20 Awesome Facts About HMtQCC

This is a non-costed promotional article for the upcoming 6th Halina't Umawit - A Philippine Children's Choir Festival.

Here are the 20 true and awesome facts about the host choir of this event, the Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir or the HMtQCC. Reminder, they are not in chronological order.

(Achievements)
1.
They are the First Children's Choir of the World titleholder, also the Folk Children's Choir of the World category winner in the prestigious 2013 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfodd in North Wales, United Kingdom. This is their fifth choral competition.

2.
They already received a Courtesy Call last 2013 with the Philippine President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III with the WCOPA winners as well.

3.
Received 2 Ani ng Dangal Awards coming from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, one in 2009 and only this 2014 for winning international competitions.

4.
Won their first competition, the 3rd Choir Olympics in Bremen, Germany, as the World Choir Olympic Champion in the Music of the Religions in the year 2004.

5.
Won another competition in the 2007 First Asian Choir Games in Jakarta, Indonesia where they got gold medal in the category of Gospel and Spiritual category and silver medals in categories Musica Sacra (Sacred Music) and Contemporary Music (Musica Contemporanea).

6.
Had three California Concert tours already, 2005, 2008 and 2011 for the Sisters of Social Service

7.
They already performed twice at the Carnation Gardens in Disneyland located on Anaheim, California as the concluding performance of their concert tours in California

8.
They were given the Gold Certificate for winning the Children's Choir category in the First National Choral Competition organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines last August 2009.

9.
Also the grand prize winner of the ABS-CBN Star Records' 'Sa'yo Lamang Chorale Fest', and had a recording contract with Ms. Jamie Rivera.

10.
Them and Ms. Jamie Rivera jointly won Best Inspirational/Religious category in the 24th Awit Awards organized and given by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry, Inc. or PARI.

(History)
11.
Was founded by Atty. Ulpiano "Ulan" Sarmiento and Dinna Sarmiento in 1999 as a church-based choir with the old name "Hail Mary Children's Choir" serving on Immaculate Conception Parish (also old name) in Cubao.

12.
Hail Mary the Queen Chidren's Choir (present choir) came from two combined choirs, one is the Hail Mary Children's Choir and the other one is the Mary the Queen Children's Choir based at Mary the Queen Parish in Greenhills, San Juan to prepare for the 3rd Bremen Choir Olympics.

13.
Kuya Jude B. Roldan wasn't the original comrade of Ate Maria Theresa "Thess" Vizconde-Roldan, it was Ate Ross Michelle Clemeno-Antiqueno

(Fun Facts)
13.
Ate Thess and Kuya Jude started as sweetheart teachers of the choir until they got wedded and the choir is the HMtQCC.

14.
They sang/are singing several pop songs namely 'Love Story', 'Roar', 'Hey Soul Sister', 'Mamma Mia Medley'. Firework', 'One Thing' and 'Nobody'. Kuya Jude is now arranging a new pop song for the choir, and it'll have its premiere night on the 6th Halina't Umawit.

15.
Also sang many Disney OSTs/theme songs like 'Fly To Your Heart', 'You'll Be In My Heart', 'Go The Distance', etc.

16.
Is fully religious choir, they sing religious songs, but they're also good in singing local folk songs

17.
Knows multiple of dialects/languages because they sing international songs like 'Arirang' from Korea, 'Aizu Bandaisan' from Japan, Christmas song from Germany like 'Stille Nacht', 'Eres Tu' from Spain, and many more! Also have Latin text songs.

18.
Has been consistently part of 'Alay Kay Maria', a Marian concert organized by the Ateneo De Manila Unversity and also participated twice in the Christmas Gala of University of Santo Tomas

19.
Sang many ABS-CBN Christmas IDs and is consistently part of 'Siete Palabras' organized by GMA 7 every Lenten season

20.
Organized a children's choir concert for their 10th year anniversary last 2009 with the title 'Halina't Umawit'. Halina't Umawit actually is a title of a song composed by Kuya Jude that is part of the choir's reportoire in Jakarta Asian Choir Games. Now in its 6th year, they will feature Himig Bulilit of St. Paul College of Paranaque, Miriam College High School Glee Club, St. Scholastica's College-Manila High School Glee Club and Tiples de Santo Domingo.




I hope you are convinced to watch this spectacular concert. Please do buy tickets for this amazing event. Your money and time is worth spending for this. Promise!

Note: The Orchestra Center, Lower and Upper Boxes are SOLD OUT. Grab your tickets now!

Parterre Box - Php1,000 each, Orchestra Side - Php800 each, Balcony 1 - Php500 each and Balcony 2 - Php300 each. Special Discount: 50% for Students / 20% for Senior Citizens, PWD, Military and Government Personnel, and PCDA Members

The Feels

I suddenly felt the pressure.

Yesterday was the issuance of cards of my younger siblings and also their convocation. They are all honors! They all have academic merits!

My mom suddenly burst out with joy when all of my siblings are honors, and she suddenly made a segway, "Hindi ko lang alam kay JB (I just don't know how was JB's academics)."

Sufferings, pain and sacrifices flash backed to me as I heard that. How was my college life after all? Am I a dean's lister? President's lister? Cum Laude?

Right now, I don't know how to react.

God, please guide my way into what you wanted me to take. Thank you! I lift up my blessings and my future to you.

Wer Na U, D2 Me Buks!

It is our requirement to have an interview with one Filipino author. One of my groupmates have already contacted Mr. Eros Atalia, writer of books 'Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me', 'It's Not That Complicated' and many more fun stories, and had an appointment, but Mr. Atalia had already gone. So we set another day for us to interiew him, and that will be at the University of Santo Tomas, but it rained cats and dogs that time and UST is known for street floods whenever there is a rain/typhoon, so we cancelled our trip going there and set another appointment. It is then he said that we go at the University of the Philippines Manila because they will be having 'Biyaheng Panulat', a caravan of good Filipino writers that tour on universities and schools.

My groupmates in our Filipino subject went to UP Manila for us to interview him. And again, as I expected it, there came so many inconviniencies on the way, like Mr. Atalia being late on the expected time, the UP guards, and we almost not got the chance to interview him because the program already started.

While waiting him INSIDE the UP Manila campus, I personally made-up a negative impression to them and that's one thing I will not say. The ambiance is very different from our campus, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, even though we are of the same conditions, they are a state university, also us, but we differed on the tuition fee.

The little theater of them already started accepting audiences for Biyaheng Panulat, and we hesitated if we will go inside or not. But we decided to go inside. I am so naiilang when we entered because we are 'outsiders' they say. When we are already sitted at the back of the theater, Mr. Atalia texted Tennesy Busilan, one of my groupmates and also is the one who contacted him, to go IN FRONT. I don't know why?

We went through with the program, and the authors are already introduced and are at the stage. Suddenly, the authors/writers exited the stage. That's the time when he texted Ten this message, "Y di kau punta harap. Dito me buks"

Rushing, we went to the bookstore outside the theater. There we saw Mr. Atalia waiting. At last! The feels! You got to interview him after many delays, and you got to interview him, an award-winning author!

So many questions he had answered well, and so many answers touched me. It made me more competent to write as he said, "Isulat yung mga bagay na HINDI KAYANG isulat ng inyong panahon, isulat yung mga bagay na AYAW isulat ng panahon niyo ngayon. Chances are, kayo ang magiging BOSES ng panahon niyo".

A Chance In The GMA Studios - Radio Part

The radio studios we went into belong to the GMA 7’s DZBB radio station and Baranggay LS 97.1. Here, we witnessed Mr. Arnold Clavio and Ms. Aly Sotto in their program “Dobol A sa Dobol B” AND Mama Belle in her respected program in their FM station. We got a chance to ask questions to Mr. Arnold Clavio and to Mama Belle only, not to Ms. Aly Sotto.

Regarding the studio technicalities, In DZBB, there are lots of monitors, one for the news, for spiels, for live news and one for the music. There is this big sound adjusting machine in front of him and many microphones as well. We noticed one lady assisting Mr. Clavio and Ms. Sotto while on air. We also noticed a TV screen but it displays not their coverage but the ABS-CBN’s DZMM TV radio having Ms. Amy Perez and Mr. Marc Logan as hosts/anchors of the program. Ate April said it is for marketing strategies. You will not be best if you do not know what the qualities of your competitor are.

For Baranggay LS Studio, I noticed Mama Belle is alone – no assistants to help her in terms of technical setups. She said she is waiting for her guests when we came in her studio. She gave us tips on how to be a good disk jockey or DJ in the near future, like being true to what you are on air and off air. Although I didn’t know her, I liked the way she talks – it is really like a DJ’s instrument in the radio.

A Chance In The GMA Studios - The Conclusion

After that News and TV studio tours, we again went back to their famous staircase with the costumes of Encantadia’s Sang’gres and where you can also find the house used by Dwarfina and the most intriguing statue of Machete once played by Aljur Abrenica. I am a childhood fan of Encantadia, because of them I became so fond of fantasy story genres and mythical/elemental kind as well. I can’t believe I will be reunited to them again in thought and heart. And the statue of Machete, only reminded me of the ‘curse’ my college has. Be intrigued to what is the ‘curse’. Hint, it is for boys and men.

It is good that I have toured the studios used by the one of the pioneering networks in the Philippines. Aside from the fact that we need it for our major, I am personally a fact seeker, so it is my thing – to discover new things I should know as a thinking creature/citizen and as a knowledgeable student. Thank you Lord for that!

A Chance In The GMA Studios - TV Part

We had visited three state-of-the-art studios in GMA 7. The first one is the studio used in Balitanghali and GMA News Live. I hoped to see Ms. Pia Arcanghel but alas, I did not. There, we saw this technology GMA uses; it is called the camera with prompter. In this technology, the spiel or script is flashed in a monitor through which the scroll pace of the script is controlled in the control on to how fast the reader will be. This script will be reflected on a mirror, and while the presenter is reading the reflection, there is a camera at the back of the mirror. The presenter is now staring both to the script and to the camera. I found it intelligent.

Next studio is the studio used for 24 Oras, State of the Nation, Saksi and GMA Flash Reports. It is the biggest news studio for GMA Network. Here, we got to see Ms. Mariz Umali, another respected reporter in the field. We got to ask questions to her – both personal and educational. She always segway her 'Raffy Tima' to us, which makes her enter the showbiz aura at that moment. In addition, I got a groupie with her aside from the photo opportunity of my classmates. Also here, we saw the green screen used by Mang Tani in his weather reports. 

Next to the news studios we visited the biggest entertainment studio of the network. It is used by Don’t Lose the Money, Bet ng Bayan, Sunday All-Stars, Marian, and those I don’t remember already. Their concept of TV Studios is “box within a box concept”, meaning what is the size and shape of the bigger studio is also the size and shape of the smaller studios. When they need audiences, there are coordinators to coordinate the audiences needed by a program; there are no lines for passersby and general admissions. Also, technical teams should always setup fast and fix it also fast right after they use the studio to give way for the other programs of the network.

Teacher Ng Bayan

Pagpasok ko ng Tanghalang PUP, ang pinagdausan ng ‘Titser ng Bayan’ na isang dulaang tinampukan ng mga guro at propesor ng Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura bilang mga pangunahin at sekundaryang karakter ng nasabing pagtatanghal, ako ay namangha sa setup nila sa stage. Mayroong mga takip ng electric fans, mga lumang upuang pangsilid-aralan, at isang maputing tela na may bughaw na ilaw sa likod nito na nagbibigay ng magandang effects sa kabuuan ng stage.

Hindi ko ring aakalaing puno ang teatro nang oras na iyon ng mga manonood, marahil ay kailangan nilang manood o hindi kaya’y gusto nilang suportahan ang mga propesor nila. Naalala ko din habang nasa loob ako ay ang mga karanasan ko sa Cultural Center of the Philippines, isa sa pinakakilalang tanghalan sa bansa, dahil mayroon silang panimulang kanta panghanda sa mga manunuod. Naalala ko rin kung paano nila nabago ang hitsura ng Tanghalang PUP na kadalasa’y mukhang garahe lamang.

Hindi ko inakalang mga nagtuturo sila, akala ko ay kumuha pa ng mga magsisiganap para lang sa dulaang ito. Napakagagaling nila, isinasagawa talaga nila kung ano ang tinuturo nila at doon ako namangha. Hindi sila nakitaan ng kiyeme sa pag-arte at maging ang kastriktuhan na alam naman nating mayroon ang ibang propesor sa kolehiyo.

Nung unang parte ng dula, napansin ko na parang maka-aktibista ang ipinapahayag nilang mensahe sa amin, kaya doon ay nagulantang ako, kasi umiiwas ako sa mga ganoong bagay, ngunit napansin kong karugtong iyon sa buong dula, iyon ang espirito ng dulaan – prinsipyo. Nagustuhan ko ang mga kwelang karakter at ang mga makukulay pang ibang gumanap sa iba’t-ibang tauhan.

Mayroon akong natutunan na isang bagay sa dula, na kapag gusto mong magkaroon ng pagbabago sa iyong lipunan at kumikilos ka para dito, ikaw ay tinuturing na isang 'teacher ng bayan'.

Feel The Pinch, Please!

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, corruption is defined as a dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers). Here in the Philippines this word is very widespread, as long as there is a running hierarchy of leaders. The minds of every Juan automatically think that the top rankers are corrupt. This corruption regime is a blindfold in which we got used to the darkness. We feel hopeless that we will never resolve such a crime. As time ticks off the clock, our fondness to change and resolution decreases.

We are like numb persons, that every touch of hope of change we never feel, that every bites of ants of everyday crimes we can’t feel its pain and itch therefore we don’t mind to scratch it to ease the irritating sensation, and that every pinch of emancipation we never recognize, we never sense, WE CAN’T SENSE IT therefore we are not awakened by the sudden jolt it brings.

 “After all that pork barrel noise in Congress, why is no one in jail? The Ampatuan massacre — why, after four years, there is no court verdict? The daily murders —many of them are unreported”, as stated in one of F. Sionil Jose’s articles. If this corruption thing is always not resolved nor justified, what more the other ordinary crimes that needs a speed of justice could be?

This article also gave me a throwback of corruption days. “How brutal did our history brought to us, simula pa lang pala may corruption na!” I told to myself while reading it. There are these collaborators or linta who does everything for them to have comfort lives, while others who can’t have the chance that these leeches have are trapped in a discomfort life and tries everything to survive.

That’s why Filipinos don’t feel the rising economic status of the country, because before the fund will be felt by the people below, it was luxuriously felt first by those on top, therefore causing poverty, another reason to corrupt. I think even the politicians who corrupt experiences poverty or maybe they don’t want to experience such a thing. Is there such a term like “corruptor” for those who corrupt? Isn’t he also called a “thief”? Like those who experience poverty and was washed out with options and that they chose to steal?
A Spanish writer Salvador de Madariaga stated that a country need not be colonized by a foreign power — it can well be a colony of its own elites and leaders. And this is what we have become. But isn’t it that all problems have solutions? What could be the solution to this numbness? Or maybe who? I believe in this article, WE - the Filipino youth, the next in line, are going to be the doctors who will heal the peoples’ inability to feel so that they may respond to the itch, irritation and the pain of corruption, and also to the pinch of freedom.

Woke Me Up

http://www.mb.com.ph/the-talented-senator-bong-revilla/

This article entitled, The Talented Senator Bong Revilla”, opened my eyes about the world of corruption, and how politicians are so impure and so evil, that they think they can manipulate us in their own hands, but this article also made me realized that the Filipinos today, with the help of the issue of PDAF Scam, is now strong and bold enough to take a stand just to fight for the right and just. Also, this article challenged me to use highfalutin words.

A speech of privilege, which was also an ultimate goodbye to Senator Bong Revilla’s confreres, turned out to cover his face with what he think would make himself look good and naïve regarding to his plunder case. This speech – a speech that is sympathy-begging, heart hauling, innocence asserting and mind fooling, didn’t fulfilled its goal because the countrymen he tried to lure with his odorous speech wasn’t lured at all, but instead smelled an unpleasant odor of anger and hatred against him.

In the eyes of the public, his speech made him look guilty, because he keeps on denying his crime by announcing many good things that opposes what he had done. As stated in Basigan’s article, “A true statesman, albeit (even though) a guilty one, would have apologized for his sins of plunder, returned the funds that were stolen, resign from office and face the consequences mandated by the law.” But no! Instead, he used this privileged speech to make himself as if he was angry, aggressive, oppressed and innocent. Also, he used his privileged speech before for his aim to expose names of his accusers, those who belong in the administration, to accompany him in his real state – he was drowning in a quicksand of consequences. With this article, I conclude that Revilla isn’t a man of nobility.

For a man who suspended his little show into a song, and was an entertainer on his own speech of enticement to the Filipinos, the writer concluded his article in a folly way, that Senator Bong Revilla is talented both inside out.

Balloon Dresses vs. Mini-Skirts

Ladies, mademoiselle, girls, and women – these words depict femininity, both then and now. But as time permits evolution to happen, from machineries, language and culture, women also go to the flow with the sudden transformation, from the looks and the personality.

In the time of early European civilizations, women wore dresses when going inside and outside their homes. They don’t sweat, that’s why their conservative outfits are never hassle. Corsets were also in trend. It keeps their voluptuous womanly figures in tight. Fans weren't missing in a very upright woman, for it shows their grace and elegance. Outstanding hairdos will either amaze you or make you jealous, because this fashion material makes up an overlook of the woman having it. If you are a royalty, these wonderful hairdos describe her and should never be forgotten to be fixed.

Leaping to the after century, gals evolved to wear small clothing for their body symbolizing a liberal and a free girl. Gals sweat, so gowns and dresses will stress them. Fans weren’t needed as well; they only use it for ventilation purposes only. Now if woman yesterday fixes their hairs in sophistication, gals today need no hairdos; just a ponytail or braids will do it. Also, pieces of hair on the upper part of the face, or bangs, also went to the trend.

Way back before women laugh in its finest and silent way, is conservative, dignified, and is respected for their assertive behavior. Women also maintain the division of manly to womanly behaviors. But women usually were closed and locked in their rooms, perhaps because of their strict parents. Continuing our journey to the present, gals laugh boisterously together with their peers, not everyone are conservative anymore, want freedom, flirty, not respected for some undignified acts, and erase the borderline between boys and girls.

As we can all see, change is everywhere. Whatever differences women and gals have, they still share various similarities. But as great sayings go, the only thing that is permanent in this world is change and it is inevitable.

To Represent Thy Country

Last July 6-13, 2013 were the most memorable days of my life, for it was then when we flew off to the United Kingdom to represent the Philippines in one of the very prestigious choral competition in the world of music, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfodd . It was priceless because the sacrifices we invested during the summer rehearsals and training were paid off and also, that time I will be celebrating my birthday so it was the most memorable gift I had received together with my choir mates and friends – that is to be called “The First Children’s Choir of the World”. We underwent several fatigues just to be prepared for this big event of our year, be it physical, emotional, musical, financial, and spiritual fatigues, but we trusted God that He will guide us on our way there.

It was Saturday evening when we boarded our trip from Manila to London Heatthrow airport, but we had a stopover in Incheon Airport. There we enjoyed the Korean hype! Nah! It was just the amenities Incheon airport gave us. I even posted a message in my Facebook account, and my classmates wished me and my choirmates good luck and guess what ... pasalubong too!

After our major stopover in Incheon, South Korea, we headed straight to the London Heatthrow airport. We really prayed so hard that we even held our rosaries tight because of the turbulence we are experiencing. It wasn't my first time to board a plane, but the turbulence was really my first. At last! I thanked God for that we landed London already. From the airport, we were amazed by the sunset of London, for it was still bright in a 6:30 pm time. There we had a concert welcomed by different Filipino groups in London wishing the best for us and the country. After that, we went straight to Llangollen, North Wales because the competition proper will take place there. 

When we arrived there, we already saw our co-competitors in their respective buses. We made sure we were friendly for us to have a friendly competition while in Llangollen. On the first day, we had a televised parade of competitors in the beautiful streets of the town. On the next day was the competition proper itself for the two categories, Folk Children’s Choir and Senior Children’s Choir. For the first time, we arrived at the back stage. From there we felt a bunch of butterflies in our stomachs with our heart jumping for nervousness. There is a big monitor that shows the current performing choir so we were kind of felt intimidation for these angels on stage. When it was our time to sing, we saw how big the stage is, it gave me additional factor to be nervous, but as we were singing some choral artworks, my nervousness lessen to zero. 

After our turn, we went outside the tent (the hall for the competition) and luckily CNN (Cable News Network) and BBC (British Broadcasting Company) interviewed us and said we brought the sun with us, meaning the sun went out when we arrived at the place probably due to rainy days. After that, we went back to the tent for the announcement of the winner of the first category, and we got it with a score of 95, the highest score so far on the whole competition.

Even though on the second category we did not won, because of the 95 score we arose to be the new titleholder. It was amazing to hear the name of your country among the 27 competing countries; it was totally out of this world! I thanked our choirmasters for the great gift for my birthday. That day, I was like on top of a mountain shouting for joy. The parents who accompanied us cried because of this historical milestone for our choir, and us wearing a smile because of the triumph we got. After the triumph, we

When we arrived here in the Mother Land, many TV appearances, choral commitments, and lastly the courtesy call awarded by the Head of the State for the job well done. It’s good that through music, we gave glory to the troubled Philippines, to God, and to our families and selves. Amazing yet hard is what to expect to represent my country.