UP Manila Chorale at 24

Featured post for today: Jullienne Imee U. Ruiz

Alto 2 Batch 33 I know this is not the exact day, but before the spirit of its founding month ends, let me share this....

Being a freshie in UP Manila, I was advised by some upperclassmen to join an org immediately. I was then torn in joining the chorale-a group I have missed for 3 years because I have been in a singing group since my 3rd grade and I didn't join any choir from my 1st to 3rd yr HS- or a drama org to try something new.

But it turned out that UPMC's audition posters really attracted me to join them.

Their audition posters on my first year, first sem in UP contains their group pictures with different backgrounds of places in Europe. I of course wondered if those are true, and yes they were really in Europe at that time.

I first heard them on the Univ's Freshie Orientation and I still remember some of them using the bathroom in retouching their make-up. I found them really having fun while performing yet still producing a beautiful sound.

I won't ever forget my audition in UPMC specially the 2nd screening, when I literally stopped in the middle of a song because I forgot the lyrics and how the heads of the panel signaled me to just continue.

In my first months with the chorale, I was just listening to them during the rehearsals most of the time because their preparing on their Japan tour then. I was amazed on how they work together, on how focused they are in what they are doing despite the hot venue we're in.

I had a hard time coping with others on how they learn a song on their own and just be evaluated by our section leaders.I had a hard time putting my thick hair on a bun, getting an even eyeshadow and blush on, having a "fine-free" costume, scheduling my time with acads and chorale, and running so fast just to get in time at the LRT before it closes.

But as we are told by our ates and kuyas in chorale, they all too experienced that. We would also be used to to those actions and we would be trained on how to balance our time with chorale and acads + our different aspects of life.Being a newbie in the chorale was hard but never in my stay here makes me think of quitting. My stay gets easier and more fun with my batchmates and advices from our ates and kuyas.

Sermons won't be avoided as it make us learn from our mistakes and discipline us. It leaves a reminder on what should we do and what should we not do.

Now, in almost 2 years of being in UPMC. I found new friends, friendships that turned into families. Met friends and families on the other side of the world. I got exposed to different cultures. Myself too, had group pictures with them in different backgrounds of places in Europe. I even discovered what career would I really want to pursue in this group.

I improved in my time management. I learned different ways on studying a song on my own. I became faster in putting my hair on a bun, still struggling to have an even make-up, and still runs to get into the LRT on time (but this part becomes infrequent, thank you LRT time extensions)!

As the UP Manila Chorale turns a year older, we celebrate 24 years of humility, excellence, discipline, and nationalism.Happy anniversary UPMC! ♥

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