With nine months to prepare, for
the concert entitled “Arcobaleno”, Vox Miani has more than enough time to learn
new songs and polish the old signature melodies. The intensive training of a
boys’ choir will be a serious demand for a choir who usually sings with alto
and soprano counterparts from their sister orphanage – Casa Cittadini of the
Ursulline Sisters of Somasca.
However,
for Jeremias Perez, music director
of Vox Orphanorum, a performance in
Sophia Soler Auditorium of the De La Salle - Zobel Campus only deserves a
well-disciplined start in the month of August of 2010.
The
boys know that they need to pull strings in order to make it in time. The first
concern is correct breathing and vocal technique. Polishing and blending of
voices were enhanced as each musical piece was learned phrase-by-phrase
repeatedly. The employment of appropriate choreography came next as each choir
boy has to act with organic inception of the song and its message.
The
summer of 2011 would mean daily practice for Vox until their day to fly for
Alabang came. That would be the first flight to 17 of the 21 boys. Four of
these boys have flown to Manila a year earlier to join the Angels Choir of Tagaytay during Fr. Enrico Balderama’s ordination
to the deaconate.
The
boys arrived 23rd of May in Alabang. The rest of the days will be rehearsals at
the venue with Ludy Llaneza, the concert impresario and Bing Mercado, the show
director.
May
28 will be a date to remember. It will be written in history when Vox Miani
conquered the stage of La Salle-Zobel. The evening was indeed inspiring as the
audience generously let out cheers of affirmation and thunderous applause to
every song rendered. Moreover, Vox prides in sharing the stage with an
international pianist – Alberto Macri.
It
was also an evening to share the limelight with stars in the person of Eugene
Villaluz, Pat Castillo, Jacki Magno, and Bing Mercado. To top it all, the stage
was never better without the dances of fellow Miani boys from San Jose and
Sorsogon.
It was also an
evening to share the limelight with stars in the person of Eugene Villaluz, Pat
Castillo, Jacki Magno, and Bing Mercado. To top it all, the stage was never
better without the dances of fellow Miani boys from San Jose, Lubao, and the
Excrambles from Tarlac.
Sunday, May 29, will be
church-hopping as Vox serenades the nearby chapels and St. Jerome church
towards the end of every mass. It was a simple way of thanking the support of
the parishioners and way to have their songs heard from those who did not make
it to the concert.
An invitation to the Espiritu’s
residence was inspiring and uplifting. It was a cocktail hosted to honor the
efforts of the people behind “Arcobaleno”.
The Tagaytay profession of new
religious brothers will be their last performance … and the most risky. Alberto
Macri was requested by Fr. Cesar de Santis to accompany. But the choir and the
accompanist have never rehearsed the songs together. With barely an hour to prepare, Vox and Macri
pulled a very solemn performance of an almost all-Latin mass repertoire.
But the story will not end here
yet. After everyone has had their full of the sumptuous lunch, Vox performed
right in the middle of the seminary gardens of Tagaytay. This time, they sang a
full concert repertoire of love songs, folk music, chansons, madrigals, and
foreign songs.
The succeeding days are evenly
filled with lighter events as to mall tours and sports challenge between the
Miani boys of San Jose and their neighbors. The Manila experience was concluded
by a pool party hosted by the gracious Ludy Llaneza in her Alabang residence.
The nine-day engagement will
never be forgotten. It was in this summer of 2011 that a lot of first-time
events were experienced. The organizers and initiators ought to be congratulated
and thanked for the wonderful time and opportunity they have lavished Vox
Miani. The choir is indeed thankful for the provision of palettes, brushes, and
paints. And with Fr. Frank Cabrera’s hand driving, they will surely reach their
destination safe and in time.
