Choir sounds

The Ateneo Chamber Singers (ACS) is marking its 11th anniversary this year and its members would like to celebrate the occasion with the release of an album of sacred and inspirational music.

Back in 2001, some graduating members of the Ateneo Glee Club decided they were not going to stop singing just because they would be out of school. So they formed the Ateneo Chamber Singers. Their first release was Awit Sa Panginoon, so why not say thanks by giving all the glory back to God with a similar album. And this is Hanggang Langit on the Jesuit Communications label.

The group has much to be thankful for. With former Madrigal singer and assistant conductor Jonathan Velasco as music director and conductor, the Ateneo Chamber Singers notched a goodly share of successes. Aside from successful tours overseas during which they bagged top prizes in various competitions and participated in several festivals, the ACS also fared well in the field of recording. 

The group has released Umawit Sa Kagalakan, also made up of sacred songs; Love I’ve Found You, which is made up of pop love songs; and Proclaim!, a collection of new Mass songs with the chamber orchestra Musica Chiesa. What I believe is the ACS’ best album though is Ang Ating Pasko, the Christmas CD, which includes the Awit award-winning tune Ilang Tulog Pa Ba?

The title cut, Hanggang Langit, was composed by Joel Navarro who is best known for the Metropop finalist Swerte Swerte Lang. He is now the music director and conductor of the Capella Choir of Calvin College of Michigan. This is one of several Filipino originals included in the album and it is great to find out that at a time when it is rough going for local music, the ACS is giving exposure to some of the best with this album. Besides, even the oldies like Shine, the hit song composed by ACS member Trina Belamide and Gary Valenciano’s Take Me Out Of The Dark become doubly meaningful when sung by beautiful voices in a choir.

 Also included are Dakilang Katapatan, Awit Ni David and Nag-iisang Pag-ibig Ko by another ACS member Arnel de Pano; Hesus Ng Aking Buhay by Fr. Arnel Aquino, S.J.; You Lift Me Up by Dodjie Simon and Danny Tan, plus How Beautiful and Shepherd Of My Heart. 

I am sure that Hanggang Langit as a thank-you message from the Ateneo Chamber Singers was very well-received in heaven. And I like the way that they expressed the same hope for their friends and I am sure also for all those who will listen to the album in the liner notes. “We hope that through these songs, our friends will be touched as we have been touched, be blessed as we have been blessed by God.”

God bless the music.

If you enjoy listening to choir singing, then you might want to check out Sa Iyong Pag-ibig by Koro Ilustrado, also from Jescom. Male groups hark back to a very old tradition, from tiples to the barbershop quartets to do-woppers, but it is not often that we come across one that is not boy band-oriented around here. Koro Ilustrado does really serious singing. The group is led by Jong Piquero and Anna Abeleda-Piquero, who are also both alumni of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. 

Koro Ilustrado has this vision of becoming the country’s leading all-male choral group and to be successful in much the same way that the ilustrados of the Spanish times were seen as accomplished young men and looked up to in the Philippines. They might just make it through singing with the debut album providing proof of their versatility with different types of music.

Truth to tell, I see the varied contents of the CD as a very good sampler of songs for male groups. Those thinking of forming an all-male choir should listen to the album to find out how masculine voices can go smoothly from the sacred Pananalig by Manoling V. Francisco, S.J; to the anthemic People Are People; and down to Shakira’s Waka Waka, a soccer song to dance up a storm.

Sa Iyong Pag-ibig is made up of Panunumpa by Jboy Gonzales, S.J., featuring singing champion Erik Santos; Bill Withers’ Lean On Me; Billy Joel’s Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel), Sabay Sa Ihip Ng Hangin an original by Vincent de Jesus; the Michael Jackson hit Man In The Mirror; Just The Way You Are, the big seller by Bruno Mars; Ennio Morricone’s Se from Cinema Paradiso; Sa Iyong Pag-ibig by Natthan Dublin; R. Kelly’s I Believe I Can Fly; and the football song, Shakira’s Waka-Waka This Time For Africa which was the theme of the FIFA World Cup in 2010.