Lucky Friday

Yesterday was a good day.

The morning was spent rehearsing for an "instant harang" at the College of Home Economics (it was their Foundation Day), along with Ma'am Gemma Malicdem on piano and Sir Nathan Manimtim on guitar. We performed three "happy" songs: Ano Kaya Ang Kapalaran by Francisco Santiago, Ang Maya by Jose Estrella, and the immortal favorite, Sa Kabukiran by Manuel Velez. :) The harang went pretty well! We got fed (the merienda was delicious, no surprise there! H.E. pa naman... lemongrass tea rocks!) AND we got paid, wahoo! Extra pocket money!

From the gig, I rushed to EEE for a lecture by Dr. de Ungria: TO I.D. OR NOT TO I.D., THAT IS THE QUESTION. She talked about DNA and how the DNA testing done by her team is contributing to better Philippine society.

A most interesting talk! I also won a free t-shirt for answering the question: "What was the nature of one of the most important cases in Philippine jurisprudence, wherein DNA was used for the first time as evidence in the SC?"

Answer: "People vs. Vallejo, 2002: The rape/homicide of a 9 year old girl"

It's a white polo shirt several sizes too large for me. This is the design at the back:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CSI PINAS! Now there's an idea for a new tv series!

After the lecture, I spent the afternoon rehearsing my major pieces and going over LP's.

I rushed home, had an early dinner, then left with my parents to watch LE CONCERT CLASSIQUE: featuring tenor Sal Malaki and soprano Rachelle Gerodias, as well as the RSVP Ensemble. Concert review to follow! It was a wonderful performance. :)

Woke up with a horrible cold (I hope it doesn't turn into a cough) and a slight fever... probably thanks to the dratted aircon inside the Meralco Theater last night (it was near subzero, I tell you! I was already wearing a cardigan and yet I was freezing to death... even with my rather-generous protective layer of blubber).

Pics from Yesterday (Louise Ybanez's recital)

           Oh-so-pretty-and-oh-so-sexy Louise!! Getting made up by Apple

Krina, Cholo, Kim K., Feona and Jonaf rehearsing for DEMCHANT in the dressing room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    We're so nervous! (But still excited, we have an excuse to prettify ourselves!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                  Teacher Lucy The Great, Feona and I before putting on make up

         We did it!  With the AUIT gang, after our chorus piece

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                         Congratulations Louise dear!

I had a rather difficult day today...

Won't go into the details. Good thing I had my college mates and friends. Being around such a joyful bunch people, doing what we love best, is the best therapy for any form of depression.

                                        Kim F. and I, at lunch

                       Myself with Kim K. and Lesley ... sopranos unite!

With the AUIT gang, at rehearsal for Louise Ybanez's recital. (WHICH IS TOMORROW EVENING 6:30 PM AT ALDABA HALL, U.P. DILIMAN!!!) :)

*sigh* I love my camera.

The Two-Day Kodaly Seminar of Dr. Miriam Factora

July 13 and 14, 2007,
St. Paul Manila

A few pics from my new camera (At long last!)

  Aren't UP CMu girls pretty?    

                                        With Murari the Violin Princess :)

                        Princess Lisa of the Piano Majors and I

 

                                               All alone in one of the practice rooms...

                               Two tired teachers (one legitimate, one still "practicing")

                  The two teachers, after fixing themselves up a bit

My New Voice

"It is good to eat humble pie every now and then," my father once told me.

This is one of those times.

I now have a new voice. It is nowhere near pleasant-sounding, and is definitely not CMu voice major material (especially a 5th year voice major). It is raw, untrained, airy, small... think of all the adjectives you can assign an 'ugly' voice and my new voice will definitely fit the bill.

But the new technique is healthier. I can go higher, and although the high notes are "ugly," they're THERE. When summoned, they're there.

Not like before, with my "big, round, pretty old voice." I used to wonder why I could never go above B flat in my old technique... with B's and C's, they were hit-and-miss. There was always a 50% chance that I wouldn't be able to hit the note. Now I know why. Without getting into anatomical jargon, let's just say I was using heavy muscles for the top when that shouldn't be the case. My "big, old" voice wasn't my real voice at all. No wonder I would get tired after singing a couple of high notes, forte. I was relying on "air blasts," that's the layman's term for it. I blasted the air through my poor and abused vocal folds in order to reach the high notes. That's why I could not sing high notes softly! It explains so much.

I am enlightened. And I owe all this knowledge to my new voice teacher, Dean Montet.

This illumination comes pretty late for me. I am in my last year at CMu. I just feel so frustrated because I wasted 4 years of my life on a technique that was vocally wrong. However, they say that one good year of training can be pivotal in the life of a young singer.

I'm 20 years old. There's still time for me to learn. I'm just grateful that I did not suffer any permanent vocal injury from my old "blast" technique.

I'm just hoping that my recital will still push through. Rehearsals start in two weeks. I have two weeks to practice singing with this new technique. Realistically speaking, it takes YEARS to hone technique. I don't have years, I have a few weeks. And a few months of rehearsals before my first public performance using my new voice. I pray the time will be enough.

I know I should be happy... I know how lucky I am that Dean accepted me as his student. And it is truly an honor for me. However, I cannot help but feel sad. I miss my old sound. The new sounds coming out of my throat are better suited to a feline than a human being. :( 

I shall persevere. I will be patient. I will trust Dean and sing in this new technique... to ensure the future of my voice.

I wanna be an accompanist...

http://keithsegura.multiply.com/video/item/17
My first recorded attempt at accompanying... thanks so much, Keith and Tomy! Go Cmu voice majors!!