The Korus Way

Blog posts by the members of the UP Concert Chorus Publisher: Gabriel Villorente Editor: Pola Esguerra del Monte Associate Editor: Maxine Rodriguez

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#ChoreoRehearsals #OOTD

Words Lia Angela Esguerra Reyes

(Photo by Pauline Disuanco)

Hya chooses to wear her stretchable sleeveless Nike Dri-fit with jogging pants and rubber shoes. She says she knew we were going to have a full day of choreo rehearsals and so she needed to wear clothes that wouldn’t restrict her from moving around. She also picks an all-black attire so that inevitable sweat marks don’t ruin her look even after all the dancing. HIHI ;)

Sometimes, a simple Korus shirt would do!

Ruel wears a casual blue korus shirt with khaki shorts and Adidas rubber shoes.  Convenience determined his OOTD that day.

“I wore it coz it's the most available pair I found. I was running late that day.” (Oops!)

He later on tells me how his attire reflects how he doesn't really care how he looks, especially for scheduled "haggard" moments.

  There are also some who really put much thought into their choreo rehearsal OOTDs.

Gabo pairs a maroon Nike training shirt with his Adidas spandex or cycling shorts for running.  He completes his choreo outfit with Nike shoes for indoor training and an Adidas watch. He also tags along his favorite Puma bag for a casual but still classy look.

Gabo says, “I chose to wear these para i can move freely without worrying too much on my masisikip and limiting regular clothes. And it’s all dry fit para pag nag-pawis, di gaano magiistick sa skin bagkos magda-dry up lang siya.”

He also adds that when training, your look must be your least concern. What matters is that what you wear “gives you confidence to do all the moves and stunts.”

  As a sporty fashionista, Misha’s closet is full of clothes fit for days like these. She wears her black sleeveless Star Trek Forever21 shirt over her orange and yellow Nike sports bra, then simply picks out denim shorts and Vans sneakers to complete her OOTD.

“During choreo rehearsals, I like wearing clothes that are comfy and very ‘presko’. It's so I can easily move around and execute choreography without my clothes getting in the way.

I'm a sporty person and tend to be spontaneous. I start my days without to-do-lists and set plans and because of this, I like wearing clothes that are versatile and can be worn for different situations. Sneakers, tank tops, shorts, long sleeves and voila! My #Ootd.”

Here’s Agoy, one of our homegrown choreographers. He selects his Abercrombie & Fitch neon jogging pants to go with his plain black tank top and grey rubber shoes. Something he can definitely move around with in style.

“Black tank top for power of choreography, green pants for healthy lifestyle, grey shoes for the intellectual concepts, purple watch for limitless imagination...at para makita cuts ko! HAHAHA! Cuts for perseverance and hard work.” 

----------------------------

Agoy spearheaded this particular choreo session.  While waiting for the rest to arrive, he conducted a short workshop on blocking, stage presence and projection for the current batch of trainees. (The rest of us watched while enjoying our coffee and pan de sal care of Korus. The perfect pair to warm our voices up and give us that boost for dance rehearsals!)

Not long after, we began our rehearsals with something that will wake us all up: warm-up.  Stretching, planking, calisthenics and other routines with chill background music really did the trick.  After this, we were ready to roll.

The whole morning was spent rehearsing the all-male and all-female numbers in separate rooms. In the afternoon, we polished the rest of the song-and-dance numbers together. At the end of the day, we did a full run of the upcoming UpBeat:REMIX.  So much was accomplished in just a single day. And if you’re wondering if those OOTDs mattered, they sure did! 

What we wear reflects not only our individual personalities. They show how Korus brings out the creative juices in each of its members especially when it comes to combining two very different things...things like song and dance, pop and classical, (and like what you saw above) comfort and style.

Lia Angela Esguerra Reyes is a soprano of UPCC. Her OOTDs usually involve bright colors and eccentric accessories. She is a psychology major and dreams to be a singing doctor.

**This is not a sponsored post

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Rainbows and Butterflies

Words Hya Famarin

  Let’s set things straight: I am not.

I’m bisexual and it wasn't always easy admitting that one thing about me. I used to deny that I've had crushes on girls and I’d always change the pronoun from ‘she’ to ‘he’ whenever I’d talk about them. I didn't quite understand why I felt that way and it didn't help that I did not have anybody to talk to about it.  I was scared and lonely.

                I finally came out to my closest friends in third year high school. I thought they’d leave me and they wouldn’t understand since they’re very conservative. However, they surprised me when they said that they don’t see me differently and that they will be my friends no matter what. I remember I felt so relieved that I got that out of my chest. It feels nice to finally be accepted as who you are and not as someone you’re trying to be. I got through the rest of my high school life in the comfort of knowing that I didn’t have to hide anymore. I was free, but then graduation came along and I had to say goodbye to my comfort zone.

College was another playing field. I knew that I’d be meeting people from different backgrounds and I was scared that these people wouldn’t be as accepting as my high school friends were. I remember that I had a classmate once who voiced her disgust against gay people and it scared me. It didn’t help that I was far away from my best friends because we belong in different colleges. I had to face this challenge of meeting new people alone. I won’t always be with my best friends and I knew then that I’d have to accept myself and be confident in my own skin first so that other people will accept me too.

I joined UP Concert Chorus during my third year. Korus definitely has the most diverse group of people in all of the organizations I joined and that made me nervous. Other than the fact that I had a lot of things to learn in terms of singing and performing, I also had no idea how these people are going to react to my secret.

So I decided to just get it over and done with. When asked, I just told them who I was and about my bisexuality. This led to some questions asked by my co-trainees and even some of the members, which I answered to the best of my abilities. Other than that, they accepted me and never treated me like I was different.

It means a lot to me that everyone in Korus is open and understanding. I was never discriminated because of my orientation and I now have new friends who became part of my support system. I found people whom I can talk to about my girl crushes without having to change the pronouns I use. 

In Korus, I found a safe place. They gave me the courage to face other people and fight for who I am. Thanks to Korus, I’m free. I’m free to love who I want to love, free to live without fear of being misunderstood, and free to wave that rainbow flag with pride.

Hya Famarin is an Alto 1 in the UP Concert Chorus and is currently taking up BA European Languages.

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A Life of Dance and A New Adventure

Words Patricia Paraso

Just like any other high school graduate, I was an aspiring student with big dreams. I got my break when I was accepted into the university to join the UP Pep Squad in my freshman year. This is my story.

I used to be a gymnast since the age of five, and gymnastics was amazing as an individual sport because you got to showcase yourself to others in all your strength, flexibility and glory, daring them during competitions to perform better than you. Little did I know how far off this was from the rollercoaster ride ahead.

Being accepted to train with Pep meant that I had to learn how to move and work with a group, adjust to fifty other team mates, and execute a five-minute routine jam-packed with pyramids, tumbling passes, dances and stunts, all the while making it seem like you can do it with your eyes closed or in your sleep, never wiping the megawatt trademark cheerleader smile off your face.

A day in the life of a UP Pep Squad member is not what everybody imagines it to be. People complement those sexy abs, those powerful biceps in a bodyfit uniform, and witness the ability to lift and balance a girl single-handedly above the head—it’s hard work.

It’s more than five, soaking, extra T-shirts, sore muscles, and a gallon of drinking water a day. Training six hours a day, six days a week is no joke. There is no room for error.

We have our work cut out for us as student-athletes, and we successfully respond with a snappy nod of the head, and our chins held high.

Because after all the sweat, sacrifice, and couple of hairdo’s later, you get to reap the rewards.

I was able to learn different kinds of dances and visit places outside the Philippines.

It is a service to the University.

And? It has everything to do with Korus. Why? Because nothing prepares you for the experiences you will encounter during traineeship in the UPCC—rich, soulful, exquisite. I am certain being with Pep for four years has given me a foundation to weather the challenges of being part of something new. It was a whirlwind of emotions, and I am thrilled to discover that there is just a whole other adventure waiting to be explored in a different kind of arena.

I will forever be a performer, but my talents come from the Lord. I am continuously learning to shine as one with many other stars on the stage, constantly making room for improvement, striving for perfection.

I realize am still a cheerleader who yearns for the rush of pleasing the crowd—only even greater because I find I am part of a new team.

And I look forward to more years of serving UP together with my new family.

Patricia Paraso (AKA Tryx), Soprano 2, is currently the Stage Manager of the UP Concert Chorus and a graduating student taking up Bachelor of Physical Education.

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Is it Single Awareness Day for you? NBSB/NGSB? Who cares?! The UP Concert Chorus is here for you!

Valentine's Day is not about sulking on your relationship status. It is celebrating the love for others whether romantically, as family, or as friends. There is no friend-zoned, seen-zoned, #foreveralone on Valentine's Day because we, UPCC will be with you!

This exclusive compilation of love songs from Korus will keep you company on this special day! Happy Valentine's Day!

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Last December, Gigi Calvo (Soprano 1), decided to produce vlogs (video blog or video log) of our recently concluded tour titled: S'Aliw Himig, Isang Lakbay Taglamig 2013.

This vlog depicts experiences of the members when travelling, via airplane, and what usually happens inside the airbus or even in the airport especially when we have long layovers. 

Sharing you the "fun" in flying, enjoy Gigi's vlog!

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Lights, Camera, Starstruck!

Words Pola Esguerra del Monte 

Before my dancing shoes tapped the stage, the hair gel on my head melted under spotlights, and before a thousand pairs of eye met mine, there was first a camera that rolled.

I was nineteen, a month-old UP Concert Chorus trainee, or a fetus in Korus years. Heck, I wasn’t a fetus. I was probably even metaphorically younger than that. A zygote yet to undergo mitosis, newly released in an environment where it would be nurtured and developed before its grand launch to the outside world.

Only, the UPCC launches zygotes before they are even human-like. In non-anatomical terms, a trainee needs to perform, even if he is still a trainee. We are trained to learn by doing, by practicing on actual stages, in the eyes of real spectators, no matter how raw we are.

Destiny, with the approval of Ma’am Jai, decided what a trainee’s first performance would be. It could be a wedding gig, a major concert, or a CCP production. It depended on whatever show UPCC was involved in at that time.

Mine happened to be the first mass on the wake of a former President—an event which would be aired live on national TV.

Thus, when my turn to be baptized came, I was jostled unto the TV screen, in front of millions of televiewers here and abroad for my first performance.

And boy, was I starstruck with myself.

During my critical two seconds of fame, my face (or a tiny portion of it) probably measured only five centimeters on screen. But it was the most important five centimeters of the most important two seconds in my life back then.

It was important enough to make my mom, my titas, my grandma, grandpa, sister, cousins, classmates, former classmates, churchmates, neighbors, tenants, helpers, friends of helpers to watch television and wait, ever so patiently, for my 3/4 face to grace their screens. 

After a few more months with the UPCC, I came to realize that things like this came quite often. Not too soon after my break on national TV came another opportunity. GMA7 recorded us singing the Lupang Hinirang after another controversial rendition of the national anthem during one of Manny Pacquiao’s fights abroad. It was an impromptu performance, we were asked a few hours before it would be aired, so we didn’t have to wear costumes and wear full make up. We just had to “come as we are.”

That was fine, except for one thing—I wasn’t wearing heels. I was a meager 5 footer, on the extreme left side of the second row.

The camera didn’t catch me.

GMA7’s 24 Oras

But patience is a virtue. After touring, performing in hundreds of concerts, rehearsing a thousand times, soon enough I was promoted to the first row. Likewise, my exposure improved.

DZMM Silveradyo Station ID circa 2011

ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID 2011

TV5’s The Good Morning Club 2012 

You learn so many things in the television studio. For one, the rush is different. The TV harbors a very fast-paced environment where we sometimes study a piece simultaneously as we record. We sometimes have to wake up as early as 2AM for a 3AM call time. And a shoot for what would come out as two seconds could take as long as an entire day of tireless singing in full garb.

Mornings @ ANC December 2012

In an era where stars are revered and two seconds on screen is enough to call the attention of friends and family, a glimpse of being on cam awakens a secret fantasy of stardom, or living the life of a star.

Away from the studios, I am an ordinary citizen that is more often in front of the TV screen than on it. The real world will always summon me back, but the rare call of the cameras will always sound sweet to my ears.

The UP Concert Chorus will be guesting on Saturday, October12, 2013 in “One More Try: My Husband’s Lover The Concert” at the Araneta Coliseum.

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KORUS RECOMMENDS: TRELLIS

Words Erich Panganiban

  Welcome to the first edition of Korus Recommends. Here we will be sharing with you Korus’ love for (aside from music of course!) food, fashion and gadgets. For this premiere edition, let’s start with something we all can’t live without. No, it’s not your iPad or iPhone or your nifty S4, it’s something we REALLY cannot live without – FOOD! 

Korus has long had a love affair with food and one particular place that nearly every batch of trainees, members and alumni have all been to and swear by is Trellis. People actually say that you are not a bonafide UP student if you haven’t eaten at this haven of caloric and cholesterol-pleasing delights.

The official logo of Trellis, as shown on the restaurant’s Facebook page

Trellis was established sometime in the 80’s and quickly established itself as one of the finest Filipino restaurants in the Quezon City area. It’s affordable, a nice place to hang-out and drink with your buddies and of course, the food is fantastic.

Something you shouldn’t miss is their sisig! It’s cooked really well and the taste and flavor has been consistent through the years. It comes to your table on black iron sizzling plate with calamansi on the side. You can see the little bits of crackling pork dancing around in its own fat and the delicious aroma wafting into the air (well, okay and into your clothes…so those thinking of this as a date place be aware!) The ritual goes like this: squeeze calamansi on the sisig, put a few drops of seasoning and of course hot sauce and eat with garlic rice. The symphony of flavors just bursts in your mouth! While I wholeheartedly agree with Anthony Bourdain when he said that Zubuchon in Cebu was “The best pig I have ever tasted,” I have to say that this is one of the best Sisig I have ever tasted! Not bad for P160. Even only for this dish, Trellis is worth the visit.

Trellis’ mouth-watering sisig is Korus’ favorite!

There of course other delights to order like the Crispy Pata, Sinigang, Kangkong in Garlic Sauce, Tuna Belly, and Mango KBS among others. However, in this arena, the Sisig reigns supreme!

It is a frequent hunt for Korus for the good food it serves and the overall good ambiance and very polite waiters (some of which have been there since it opened). So if in the midst of eating your mouth-watering dishes you hear a group’s boisterous laughter and sudden bursts into song, then it’s probably Korus celebrating the end of a glorious feast the best way we know, with a song sung in harmony.

Go and visit Trellis and try it out for yourselves! And if you see or hear us there, come and say hi or better yet, join us!

  TRELLIS IS LOCATED AT: 40 Matalino St cor Kalayaan Ave Diliman, Quezon City Metro Manila Philippines; [phone]

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WARMING UP: PRE-VOCALIZATION EXERCISES 101

Words Lindo Lindo

            Filipinos love music, and ditto for singing. It seems likely that in every family reunion or friendly get-together, the videoke machine is a usual fixture. One person may just randomly grab the microphone, key in the song code and burst into Gloria Gaynor song. I, myself, have sung countless I Will Survive’s, but mind you, it’s not an easy feat to ‘survive’ this song especially with the challenge of accurately hitting the high notes, and of course, the obligatory dance a la Ricky Martin it entails. One must live up to the song, you know!

            Preparation is the key to successful singing. Joining the UP Concert Chorus, I learned exercises that can help a singer in delivering an excellent performance. It is a common routine in our group to do vocal warm-ups and whole-body exercises prior to rehearsals and performances. These pre-vocalization exercises help the members release muscle tension in the head, face, neck, shoulders, abdomen/diaphragm, back and leg—which affects good vocal production. Doing these warm-ups relaxes the body and opens the throat—allowing the singer to hit the notes with support and avoiding strain during the vocalises.

            So, with the special participation of some fellow members, I am sharing some of my favorite— fun and easy— pre-vocalization exercises:

1

LIP TRILLS, LIP ROLLS, LIP BUBBLES or FLAPPING LIPS

2

CHEWING or HUMMING WHILE CHEWING

3

The “CHAMPOY” or FUNNY FACE

4

TONGUE STRETCHES and TONGUE TOOTHBRUSH

5

HEAD ROTATIONS and NECK STRETCHES

6

SHOULDER ROLLS

7

TORSO STRETCHES

8

LEG STRETCHES

    HAD FUN WITH THESE EXERCISES? YOU’RE ALL WARMED UP!

SO GO ON NOW, GO, WALK OUT THAT DOOR!

JUST TURN AROUND NOW.... GRAB THAT MIC AND SING!

Lindo Lindo, Tenor 1, is currently finishing his thesis in BA Broadcast Communication and is set to graduate in April 2014.

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"It is your own heart that you must follow. Do not ever live out someone else's dream."

  At the 2012 Gateways Institute of Science and Technology Commencement Exercises, Atty. Dot Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco talks to over 2,000 new graduates about her passion for law, music, writing, and living her dream.

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Top 7 reasons: Why we love checking in

Words Gabriel Fojas Villorente

We all remember the time when the term "check-in" referred to an announcement of an arrival at a hotel, airport or sea port, only. But now, with the advent of geolocation-enabled apps and social network services, we can “check-in” at a restaurant, mall, even a classroom, a friend’s home, or our own home. By turning on our mobile device’s GPS and tapping the place we’re at from a list when, we index and tag our location and share the experience to our followers and friends. 

Geolocation-enabled apps and check-in features are fast becoming a trend when posting online. May it be in the form of a video, photo, post or even a tweet about your status, the information about the location enhances the sharing experience.  I have listed here the Top 7 reasons why the UPCC members are fond of checking-in.

7

Since we usually go on tour, away from our families and friends, far, far away from our loved-ones, we update them with our "whereabout" posts. While on-tour, there is a big time difference between home and which ever stop we currently are, hence updating them from our wall post lets them know where are we and how are we doing. Usually in a seven-month long tour with ten countries, 52 cities and 108 concerts, my parents often wonder which stop I am already in.

Post by Gabriel Fojas Villorente.

6

We have been adding a lot of newfound friends and families (host parents) of whom we have been attached to already. Usually we stay 3-5 days per stop, sometimes even longer. Moving from one stop to another requires a long bus ride, perhaps a travel via airplane, or even a long train ride. Checking-in right away once we have arrived to a new stop is one way of reporting to our previous hosts that we arrived safely to the destination they had sent us off to.

Touch down hungary!!! (@ Buszmegálló - Kodály Zoltán Ált. Iskola) http://t.co/yqAj78yy

— Gabriel Villorente (@gfvillorente)

August 15, 2012

Hello Korea!!! Experiencing the 12-hour lay over... :D (@ Incheon International Airport) http://t.co/ASjJPJ6g

— Gabriel Villorente (@gfvillorente)

May 11, 2012

5

We like to make the most of where we are. With the opportunity of going around the most fab/visited/popular tourist place in a particular stop, we like to relish the proud feeling of “I’ve been there.”

4

Some apps would provide information on the places you check-in to. Some people on that network would also post comments and suggestions on what you should try or do. After being able to try what the place has to offer comes the privilege to say: “I’ve done that!"

3

Traveling to do a series of concerts eats up a lot of our time and effort to prepare and rehearse. Catching up through our posts is an efficient way of mass-sending updates to our friends and followers if we don’t have the time to send them longer, more personal updates yet.

Post by Gabriel Fojas Villorente.

2

Techie people in Korus usually compete with one another to be the first one to check-in in particular place. It is more of a friendly competition, but since we usually have a Type "A" personality, we want the buzz to come from us first. Since all of us have common friends and followers we want the idea to be the first one telling our social network where we are and what are we enjoying now. Aside from this, there are apps that reward particular points to the check-in as first time and being the first among your friends to check-in. There are also badges awarded to check-ins that belong to a particular category.

I just unlocked the "JetSetter" badge on @foursquare for checking in at airports! Bon Voyage! http://t.co/5H8f2lnS

— Gabriel Villorente (@gfvillorente)

September 19, 2012

1

We check-in because we want to track our travels, the places that we have been to, save and record the experiences we have in a particular place, thereby incorporating a virtual memory of one's timeline. That, in this sense, creates our portfolio of our travels.

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Recipes of the world: Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Words Gigi Calvo

Every home cooked meal Korus members partake of is an experience of “love on a plate." With every meal, we feel our hosts’ hospitality and love for us, especially through the food they tediously prepare for us.

  I remember loving the Filipino version of a famous Italian dish which we also refer to by the same name: Carbonara. It is a pasta dish smothered with white sauce made from heavy cream, cheese, spices and bacon bits. Sometimes, Filipinos would even put other proteins and a dash of sugar to bring out the sweet & salty Pinoy taste. As a kid, I would look forward to waking up to the smell of this dish whenever there’s a special occasion at home.

Little did I know that it is miles away from the Italian Carbonara.

  The version is just made from eggs, cheese and Italian bacon or pancetta. Being able to try this simple yet delightful cuisine in an actual Italian home was so exhilarating that I had to write about it and share it to all the foodies in the world.

I’d like to share this recipe of Carbonara taught by mamma Mary Facchi, my host in Cascine San Pietro, a town in the province of Milan. I will never forget foregoing a trip to the Italian Shoes store just so I can learn to cook this dish from her and to spend time with her. It was definitely one of my most memorable experiences on tour with the UP Concert Chorus.

  Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Ingredients

1 pound dry spaghetti

3 tablespoons Olive oil

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cubed or sliced into small bits

2 large eggs

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Salt and Pepper to taste

  Directions

First, prepare the sauce. Beat the eggs thoroughly and then add the generous helping of Parmigiano-Reggiano. You can also use any other of your favorite Italian hard cheeses like Pecorino-Romano. Season with fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Second, cook the pasta according to packet directions. Remember to add a handful of salt into your pasta water and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Make sure to religiously follow the time indicated so as to ensure that your pasta is “al dente”. This means it is firm enough for you to bite into but soft enough to twirl between a fork.

  Next, cook the pancetta in a spoonful of Olive oil over a deep skillet at medium heat. Sauté until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Meanwhile, drain the pasta but leave some starchy pasta water for sauce adjustment later.

  Add the hot, drained past to the pan and toss to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg & cheese mixture in to the pasta, mixing quickly and thoroughly so the eggs do not scramble. Thin out the sauce with a bit of your reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency. Season the Carbonara with salt and pepper.

  Mound the Spaghetti a la Carbonara into warm serving bowls. Pass more cheese around the table. Enjoy!

Gigi Calvo, Soprano 1, is a graduate of B Hotel and Restaurant Management. She currently works at Manila Catering.

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Editorial

Travel, they say, is the best form of education. Whenever we go on tours, we not only leave footprints and echoes of our voices behind. Every time we step on the bus to drive to the next stop or take airplanes to fly to the next country, we turn our backs on a myriad of places, culinary adventures, people, families and paths we may never cross again. But likewise, we never leave without carrying something new.

Every time we come home, we are never the same person who left two or six months prior. We carry experiences that we never imagined we would ever try—we’ve latched on the New York subway trains during rush hour to arrive on time for a show, rubbed elbows with royalty whom we performed to, devoured pasta and gelato in every meal in Italy, visited Rizal’s apartment in Barcelona. We’ve met people—mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who became our families away from home. We’ve made friends with people who don’t speak our language. There are times when we fell in love. 

We will attempt to chronicle those here. We will share the recipes we learned from our Italian mammas, reviews on French wines and cheeses, travelogues of the places we’ve set our feet on. We will tell stories on how we stood being in a 24-hour bus ride across three states or how it felt like to sing to the Queen of England. This, we hope, will be an emblem of the wealth of lessons we’ve learned, a scrapbook souvenir from the places where our voices have taken us.

As we always say in UPCC, traineeship does not stop when we become members because there will always be new things to savor and new experiences to be lived. They become new stories waiting to be told.