Starting with the 'Unmusical' (but Equally Important) Learning for Joyful Singing
by Anna Patricia Rodriguez-Carranza
In 2023, Tita Len (Prof. Emeritus Elena Mirano) and I had a lunch meeting at the Bahay ng Alumni to look at children's choir scores for editing and pilot implementation. I was referred to do it and I really don't say 'no' to a lot of things (that's another story). In theory, I would know how to do it but I considered myself a "non-singer." I have some sort of aversion to solo singing - maybe a combination of low self-esteem, overthinking, and pride. Sabi nga ng ibang mga mata, "Music Ed naman yan, don't expect much."
What a joy it has been since that day - we've been able to test these songs in class, observe children's choir rehearsals, reverse engineer sessions into lesson plans, work with different singing groups of all ages, go to nice places as part of summer camps, do hands-on production work, and teach little children again (yes, after more than a decade). I was happy with those things already.
Then came the concert planning for the 55th Anniversary of UPCS - the apprentices will sing. "Magpasukat ka ng damit kasi diba, kukumpas ka?" It didn't sink in yet that I will prepare the children for their special number - a baptism of sorts for almost all UPCS apprentices. So, as I've said, I haven't handled children's classes in a loooong time. The stamina I needed, the patience I must have, the jokes in tow that I should be able to throw when they get too bored or overstimulated, and the humility to relearn how to handle children (of other people) post-pandemic. All of these brought back the joy of teaching.
I was telling a colleague the other day that for this concert, we only had 5 face-to-face rehearsals, a lot of prayers, Google Classroom materials, and a lot of classroom and stage management. These children grew up in extraordinary times and haven't had the predictable routine we had growing up. Before the concert proper, I had to break in the children by letting them roam the stage, run around the venue, get used to the stage lighting and tell them to look at me when it gets too bright, shout outside to release tension, re-group them for round singing as this was the only time they became complete due to people getting sick almost every week, wipe faces donned with chocolate pie syrup eaten during break time, had my hands squeezed "if they feel scared", and a lot more "unmusical things" we had to accomplish.
The UPCS Apprentices AY2026-27 at their first concert, “Luntiang Ani.”
But when they got on stage, they all showed a different game face. Some mistakes happened but they got back in the nick of time. What courageous, pure hearts they have. And as the last note on the piano finished ringing, the joy of singing echoed through the hall with the warm applause of the community that welcomed them.
Happy 55 years of Joyful Singing to the UP Cherubim & Seraphim!
Thank you for making this space for children to be children inside the cold walls of the University.
