MORE ADAMSON U. MEMORIES...

After the Christmas Caroling stint, we planned for our next activity which is a Choral Concert in conjunction with Adamson's Foundation Day.  I knew how to read music then BUT I did not know how to conduct a choir YET.  But a faculty member of Adamson U finally taught me HOW TO conduct a singing group which is more than just waving your hands to keep timing. One has to show them when to sing soft, loud, fast, slow, you know, s....t like that.  Anyways, during this first concert of its kind ever to be held in Adamson, I did not conduct the choir, even if I spent months teaching them the repertoire ( maybe 10 difficult songs in harmony )..I did not study much ( if at all ) anymore. 100% of my time went to managing the choir and the organization.  During this period, I changed my college course to AB English, Major in English Journalism, Minor in History and Mathematics. I was able to make use of the Math subjects I took in UE College of Engineering.

 

During the Choral Concert, I did not show up until the 2nd half of the event. The show started at 7:00 pm..I left Quirino District in Quezon City that afternoon at 6:00 pm. It was rush hour from my boarding house to San Marcelino street thru Manila's vicious traffic.  I was not going to conduct anyway, Prof. Gatchitorena an Adamson U professor who is good in music conducted the group. All eyes were on me when I made my "dramatic" entrance..The group thought I sulked because I did not conduct. Well, honestly speaking I felt a bit sore, but what can I do? I did not know how to do it. It took me another year before I was able to master the nuances of choir conducting.

That night, there were three tape recorders on the stage to capture for posterity the first cultural presentation of a school which has no cultural activity at all. At that time, Adamson was only for the study of chemistry subjects. Well, the performance was a bit below par, but it was good enough for a first time event.  The audience cheered during the Patriotic Songs set..Patriotism for the US because all the songs of the set pertained to the US Navy, Marines and the Army..Nothing about the Philippines!

Yep, we did ANCHORS AWEIGH, MARINES HYMN and the US Artillery March!..Great. It was good no patriotic nut threw tomatoes at us for not singing any Philippine Patriotic Song. Come to think of it, there are no Philippine Patriotic Songs! Except maybe the Katipunan March. But nobody can find a manuscript for this piece except maybe in the music collection of Banda Malabon..

Anyways, if ever any thing good came out of that ordeal, a core group of AUSCANs were forged. Years after graduation, Azucena Pinon, a Chem Eng. graduate from the school called them D'Originals. Yes, the group still exist and Azucena is still e-mailing the group once in a while. She's the group's Mother Hen. But the chicks have already grown and scattered all over the world!

Lots of memories with the group. I wonder if I can cover them all..--#