Happy Golden Anniversary, UPCC!

My heart is heavy because I will be missing this once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus Golden Anniversary. Tomorrow, December 21, 2012, UPCC alumni and alumnae are gathering to perform once more on stage.

I never realized how really big UPCC has been, until I read an article by Atty. Dot Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco, the Chair of the UPCC 50th Anniversary Celebration, enumerating the members who have made the Filipino music industry what it is today--Chinggoy Alonso, Edru Abraham, Elmo Makil, Heber Bartolome, Joel Navarro, John Lesaca, Ryan Cayabyab, the OPERA Band, and The Tux, to name a few. I'm also proud of what my batch mates in the 1990's have accomplished: Jonathan Badon, Cynthia Culig-Guico, Lionel Guico, are all who's who in the performing arts. Even Luz Tolentino-Ladrillono, now based in the U.S, is continuing to make the UPCC flag proud. Imagine someone like me lucky enough to be a part of this legacy!

                                                             THE great Jonathan Badon and me, reunited.                       Photo courtesy of Jonathan Badon

I'm sure that a lot of other UPCC members who cannot join this memorable event share my sentiment of joy and envy as our friends take the halls of the UP Theater and be allowed to sing and dance again.

Yes, Sir. I was a part of that famed UPCC audition formation.

The love for performing will never die in every UPCC member's heart--as I have realized after attending one rehearsal of my Dekada '90 Batch last Saturday. It was as if there was a magnet luring me to perform and take my place in the spotlight once more. 

                                                                     Some members of Batch 1990                                           Photo courtesy of Jonathan Badon

                                                                      Dekada '90 rehearsing Mambobola                               Photo courtesy of Jonathan Badon

But the reality of family and work responsibilities must take over these emotions. All I could do is cheer for my friends from afar. 

Poor me, I would just probably be watching the UPCC performances for a hundred, no, a thousand times on YouTube. 

Please allow me to re-print this article by Atty. Dot Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco published by The Philippine Star. (Thank you, Atty, Dot for saying yes:-))


UP Concert Chorus Marks ‘50’ with a Concert 
By Dot Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco (The Philippine Star) 


MANILA, Philippines - On Dec. 21, music lovers from all over the Philippines and other parts of the world will flock to the UP Theater in Diliman. At 7 p.m., a musical milestone will take place: The Gala Concert of the UP Concert Chorus (UPCC/Korus) in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Titled SingKwenta, SingKwela, it will feature UPCC batches from the 1960s to the current batch.


The Korus was founded 50 years ago. Originally called the UP Mixed Concert Chorus, it became the official University choir under then UP president, Gen. Carlos P. Romulo. The first conductor was Ramon Tapales who was assisted by Johnny Ramos, then Ramon Santos (all former deans of the UP College of Music). Tapales later passed the baton to Flora Zarco-Rivera (who later founded the UP Cherubim and Seraphim). It was while under the tutelage of dean Rey Paguio, who handled the group for 30 years, that the UPCC became a singing and dancing group (decades before Glee popularized the genre) and made its name as an award-winning and world-class choir.


I joined UPCC when I was 18, then a third year college student at UP. I was a high school glee club soloist and a voice scholar of professor Aurelio Estanislao, but it was not a breeze for me; and just like any one determined to be a part of this elite group, I had to undergo rigid singing auditions (and the more difficult psychological and mental “hazing” from the very intimidating old members, hahaha!). By the time that I joined, UPCC products like Evelyn Mandac, Chinggoy Alonso, Edru Abraham, Frankie Aseniero, Elmo Makil, Raul Sunico, Boy Camara, Heber Bartolome, Joel Navarro, John Lesaca and Ryan Cayabyab were already stellar names in the music industry.

                                                    Prof. Edru Abraham                     Photo by Jerome Cruz

                           Maestro Ryan Cayabyab                                  The TUX                                                 Violinist John Lesaca

A few months later, my brother Fortune and I were fortunate to have been among the few chosen to join the third International Tour, and I was assigned to be the roommate of Nanette Inventor, then already a recording artist and popular singer. UPCC had the biggest impact on my life because of this opportunity to travel the world at a very young age. Later, even as a law student at the UP College of Law, I spent glorious afternoons rehearsing with my fellow UPCC members instead of burrowing into thick law books in the library like my classmates. Even after I became a lawyer and a professional singer, I was never able to get UPCC out of my system. Sir Paguio became a second father figure to me and my UPCC friends. Hence, Zebedee Zuñiga, Sushi Reyes, Manolo Tanquilut and I formed the Opera band while other batchmates formed the first Philippine all-male a cappella group, The TUX. Batchmates Nolyn Cabahug (Aliw Awards’ Best Male Classical Performer) and his sister Lisa became prominent in classical music. 

Prof. Joel Navarro                      Heber Bartolome                         Actor Chinggoy Alonso              Tenor Nolyn Cabahug

Even as we moved on to other pursuits, Sir Paguio continued discovering and honing would-be stars. In the ’90s, Jonathan Badon (Aliw Awards Best Male Classical Performer), Cynthia Culig-Guico (Aliw Awards Best Actress in a Musicale) and husband Lionel Guico, Kay Balajadia-Ligayyu (who just appeared in the Laurice Guillen-directed Carmen in October) as well as singing sweethearts Raymond and Jeannelle Bihag-Roldan had stage and concert appearances. UPCC alumnae Leila Florentino-Aubert, Angel Suguitan and Mia Ongkiko played the role of Kim in various productions of Miss Saigon.

Prince of Popera Jonathan Badon                                                             Kay Balajadia-Ligayyu

Cynthia Culig-Guico

After I left, UPCC later produced Arnell Ignacio, flutist Tony Maige, Moy Ortiz (of The CompanY) and Kaitsch Tiuseco of the Ryan Cayabyab Singers.

Now the current members of the Korus, dubbed the Golden Batch, under the baton of Prof. Jai Sabas-Aracama, has made the alumni very proud by garnering several top awards in recent festivals in Spain and Hungary. Just a few days ago, UPCC capped its successes when the Aliw Foundation gave it a Lifetime Achievement Award.

UPCC is Aliw's 2012  Lifetime Achievement Awardee

Together with the alumni, the present members will be performing at the very exciting last portion of the Gala Concert under the baton of UPCC alums Prof. Kitchie Valdellon-Molina (Voice Department chairman, UP College of Music), Ed Manguiat (founder and artistic director of another award-winning choir, the UP Singing Ambassadors), and former conductor, Dr. Ramon Santos. Prof. Agot Espino of the Piano Department of the UP College of Music and Jesper Mercado will provide piano accompaniment. Ambassador Vic Lecaros will provide guitar accompaniment, while music director Jun Latonio for the arrangement of the Batch ’80s medley. Batch ’60s and ’70s will sing May Bukas Pa composed by UPCC alumna, Charo Unite. Jonathan Badon will sing the solo for Pasko Na Sinta Ko, with lyrics written by Prof. Aurelio Estanislao for UPCC alumni, Fredo Gutierrez and Melba Solidum. 



The gala concert will be directed by Dulaang UP’s Alexander Cortez, and will feature videos created by Raul Castro (UPCC alumnus, now McCann World group Philippines chairman and CEO).


After all the years since I was a UPCC member, I look back with much gratitude for the priceless experience of those years. It’s not a coincidence that I became known as the “singing lawyer,” and am now the chair of the 50th anniversary celebration. It’s my way of paying back, and paying forward to the future Korus generations.


(For details, call 922-8632, 921-5121, or 0917-6267571. E-mail author at dotgancayco@ymail.com or text 0927-5000833.)

Reunited

It's a sure sign that you're getting old when you start counting reunions in your calendar. 

My recent trip to Manila was packed with reunions--one with my family, one with my childhood friends, one at my high school, and one with a very dear group close to my heart, the UP Concert Chorus 1990. As expected, these reunions were filled with uncontrollable fits of laughter only the memories of my past youth could bring.

We had a blast at Starbucks Las Pinas on the first night I was there. Our childhood and almost-like-a-sister friend, Czes, flew all the way from Riyadh. My friend Clark, who was from Chicago, braved the infamous traffic of Coastal Road just to have a meet up. Friends like these are the sweetest in my book. Thanks to Clark's friend, Doc Hazel for tagging along too.

Sitting: Our childhood friend Czes, my comedian sister Ben, and me.
Standing: My 'slang-tongued' friend Clark

If you have not laughed out loud (I mean, literally, ha? Not just your 'LOL' FB comments) for some time, I suggest that you hang out with the Alvarez sisters. I assure you that there will never be a dull moment with us. What say you, Clark and Doc Hazel? Kape at keyk lang ang katapat! Oh, it also helped that both of these dear friends of ours brought some 'pasalubong' for us. Thanks a mil!!!

My other sister, Midette, was not there to join us.

The next night was really the highlight of my Manila visit. I had to go to two get-togethers. 

The first one was the 25th Year of my sister Ben. You might be wondering what in the world am I doing gatecrashing someone else's jubilee year. You see, all of the Alvarez sisters graduated from the same school, St. Mary's Academy, one year after another. I graduated high school in 1984 (ok, so I'm THAT old!), and Ben graduated in 1987. For me, it was the ending of our family's era at our alma mater. So that's why I attended. My husband doesn't also get it. Haha.

Even my mom had to attend the affair!

It's good that my two batchmates, Anesa and Grace, were officers of the SMA Alumni, so they were there to gossip with me. Hindi naman ako masyadong na-OP!

At 9:00 p.m., I said goodbye to my high school friends and went to my next destination: Xavierville, Quezon City, to see my UPCC '90 batchmates. 

The UP Concert Chorus is celebrating its 50th year with a concert participated by all the members from the different decades. (More of that story in my next post). My batchmates, the Dekada '90's, have been practicing for a few weeks now. So I just had to go and attend the rehearsal last Saturday. If you are from Manila, you know that going from south to north is a big headache, with all the heavy traffic brought about by the holiday rush going on. It's good that I had a ride and was driven to the place.

Imagine the chaos that ensued when I saw these people! We were shouting and laughing the whole time that our pictures were being taken!! I think that the Cabreras, our host, are officially banned from the homeowners association of Xavierville!

L-R: Aids, Cynthia, Neysa, Menoy, Sally, Lionel, Me, and Leo. Sitting L-R: Lito and Jonathan

In the UPCC tour, I had a group called Byanangs (short term for lesbiyana--haha! long story), and we were composed of Cynthia Culig-Guico, Mary Ann Uy-Hsu, and me. We were inseparable, like triplets. We even had matching scarves, blouses, and palazzo pants!

Whenever we wanted to call attention to ourselves (oh, how we DID need the attention before!), we had this shoutout ala Power Rangers. Of course, we had to do it all over again!

Byanang 1!..Byanang 2!..Meh-ann, where are you???

Byanang Cynthia, has it really been two decades ago?

The guys are as wacky as ever!

Best in projection goes to...the Altos!!! Sally Castro-Jose is still the queen, hands down!

 Oh, how I wish I could join them again!

Break a leg, my dear Dekada '90s. You still sound and look good as ever!

Walang kakupas-kupas ang mga Korus!

After twenty-two long years, I realized that I still love these guys. The trip was so worth it. I'm glad I travelled far and wide to see some of them again. 

UPCC 1990, San Diego, California, USA

At Richmonde Hotel. The miniature house at the background was a real gingerbread house!

Hanggang sa muling pagkikita!