THE UST SINGERS AWED choral enthusiasts in their recent farewell performance at the UST Museum.
The choral group has consistently upheld its resplendent symphonic sound, a hallmark its founding choirmaster Fidel Calalang Jr. has invested it with since it was founded in 1992.
Watching this group of some 30 choristers since last hearing it sometime ago could simply be a gratifying moment. One basked under its brilliant choral sound, kept in the dome, and uninhibitedly projected.
Alternating with the UST Vocal Bridge, a choir of alumni, the UST Singers had a formidable program that consisted of classics from the Baroque to the contemporary, including Philippine and Broadway songs.
A mighty web of choral sound engulfed the intimate venue to the delight of the audience who did not mind standing at the sides and back, filling up the hall. The opening songs, all late Baroque (Thomas Tomkins’ “See, See, the Shepherds Queen” and “Sefiro Torna E’l Bel Tempo Rimena”), at once elicited hearty applause.”
Mighty piece
At the outset, the choir’s scintillating freshness was ardently appreciated. No trace of tiredness was heard.
The singers had a tour de force in two contemporary choral pieces written by the revered young American choral composer Eric Whitacre, “Her Sacred Spirit Soars” and “Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine.”
It was in the rendition of the last song that the singers chilled the spine of the listeners. A virtuoso piece, the rendition was mighty as the piece called for big, brilliant sound. It was the thrill of flight of Leonardo’s dream that the singers vividly depicted, enhanced with the playing of some instruments by some members, for effect.
Sounds not associated with traditional choral intonations were intoned to invest the song with arresting realism. The singing went on for several minutes, making the rendition truly epic. The high energy level of the performance bewitched the audience.
The singers had to exit and afford their vocal chords some needed rest, giving way thus to the alumni group for it to display its vocal prowess.
The Vocal Bridge also sung a warhorse. Conducted by Calalang, the group brought nostalgia in its comely rendition of Randall Thompson’s “Alleluia,” a choral piece popularized by the UP Madrigal Singers under its founding guru, Andrea O. Veneracion.
The Madz had gloriously sung it in its formative years. (Incumbent choirmaster Mark Carpio, to whom Maestra Veneracion had passed on the baton, graced the UST concert with his presence.)
Excellent group
The alumni group showed the same quality, albeit it has to work more on projection, which has to be rounded more. Recently formed, this group could yet be another excellent group to add luster to existing choral groups if properly maintained.
The UST Singers returned to weave magnificent sounds in contemporary pieces: Palaruan’s “Gapas,” and “Irritations (Erzinimal)” by Jonas Tamulionis.
The audience, led by UST Father Rector Rolando V. de la Rosa, OP, savored more choral delight in the standard choral idiom in Philippine songs: the folk song “Magtanim Ay Di Biro,” the movie theme “Waray-Waray,” and the classic “Ano Kaya ang Kapalaran,” by Francisco Santiago, all arranged by Calalang.
Needless to say, the conductor had veritably shown adeptness in choral arranging.
Novelty pieces such as Anderson’s “The Syncopated Clock,” “Broadway con Brio,” also arranged by Calalang, were well-received by the audience.
The latter was a compendium of Broadway tunes, arranged neatly in a medley. It was an eloquent companion to Grayston Ives’ “Name That Tune,” a medley of classical tunes also neatly arranged in a medley. Apt hand movements and choreography provided enticing visual enhancement.
One of the top
A whiff of nostalgia hovered as the audience listened to McCartney’s “Yesterday,” effectively arranged by Robert Sund, which the alumni group sang with José Mari Rubio as soloist.
The UST Singers mesmerized the audience with their polished rendition of Bernstein’s moving “Somewhere,” from the Broadway hit “West Side Story,” arranged by Robert Edgerton.
Calalang showed deep understanding of choral nuance as he intelligently molded choral sound according to the genre specified by the pieces.
He has gained much confidence and expertise through the years, bringing the singers to international choral competitions and festivals abroad, both in the US and Europe, and winning top prizes at that, making the UST Singers one of the country’s top choral groups in tilts abroad.
The UST Singers leave on April 8 for a series of concert performances in Korea, Ireland, Spain, Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Austria and Italy.
In between performances, they will compete and participate in international choral competitions and festivals.
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