Call Me Maybe Goes Choral

I had a popular song in mind. But I couldn't find a choral version of it. So I typed the words "choir" on YouTube and see what comes out first. As the title of my blog suggests, this attention grabber made me wonder if such a song as "Call Me Maybe" could ever be arranged for choir. Well, this version wasn't only arranged for choir but also for an orchestra.

Admittedly, the first part of the piece seemed dragging to me. It was too slow and we know how the tempo of Call Me Maybe is sung. But I stuck with it a little more until I reached the build up. Indeed, the strings supplied this building tempo and from then on, the music became spectacular. What's also nice about this video are the singers and artists themselves. If indeed given a chance to do a rendition of a very popular song, wouldn't the excitement simply get you carried away? But as I listened to it, the excitement was a good one. At least I think it didn't sacrifice the quality of the rendition.

Then again you may have your own opinion about it. It isn't easy to appreciate choral and/or orchestral music. But it is nice to give it a chance.

Sharing the Christmas Spirit: Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir

Christmas celebration in the Philippines includes various performances and contests for choirs. Some commercial establishments have begun a tradition of featuring choirs perform for their customers. One of these is Shangrila Plaza Mall.

I was about to go home that Friday when I passed through Shangrila Mall. I saw their huge tarpaulin and it advertises their annual Christmas tradition, which is  a month-long schedule of musical performances. It so happened that that night, the Hail Mary the QueenChildren's Choir was performing. I figured I'd sit back and relax after a long and toxic week. Besides, children's choirs are one of the choirs worth listening to. Properly trained and harnessed, children's choirs give out a unique beauty and grace to songs that they sing.

During the hour-long performance, I happen to take a video of their performance--using only a Blackberry Curve 9220. The quality isn't superb but for a keepsake, it's worth my while. Here's a compilation of six songs that I liked during the choir's performance last December 7, 2012. The sound is okay if listened to with earplugs. Speakers is fine too, but not if you use the computer or laptop's speakers. Having said that, please pardon the lack of resources for making the sounds better. :-)

For reference, here are the songs I liked (based only on what was captured by my Blackberry): Adeste Fideles, PayapangDaigdig, Heto Na Naman, Jingle (Jangle) Bells, Tuloy na Tuloy pa rin ang Pasko, Kumukuti-kutitap. Here are the lyrics to the Filipino Christmas Songs. You could click on the titles above and they will lead you to a link of those lyrics. 

Payapang Daigdig                                              Heto Na Naman

Ang gabi'y payapa                                             Heto na naman 'yong masayang panahon

Lahat ay tahimik                                                Ubas at mansanas na kahon-kahon

Pati mga tala                                                       Said na ang bulsa pagod pa ang paa

Sa bughaw na langit                                         Kahahanap ng regalong mura't maganda

Kay hinhin ng hangin                                       Heto na naman 'yong ganitong panahon

Waring umiibig                                                  Kundi kalendaryo ay maalat na hamon

Sa kapayapaan                                                   Wala na bang iba, fruit cake na luma

Ng buong daigdig                                             Exchange gift na diary, chocolate at sabon

Payapang panahon                                         Wala na ba kundi panandaliang saya                                          

Ay diwa ng buhay                                            Wala na ba kundi ako, ikaw at siya

Biyaya ng Diyos                                                Nalilimutan natin kung bakit may Pasko

Sa sangkatauhan                                              Isang nagmamahal na Diyos ang sinilang sa mundo

Ang gabi'y payapa                                           Heto na naman, mga awit ng panahon

Lahat ay tahimik                                              Si Santa Claus at Rudolph, nagtipon-tipon

Pati mga tala                                                     Wonderland ni Johnny, puting Pasko ni Crosby

Sa bughaw na langit                                       Ano nga 'yung hit ni Michael Jackson (Why don't you…)

CODA:

Pati mga tala                                                     Maligayang Pasko

Sa bughaw na langit

Kumukutikutitap                                                                         Tuloy Na Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko

Kumukutikutitap, bumubusibusilak                           O bakit kaya tuwing Pasko ay dumarating na

Ganyan ang indak ng mga bumbilya                           Ang bawa't isa'y para bang namomroblema

Kikindat - kindat, kukurap -kurap                                Hindi mo alam ang regalong ibibigay

Pinaglalaruan ng inyong mga mata                             Ngayong kay hirap na nitong ating buhay

Kumukutikutitap, bumubusibusilak                          Meron pa kayang caroling at noche buena

Ganyan ang indak ng mga bumbilya                          Kung tayo naman ay kapos at wala nang pera

Kikindat - kindat, kukurap -kurap                               Nakakahiya kung muling pagtaguan mo

Pinaglalaruan ng inyong mga mata                            Ang 'yong mga inaanak sa araw ng Pasko.

Iba't - ibang palamuti                                                       Ngunit kahit na anong mangyari

Ating isabit sa puno                                                          Ang pag-ibig sana'y maghari

Buhusan ng mga kulay                                                     Sapat nang si Hesus ang kasama mo

Tambakan ng mga regalo                                                Tuloy na tuloy parin ang pasko

Tumitibok-tibok, sumisinok - sinok                           Mabuti pa nga ang Pasko noong isang taon

Wag lang malundo sa sabitin                                        Sa ating hapag mayroong keso de bola't hamon

Pupulupot-lupot paikot ng paikot                              Baka sa gipit, Happy New Year mapo-postpone

Koronahan ng palarang bituin                                      At ang hamon ay mauuwi sa bagoong

Dagdagan mo pa ng kendi                                             Tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang Pasko

Ribon, eskosesa't guhitan 

Habang lalong dumadami 

Regalo mo'y dagdagan 

Kumukutikutitap, bumubusibusilak 

Ganyan ang kurap ng mga bituin 

Tumitibok-tibok, sumisinok - sinok 

Koronahan ng palarang bituin 

Dagdagan mo pa ng kendi 

Ribon, eskosesa't guhitan 

Habang lalong dumadami 

Regalo mo'y dagdagan 

Kumukutikutitap, bumubusibusilak 

Ganyan ang kurap ng mga bituin 

Tumitibok-tibok, sumisinok - sinok 

Koronahan pa ng palarang bituin

Here is the video of the choir's performance. 

Superb Performance from Novo Concertante Manila

I had a dream the other night. I dreamt that I was asked to sing. It seemed odd to me because I haven't really sung all by myself--I've always sung with a choir. Since it was a dream, anything is possible! The one thing I remember in that dream was that I actually sang a song that I used to sing with the choir.

The next day, I started looking for that song. In the process, it led me to a video--actually two videos on Youtube. I was surprised but at the same time ecstatic because it was a live performance of a choir that recently participated in the Asia Cantate International Choral Festival 2012.

Words could hardly express the joy I felt when I heard these voices sing. I was utterly speechless; I've had goose bumps and a pleasurable tingling sensation that seemed to have lifted away all my worries and pains. It is no wonder that this choir won the top prize in this competition. It gives me great honor to share these two videos with you.

Congratulations again to Novo Concertante Manila.