For lasting friendships, fond memories, and self-improvement–sing!

FELLOWSHIP, camaraderie and the constant challenge to learn new songs and sing like the Madrigals have kept the Sounds of Santiago singing for 17 years.

I sing with a choir. It’s a church choir but it’s an extraordinary one because unlike the usual school choirs or glee clubs with giggly musically-inclined students or members, ours is a mix of musically-inclined, ahem,  mature individuals—giggly too, but with one major difference: highly-accomplished professionals,  many important people in their own right, we were brought  together by our common interest to sing for God in church.

Aside from having a majority of medical specialists in our group, we also have two lawyers, three bankers,  an actuary, several businessmen/entrepreneurs,  a marketing expert, a nurse, an IT consultant/executive, a musical family  composed of a dad, mom, and two young daughters, a key executive of an Ayala subsidiary, two retired CEO’s from a giant pharmaceutical company, and a huge multinational corporation, a musical couple who sings classical music and kundiman, a French national who has been singing since she was 8 years old and has joined choirs in France and in different countries, and one public relations executive (that’s me).

The name of our motley but homogeneous group is The Sounds of Santiago, so named because we sing for the parish of St. James the Great, inside the Ayala Alabang Village where most of us reside. St. James, one of the apostles of Jesus, is also known as Santiago in Spanish, so when we were voting for  the most appropriate name, Sounds of Santiago emerged as the winner. We sometimes refer to ourselves as SOS but aside from associating the acronym with its popular  “Save our Souls” meaning, I would rather think that SOS can  also mean “Sing, Oh, Sing” or  “Simply Our Service”  because in truth, that’s what has kept our group singing-our passion to serve through singing.  It has often been said that “singing is twice praying” so each one of us gets to feel this strongly whenever we raise our voices to God.

The group was originally founded in 1996 when a few of us couples who completed a Marriage Enrichment program volunteered to start a church choir  with the help of  musical directors who also  lived in the community.  It was in 2006  when the choir became truly organized under the tutelage of our most professional choir master, former Philippine Madrigal Singers member Dr. Renato Jose, and his wife, Dr. Stella Jose.

SOS practices once a week, sings in Church three times a month, meets for fellowship  with friends once a week, and learns new pieces regularly. It is not easy, given our complicated schedules. But this has become our commitment and a form of service to God and our community. And whether it is obvious or not, I think regular practices and our dedication have honed our voices somehow.

From former hobbyists who merely enjoyed singing during masses, we were slowly introduced to serious musical pieces and had to learn how to  sing like the Madrigals—a  capella and with a lot of modulation instead of belting out  or shouting at the top of our lungs.

Dr. Renato Jose, whom we fondly call “Ato,” turned out to be not only the group’s moving force but our very own “Professor Higgins” in singing. Combining friendship, tolerance, discipline, and his personal love for music, he patiently steered us to become singers with an appreciation for good music, particularly special compositions which are usually reserved for  a distinguished choir like the Madrigals.

If that wasn’t enough to keep us coming for regular practice, I think it’s also the fellowship and camaraderie plus  the professionalism of Ato that has kept us glued to SOS.

For Manny Blas, our acknowledged prayer leader who also takes charge of texting us about our weekly practice schedules and other announcements, says, it’s being “constantly challenged so we continue to grow individually and as a choir” that motivates him to stay with SOS.

Freddie Rodriguez, the former CEO of Johnson and Johnson, who now spends most of his free time with two choirs, because singing them brings back countless memories of his vanished youth.

Like many of us, Nonong Arada counts being able to sing with alumni of the Madrigal singers for their “Madz Et Al” reunion concerts as some of his most memorable experiences with SOS. I guess this is a great break from his regular work as a urologic surgeon and medical professor at La Salle Dasmarinas and UP PGH.

Richard “Dick” Ferrer, who sometimes sings  solo tenor  and has been with SOS from its inception, also relishes the “inspired singing imparted to us by Dr. Ato Jose.” He also cherishes his  experience of singing with the other Madrigal choirs from all over the country to celebrate the golden anniversary of  the UP Madrigal singers and pray for the healing of  their founder, Andrea Veneracion only recently at the  UP Abelardo Hall.

SOS has already had the privilege of singing in the same venues with other Madrigal-trained choirs at least twice.  The first one was at  the Philamlife Auditorium for the Madz Et Al concert in November 2012,  and the most  recent one was for the Madrigals’  golden anniversary mass in June 2013, at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium in UP.

We’ve also had our share of singing for enjoyment, having guested twice at the  Peninsula Manila’s Lobby for two consecutive Christmas seasons, once at the Bonifacio Global City, and also at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall’s Christmas concert series. We have even sung for some weddings and funerals of family and friends. One gratifying comment we all appreciate was when a Bishop from Tagum told us he was touched by our rendition of “Prayer of St. Francis” at a mass for the “Church of the Poor Apostolate” (Copa) anniversary.

It is not a perfect choir and we are not  all perfect singers, although a few of us could have opted to make a  stellar professional career out of music. I’m talking about Ato, whose family background and training have always been about music.  In fact, one of Ato’s most memorable moments with SOS was on July 29, 2008, when his dad, the late Regalado Jose, accompanied us on the piano while we sang “Ave Maria” during mass.

We sometimes joke Ato about his medical profession being a mere sideline to his passion for music. He and his sister Rina Jose-Clamor, who also sings with us,  used to be full-time Madrigal singers when they were UP students and we can tell that music is really in their blood.

Then there’s our very talented pianist, Solinda Bautista, who cross majored in business and music in UP, graduated cum laude, and was a CPA topnotcher, a winner in national piano and organ competition, and is also concert pianist when time permits. She and her husband Dennis have a complete set of music instruments at home; with two grand pianos,  a set of drums, a violin, and microphones at our disposal, practicing at their place becomes a mini concert.

As for the rest of us? We’re just your everyday people; working professionals mostly married couples. Definitely all aspiring singers happy to be “praying twice” in Church every Saturday afternoon, and once in a while “performing” outside our village for some  special “engagement,” which usually becomes an additional incentive to come to practice more often.

Today, my iPad contains the more than 100 pieces we have learned over the past  several years-classical tunes, Christmas songs, grand concert numbers, love songs, and even a French wedding song! And time does fly when you’re having fun: I just realized we’ve been singing together for 17 years.

Singing with this choir is so much more enlightening; it beats taking a music course or a Master’s Degree in Music, which none of us would have the time and the courage to pursue! Personally, singing has become a big part of my self-improvement. And a great way to avoid developing Alzheimer’s disease, too.

So please excuse me while I now practice my alto part—with feelings, of course!

“Rise up and Sing to the Lord…

Come into His Presence with joy

Open your Hearts, Lift up your voice

Let all the Earth rejoice!”

(refrain from the church song, “Rise Up” by  Fr. Arnold Zamora)

(For those who are curious to know the composition of Sounds of Santiago, here are the members: Manny & Wena Blas,  Dick & Mila Ferrer, Adrian & Joy Buensalido, Nonong & Doodle Arada, Ely & Jo Nadal, Ato & Stella Jose, Pio & Malen Villacorta, Doddy & Lui  Delfin, Ed & Becky Anselmo, Roger & Sol  Penaverde, Dennis & Solinda Bautista, Freddie Rodriguez, Lyn Quevedo, Gilbert Joven, Tony Yupangco, Dackie Fernandez, Helene de Lumley, Noli & Kookie Liganor, Gary Sevilla, , Rina Jose-Clamor, Romina & Rosina Jose).