Touringkitty

…And that, my friends, is how I think December 17 and 18 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater will be!

Ten years ago, I was a freshie at the UP College of Music. Back then, I just hear the Philippine Madrigal Singers on CD, their 1997 European Grand Prix tour recording. No clue at all that I’ll be participating in the same competition ten years after.

I didn’t even know that Ma’am OA, or Prof. Andrea Veneracion, passed her baton already to Mark Anthony Carpio in 2001. And who would have thought he will become my choirmaster, my ever-reliable and super great assisting artist during my recitals, and fast forward to today, a good friend and one of our Principal Sponsors for our wedding!

I definitely owe a lot to this group. The long hours of rehearsals and countless performances made me a better and more sensitive musician. The long trips abroad gave me a new cultural perspective of both our country and of other countries. Plus we gained a lot of pounds, er, I mean, friends! We were taught how to live in a suitcase at very young ages. We missed our families but we come home to them with a sense of accomplishment. The preparations for concerts and competitions gave us loads of patience, strength, perseverance, and trust. Add to that, Filipino pride — something I will always be proud to proclaim. We became friends, sometimes enemies, then friends again.

I know I grew better as a person and as a musician after joining the Madz. And I never regretted the eight years I spent in college — well-spent eight years, I know.

And I am really grateful to Sir Mark. He entrusted me the most nerve-wracking position in the Madz (in my opinion, next to the Assistant Choirmaster) — the pitchgiver.

(Should I be explaining what is a pitchgiver any further? I don’t even know if it’s supposed to be a Madz secret! Sorry, guys!)

Beyond Madz duties, he even accompanied me in the piano for all my four recitals in school (in school, it really pays to have a GOOD pianist, and Sir Mark is absolutely GREAT!). I know it was too much to ask from him but still he gladly did, for most of us singers who were also students in the College of Music. We’d always find time to rehearse despite our busy schedules, and he would always be ready to accompany. He’s such a gifted, kind-hearted, generous man.

Enough of the reminiscing now. May I now invite you to take part in this wonderful night of singing? Make that two nights, this weekend, December 17, 8PM and December 18, 5PM, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater.

I take pride in being a part of Batch Carpio! As our way of thanking the Lord for the gift of music, and thanking Him for the past ten years Sir Mark has successfully took over the helm of the Madz, we will reunite with the current batch and shall sing a few songs on the second part of the concert!

Thank you, Sir Mark, for being a mentor, inspiration, and friend. I’ll never forget what you told me before, that our mission as Madz and even beyond Madz is “to spread the Madz way,” and to create a Singing Philippines, as what Ma’am OA envisioned. It’s now evident in the many choirs and conductors who follow our lead.

Once a Madz, always a Madz!

~ Touringkitty (now back in action!)

Note: I will sing on the 17th so see you on that day!

Okay, allow me to reminisce. I haven’t seen this video until today!

Four years ago, I was one of these musically gifted people who became part of this historic competition that made a mark in the history of choral music.

The Philippine Madrigal Singers won the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing in 2007. It was their second win, having won the same award in 1997. Our choirmaster, Mark Carpio, was then only a member of the group founded and first conducted by Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion. Two other members have sung for both competitions.

For those who might not know, the EGP is sort of a choral Olympics of the best choirs in the world. The word European there doesn’t pertain to only European choirs. It’s just that the competition is held in Europe. To further explain that, please click this link of the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing.

Along with joining that particular competition, we also embarked on a three-month long European tour. Quite long, right? For those months we were literally living in a suitcase (and a trolley bag and a backpack!). We went to several cities in France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Netherlands. Aside from our clothes, toiletries, and other stuff that will help us last us for three months, we had to carry our big costumes and concert shoes and make-up kits.

Through the years of travel, the Madz has been blessed with friends. And these friends organized concerts, gave us home away from home, toured us around town, some even shopped for us! Really generous people, and most of them, thanks to technology, we still get to keep in touch with.

We know food in Europe is so expensive, so we make space for some “kadiwa.” The older Madz batches have used this term for bringing “baon” in their luggages. I think it was an old term during the Marcos era. “Kadiwa” is anything that can be eaten as it is, or with hot water, or with the aid of a can opener — instant noodles, canned goods, junk foods, candies, instant coffee. Helped us save lots of shopping money!

It was one of the most memorable experiences that I had with the years I’ve been singing with the Madz. As I look back, I ask myself why did we win? We were against the best of the best choral groups, one is even an all-children’s group.

I’ve listed three things that I think made us win:

1. Practice makes perfect, and permanent. I saw that thought from a Facebook comment of one of the Madz Alumni now based abroad. Being a Madz member involves hours of practice a day. We rehearse three times a week after school hours. When a tour and a competition is near, we rehearse almost every day!

Aside from rehearsals, the Madz maintain a busy calendar of weddings, concerts around town and in provinces at times. We were also college students and have full schedules. Our teachers know that if we’re absent, we have “harang.”

[Harang: in English, block; musicians’ term for a “raket” or event that is blocking your school or work schedule. We choose the “harang” instead of school because it’s additional money and we send ourselves to school!]

So by singing together most of the time, we get to know each other, thus we somehow made “permanent” what we were rehearsing. Slight note, though: make sure you have the same edition of music sheet and you all know your notes well.

2. Proper winning attitude — right inspiration, right fashion. The Madz has a string of awards under its belt. Since 1989, when it first competed in a competition, an international competition immediately, the group did not stop winning. They joined again in 1996, winning the European Grand Prix in 1997, a first for Filipino choirs. This triumph disqualified the group in competing for international competitions for the next five years.

When Sir Mark took over the helm, the group tried its luck again in an international competition. In 2004, which was also his first European tour as conductor (and my first ever international trip!), the Madz joined a Habanera and Polyphony competition in Torrevieja, Spain. It’s not as huge as the Grand Prix, but they gave out huge prizes! We won first prizes in both categories.

Other Filipino choirs joined (and won first prizes, too!) the following years. It’s tremendous joy for the choral community when we hear of Filipino choirs winning competitions everywhere. I wish it wasn’t only the choral community rejoicing, but the whole nation as well.

Then we joined a qualifying competition for the Grand Prix in 2006 in Tours, France. We represented Tours for the Grand Prix the following year which was held in Arezzo, Italy (which is the video shown above).

Therefore, international competitions are again put on hold, so the current batch are very lucky to be touring with no added pressure. I know they are really doing well in their concerts. (For schedules of their remaining US concerts, click here).

Being discovered to have perfect pitch, I was given the arduous task of being the “pitch giver” — I hum out the reference note since we don’t use a keyboard. I’m seen hitting a tuning fork on my head or my knee just to make sure I got an A440 right before a song starts.

Next to our choirmaster, I was the most nervous person on the semicircle. Definitely. Especially during the Grand Prix. What I do is I treat each competition as a concert so I won’t be that nervous.

What is talent without audience impact? I can never forget how we called ourselves “walking tourist spots” as people took our pictures while we’re walking on the streets of Arezzo. The women carried well the beautiful black and white gowns made by a fabulous local designer Jo Rubio. Our men wore equally beautiful barongs made by Onesimus.

Not to forget, the hair and make-up. It was probably the best hair and make-up we did during the whole trip (it better be!) I know all of us singers smiled at the audience, especially to the judges (wonder if it added plus points for us?)

3. We always begin a concert with a prayer. We form a circle, hold hands, and pray. Each of us take turns in leading the group in prayer. Our prayer usually contains thanksgiving for safe travels, good health, kind hosts, yummy food, and a great concert.

I’m pretty sure all other choirs also start a concert with a prayer. Acknowledging our Master Conductor, the Great Creator of wonderful music we hear is indeed the best thanksgiving one can make.

With all those ingredients, we can surely make more winners out of all the brilliant choral groups who, like us in the Madz, once dreamed of making a mark in Philippine choral music and inspiring His audience who will listen to our music wherever we may be.

~ Touringkitty