start late in the afternoon, have a wide range of gaps in between other classes, and some as late as 8 and 9 in the morning.
However, as I check my phone, it seems that there is no class for today. Apparently, the COE (College of Engineering) instructors have a general meeting for the whole day. I sit up from my bed, and I see a purple and red neckerchief with gold linings and a G-Clef embroidered on it.
These were a remnant of something, something connected to music though the bond and relationship is quite complex as it was. A part of college life if some have gone to showcase their musical skills and talent. The G-Clef is not just a musical symbol, but it was a start of a musical breakthrough. Altogether with red and purple combined, you might get the idea now. I'm referring to a liturgical choir whose name 'sprouts' out of the ground of hope with disdain and awkwardness. The red and purple represents the liturgical seasons of the church. I ponder, then wonder in thought, how did I started, and why did it end? Then I remember it.
When I entered the University, I seek liturgical groups to join and to feel the presence of God, especially in a ministry. From that point, I wanted to sign up for a choir, just like back then in my Senior Highschool. Instead of one, there were two, typical for a university. One of them is the campus ministry and ecumenical choir, and the other is the campus performing choir. At the start of my journey, after my first year classes of the first two days, I went to both of them, scheduling them on an alternate basis. It's like, performance choir for Tuesdays and Thursdays, and ecumenical choir for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
It was all going well, until it occurred to me that there's a breach in control. Due to as being Class Mayor and more, I overworked myself. It's just that, there was one thing that got me into a hydraulic-like cylinder with steam. In Layman's term, pressure.
One evening, it was already 5pm and I went into the gymnasium. Going up many flight of stairs until I reached the studio room on the third floor. What I saw is something pressuring, and something I cannot account for. There were these people doing core exercises, and as they breathe out, they do or let out their maximum vocal range. For professional singers, it's normal. But for someone who had just been to 2-3 sessions of practice, it's like out of a bizarre anime, Jojo's if I may. I paused for a while, then continued to walk towards the main studio room.
There, when we begin to start, I felt dizzy and they noticed me. I told them that I can't practice with them. So, two of the senior basses accompanied me going down the gymnasium and straight to the gate, as I wait for my father to come pick me up. From then on, I didn't went to the performance choir anymore. An eloquent or ironic how to end with style, but maybe it really happened for a reason.
Since I cannot go the performance choir anymore, I went to the ecumenical choir. I begin to blend in with the ecumenical choir of the university. Every afternoon, I went to the chapel, some often termed it as Voltes-5's head due to its pyramid and triangular-like appearance. All the time I went there, there was a practice. But how did it started?
One evening, I was late at the practice at the chapel, and I eventually caught up since they were on the verge of dismissal. They are going to pack up things, then before the seniors would turn off the piano, "Sir, may I try?", I said.
Sir Lex, the teacher sitting at the piano and subsequently the adviser of the ministry, allowed me and I play a communion song on the piano. All of them were shocked. Seniors, Newcomers, and even Sir Lex were all in awe.
Then, he asks, "Can you play other songs?"
"Yes, Sir", I said. And so, I played other songs on the piano.
Time to time, we practice in front of the altar, and sometimes when I'm left alone there, I borrow the piano to play. As I play, I face the lagoon and other people around it could hear my music.
Sometimes, me and my seniors often go to have some snacks near the open university building. We would have pancit canton, siomai, graham bars, and more. It was all good. They even drive me home all the time it gets late. At the Major Seminary, the Cathedral, and even within the university. We even became the choir for the Kapatiran 2025 at the Major Seminary. Sir Lex made me do some of the songs during masses, and I played with the COE ecumenical choir in one or two times in masses.
One time, he applauded and praised my talent, saying, "Naglaing talaga ni Mar! (Mar is so talented!) Just hearing the piece, and he can now make it a go".
But, good things don't last long as far more expected. Things always don't go along enough. Someone my age and batch grabs the spotlight of the piano.
Ecumenical and Liturgical choirs must ought not to have competitions inside their groups, but there was something in the air, brewing of a murky color. Instead of golden and spiritual peace, it's the cunning opposite of it, in which I felt it. The guy's name is Adrian or Adi for short. There's also this other guy who was more nonchalant than him, and this guy's name is Diarno. Diarno came from the Cordilleras and due to many duties he has with his college, he stopped coming to the choir. Now, let's delve unto Adi. He mentioned that he was the pianist at our town's church, but I don't actually go there because I find Vigan my 'ayuyang' or home.
I didn't know but I don't even know if it was jealousy or anger in my heart that one afternoon. It was Lenten Season, and we had to practice for our serve at the major seminary. First day of practice, I played straight of the Lenten Songs, and Sir Lex comments, "Naglaing ka talaga, Mar! (You really are excellent, Mar!)".
However, the following day, when Adi came along, bringing his piano, Sir Lex looked differently at me, and telling Adi, "You really are a genius, Adi!". People have the tendency to accept, and the virtue of humility. However, I felt something else. This is what might one call 'overshadowing'.
Back then, the seniors called and praised me as Sir Lex's apprentice. But, the turn of events put a backdrop in front and back of me. They started calling Adi as the next Sir Lex, thus making his apprentice. Me? They look at me like a third wheeler.
To top it all that, I then met Kuya L who graduated earlier that year. He still comes to the university along with Kuya D and Kuya J. Kuya J was one of the Tenors, and both Kuya D and L were part of the Basses. I am a Bass as well, aside from being a pianist.
During the Holy Week, we served with reverence and all was well. On Black Saturday, we stayed in the Major Seminary and when we practiced, I almost had it enough with Adi. After practice in the Syquia Hall, I was hesitant to transport my piano back to the room we were staying in. Kuya M notices me, and approached me. Kuya M is an officer in our Engineering Department Students' Association.
"Mar, are you ok?", he asked.
"Yeah, Kuya, I'm fine", I said.
"Is there something wrong? You can tell me", he reiterated.
I told him about Adi overshadowing me, and he told me something long enough which made me forgot what it was. Then, it was all good again. However, not everything good maintains for so long.
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