MUSIC AND ME

I belong to a Music Lover Family. When we were kids and there was no TV set at that time , weekend Family Entertainment was a MUSICAL Presentation by everyone. My father had a Ukelele and usually our oldest sister was the one assigned as the Emcee, sometimes I alternate to practice my hosting capabilities.

We sang, we recited poetry. Everyone's favorite poem was "All Things Bright And
Beautiful" and was recited by all of us , the siblings one after the other, one at a time.

Papa and Mama always played the opening number by singing a duet either in Cebuano Song which is our dialect or any English love Song, there was one Spanish Song that they both sang and I love it until now the"Besame Mucho". Both Papa and Mama has a lovely voice. Each one of us has a favorite song either a song we learned from school or the hits song which we heard over the AVEGON AM radio , which we considered as the best family treasure. Papa loves to sing Matud Nila which means According To Them In English while Mama sings ROSAS PANDAN, a lady from the mountain going to town to celebrate with the occasion, it was.a beautiful song with fast tempo and it was nice looking at Mama swaying her body, singing and smiling.

When I was in the Elementary School, the teacher always assigned me to sing and to recite a poem every school program. It was a learning experience for me not to have any stage fright while.performing. Papa bought a guitar in alternate to his Ukelele. We were all interested to play the guitar, all my. 3 younger brothers and my 3 older sisters know how to play the guitar, including myself. The first song I sang in the school program was " It's Nice To Be With You" with my guitar accompaniment. It was highly applauded.

Then, I went to High School at age 13.
There was a project of the school for the improvement or added construction of rooms to the school.
One of the fund raising was a school opera in three acts "Chimes Of Normandy" .The Music Teacher was in searched of participants of the Opera or we called it Operetta. They found the casts including leading man but nobody was qualified for the role of Germaine. the leading lady. There was a pianist for the Audition. My cousin who was a 4rth year High school student told the Music teacher that I can sing. The teacher told her to bring me to her home where she also has a piano. I was hesitant because I was sickly at that time with a very low blood pressure that I always fainted.
My cousin approached my parents to let me agree and joined. I never experienced singing with a piano accompaniment , so I refused to be auditioned.. Other teachers were convincing me to be auditioned as those who took the previous auditioned failed to qualify. Eventually I agreed. It was in the Music Teacher's House. She prepared delicious lunch and.I was invited to join the whole family eating lunch complete with soup, main entree and dessert. I was touched. After the meals she told me to go with her in the Music Room where the Grand Piano was placed.

She opened the piano and let me stood beside her. She instructed me to sing the tune of the piano as in a voice lesson from the lowest to the highest pitch as in. Lalalalalalalala
Lalalalalalalalala
My natural voice without using any
FALCETTO and I reached high notes.
I sang as instructed. After that she jumped with Joy and Yelled " You are Germaine de Cornille" the leading lady.
She asked me , "do you know the song
Love is a many splendored thing ?, " her favorite song.
"I know that " I replied. " Can you sing it for me? " " Yes ! Maam ! " I confidently said.

I moved a few steps backward as she started the piano. I sang with feelings and when the highest notes were to be sang, I sang it on top of my voice that all the family members went inside the Music Room to watch and to listen my singing with deep feelings. The room was very noisy after I sang as they all were clapping their hands and wanted me to sing some more, but the Music Teacher told them that it was more than enough performance.

We had training every afternoon for two hours for one month.All the cast.
Then , the BIG DAY came. All tickets were sold out and they wanted more but the venue can only accommodate two thousand people.

It was a night to remember. I was picked up by a Military Jeep , a driver and with two military escorts assigned to me. The special guests who bought 10 tickets who also gave huge donation to the school were Military Generals with their wives . The Music Teacher told them that I live three kilometers away so they decided to fetch me and to make sure that I arrived on time and safe as being the important cast. I was not expecting that to treat me as a VIP at age 13. I was the youngest of all the Cast and the only First Year Student. The rest were Sophomores, Juniors.and Seniors. My leading man was a Senior or 4rth year High School student.

I was wearing three costumes , one costume for each act, as there were three acts. There was a hairdresser and. there was a beautician at the dressing room ready to assist me.

The story was about a long , lost heir Germaine and the bells rang when she was found., basing on the title " Chimes of Normandy". I love all the songs , I had a solo for three times,. three duets with my leading man Henri , who was the one who rescued Germaine from bandits. I had a lot of group singing with the rest of the cast and each time the curtain was closed
it was received with a standing ovation and a warm applause.

I played my part and played it so well that the next week I went to school everyone was not calling me my name but called me Germaine , including the
teachers. It was a great and a very
memorable experience.

In College, I joined singing contest in the city where I studied taking up AB English..I won for successive 8 weeks and was qualified for the grand finals only was that I got pneumonia and was hospitalized...Oh...I missed the chance...But then, I believe that there is always a good reason for everything.

I got an office job and was very busy contemplating on my job at the front office of a five star hotel.There was a time when an officemate of mine invited me to sing on TV. I did sing of course. It was fun. Then , I met the man of my dreams, got married and have a family of my own.. My love for music remains, only I sing at the bathroom because I promised myself once I get married, my family is my top priority.

So here I am sharing my Love of music..reminiscing those precious yesterday of my life. Honestly, until now I can sing SOMEWHERE by Barbra Streisand, DITO BA ( meaning Is It Here by Kuh Ledesma and the song Besame Mucho that I learned from my parents. I can sing these songs most beautifully, but, in my room only and sometimes at the beach front while watching the mesmerizing sunset as well as when we have family gatherings and they requested me to sing, I always granted their request without hesitation.

Hahahahaha
Life is great..
Thank You LORD for Everything.