When people ask me when I started singing, I always answer that I have been singing since I can remember; which is probably around three years old. I always joined choirs when I was a kid, and high school was no exception. When I transferred to Assumption in high school, I auditioned for AC Chorale even if I didn’t know anyone there. I sang Mariah Carey’s “Hero” in front of the club moderator Ms. Tina Yulo. Back then I was very quiet and shy, as some of us were during that “awkward” stage in high school, and I was terrified at singing in front of her and the other club members. It was a fortunate day when Tina (and the club officers) decided to take me in, because I haven’t stopped singing since.
Last Saturday, I went back to Assumption for the AC Chorale alumnae meet and greet. It was my first time to see my old campus since I last went there to get my high school yearbook, which was “xx” years ago, haha! While walking in the halls and going up the stairs to the venue, my friend and I heard music – the girls were singing – and I felt nostalgic. I haven’t sung with a choir since I graduated from high school, and I really missed it! When we got inside the hall, we were immediately greeted by Tina (Mrs. Tina Yulo-So now) with a warm hug! And despite all the batches of girls she handled through the years, she still remembered our names! 🙂
Most of the girls there are current members, who I think are around 13-17 years old (!) but there were a few “old girls” like us who were there, much to Tina’s delight. We sat in a circle and each girl introduced herself. While listening to the girls talk and share their best Chorale experiences, I realized that the heart of AC Chorale has remained the same through the years – they might be different girls now but it is still the same “family” that we all love.
Before we left, we all sang “Human Heart” from the musical “Once On This Island.” It is one of my most favorite pieces that we sang back in high school, and the song’s beautiful lyrics are perfect to sum up my experience with AC Chorale:
The courage of a dreamer
The innocence of youth
The failures and the foolishness
That lead us to the truth
The hopes that make us happy
The hopes that don’t come true
And all the love there ever was
I see this all in you
You are part
Part of the human heart
You are part (you are part, you are part)
Of all who took the journey
And managed to endure
The ones who knew such tenderness
The ones who felt so sure
The ones who came before you
The others yet to come
And those who you will teach it to
And those you learned it from
You are part
Part of the human heart
You are part (you are part, you are part)
This is the gift I give
Through your love you’ll live
Forever…
Thank you to my friend Janie Alberto (our baby in Alto 1) for coming to the meet and greet with me; I couldn’t have gone without you! 🙂 To all my friends from AC Chorale (you know who you are, just don’t mention our batch, hehe!), let’s all go back to high school to visit Tina – she still looks the same (!) and can still make us cry with her very touching speeches. And of course, AC Chorale’s music is still amazing!
If you want to listen to the song, “Human Heart,” follow the link below:
The Human Heart Lyrics (Once on this Island)
