Casey at the harp

More and more athletes are turning to music as an alternative to or a diversion from playing.

Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal is the prime example of a basketball star who has dabbled seriously in music. He has released six rap albums so far.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson, as Jewelz, cut a rap album entitled "Non-Fiction" but it never saw the light of day because of the controversial track "40 Bars" which drew howls of protest for its allegedly violent and anti-gay lyrics.

Iverson’s teammate Chris Webber recorded the rap single "Gangsta Gangsta (How U Do It)" in 1999 and has owned an independent record label like O’Neal.

Former pro cagers Wayman Tisdale and Thurl Bailey ventured into the studio after retiring from the hardwood. Tisdale, an accomplished jazz bassist, has four albums to his credit while Bailey has three.

Tonight, a badminton and basketball collegiate star will follow in the footsteps of O’Neal, Iverson, Webber, Tisdale and Bailey and launch her first album at the Strumm’s on Jupiter Street, Makati .

Noelle Cassandra (Casey) Ang-Siy, 24, was born and raised in Vancouver. Her father Conrad and mother Roxanne are Filipinos. One of only two children (the other is a boy), Casey decided to make the Philippines her permanent home last year.

By the way, her mother’s younger sister is Ronith Ang who was a popular TV courtside reporter for basketball and TV newscaster here.

Casey played on The Philippine STAR team that won the badminton Sportshouse championship this year. She has also brought home trophies in ladies doubles at the JVC Open (elite level) and the Kimoni tournament (Division I).

When she was three, Casey was supposed to begin harp lessons but settled for the violin because she was too young to reach the lower range harp strings. A year later, she switched to harp.

Not only did Casey excel in sports and music but also in the classroom. She attended Crofton House School, Langara College and finally, the University of British Columbia to earn a degree in music, major in harp.

At Crofton, she was Athlete of the Year for basketball in 1997, most improved player in badminton in 1999 and the most inspirational athlete in 2000. At Langara, she was untouchable in badminton and was ranked first in singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the provincial under-19 ladder.

Casey also made a name for herself in poetry. Her two poems "Thoughts as Time Passes " and "Pictures on the Wall" were published by the Poetry Institute of Canada.

But music has and will always be Casey’s first love. She isn’t only a talented harpist but also a singer and composer. In a press release, her music was described as a mix of ballad, pop and easy listening. With her harp, she paints a pretty picture of a confident and new rising star, the release added.

Casey’s self-titled album "Noelle Cassandra" on Dyna is a testament to her versatility. Her carrier single "You’re The One I Need" is her first duet composition and will be in tonight’s set list for sure. Her other compositions include "Daddy’s Girl," an instrumental dedicated to her father, "My Strength," a vocal for her mother, "At Home With You," "You Are Here," a song of worship and her relationship with the Lord and "Forbidden Love," her violin and harp piece.

Casey has performed as a guest in concerts featuring Kuh Ledesma, Sharon Cuneta and Martin Nievera. Now, it’s her time to shine on her own.

When not playing sports or recording in the studio or writing poetry or performing on stage, Casey is immersed in community work through her personal reach-out club. Casey’s a volunteer teacher at Marillac Hills in Alabang where she conducts music classes for children to grow in skills, confidence and self-esteem. She’s also organizing a badminton fun day for 30 underprivileged kids next month.

My good Atenean friend Robin Tong tipped me off about Casey. One of Robin’s Xavier classmates was Casey’s father.

"Maybe you can write something about this unique combination of an athlete and musician," said Robin. "She’s a very talented youngster. For her CD launch (at 7 tonight), she’ll sing six songs, including her carrier single from the debut album, with keyboards, percussion and a backup singer."

Casey’s record — or album — speaks for itself. She’s a refreshing new face in sports, music, literature and community service. It’s hard to top that balance.