THE DECISION
It’s really part of my plan to go back to school. Whatever and wherever I didn’t know… I mean I didn’t have a clear and final decision on what course to take and where to study. I did have choices…
Applied linguistics - Alliance Graduate School - I can be a literacy worker
BS Social Work - University of the Philippines - I’d be a social worker
Bachelor of Music/ DCPMA - University of the Philippines - I can be a music teacher
The latter was like one of my choices but I was leaning more towards the first two because getting into the conservatory would require me to take a theory exam, and if I pass that I still have to take a talent audition.
Anyway all I know is that I really want to go back to school. My one and only office mate wanted to do the same thing too, so we were like thinking where and what to study. Then we had a chat with a UP student who is taking up Community Development and we asked her about the courses and stuff and what to do if it’s your second degree, blah, blah… and she suggested us the Open University. Well if I’m going to choose the Social Work I can study through the OU. But then the lady we talked to told us that maybe the application date’s already over and well we can just check out U.P.’s website to be sure. So Two Mondays ago I did check the website and well I happened to click the link to the College of Music’s website. Then I saw there that there’s only a day left before the application deadline. So it was like a spur of the moment… I decided right there and then that I’ll try out….
THEORY EXAM
I did apply one day before the exam… like in the last minute. And there was this guy who asked me if he can come with me to go to the cashier to pay the fee. Anyway he doesn’t really come in in the story ^^ So there I was a bit nervous because I was thinking “what if I already forgot everything I know?!?”. I was even a little panicky but I remember that the first time I took the exam (yep this was my second take) it was pretty easy. So I got there early… an hour early actually. I told my boss and our team leader about the exam and they allowed me to go half day. When I got there some students were there already there too. Some with their parents, and some with their friends. I felt old! Bwahahaha… well since that’d be my second degree already of course I’m older than most of the people there. So on with the exam…. well it was easy… I think I made some mistakes with the critical listening part. And I was terrible with the solfegge. My voice was squeaky due to nervousness, and I did not follow the beat properly. I just focused on the melody. Well anyway I got through that part and I just had to wait for a day and a half to get the result. If I pass… I’d still not be off the hook because there’s THE talent audition… yikes.
FIRST RESULT
Though the exam was easy… I still didn’t believe that much that I can pass. I mean there were a lot of students who took the exam. I bet those kids were as prepared as I was. But well my brother Jeg told me that I’d pass. I think I’d pass too… but it was a weird feeling because I’m not sure if I’m ready to have the talent audition. I failed the first time I took it. And there’s the repertoire that I also have to think about. The required repertoire was still the same… Italian aria, and a kundiman. But I dunno where on earth I can get the music sheets! I once had ‘em but being the “burara” that I am I think I misplaced the sheets that I had. So aside from thinking about the result, I was also thinking about where to get the music sheets, and I’m preparing for something I don’t even know I’d be able to do… ‘coz what if I didn’t pass the theory exam, right? Anyway I first looked up the internet in the office the day after the exam. I searched for free music sheets online. I spent almost the entire day in the office (of course I do it while I dont have students, okay…) but I didn’t find any. So I thought of another place where I can find the sheets. Then I remembered that they might have it in the CCP library. I only got the kundiman… but no Italian Aria!!!!! I even asked Jeg to ask his friends if they have copies. I still didn’t know the result by that time. Then Friday morning I looked it up on the web again and eureka! Woohoo!!! I found 2 songs that I can actually sing! But of course I was still nervous because I still didn’t know if I passed the theory exam or not… I decided to get the result first before having the music sheets printed out in Philcoa. So I went to the board where the results were posted and… and… saw my name under the voice major passers. ^^ So on with the audition… (psycho soundtrack insert here…. shing, shing, shing, shing…)
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
When I got my hands on the music sheets… God bless the heart of the people I’m staying at home with… I sang and sang and sang… and even made a “show” for Angel and Leah… it was like a stand up comedy stuff… hehehe….
AUDITIONS
On the day of the audition… i got there early as usual. I was trying to practice the italian song because I forgot how one bar goes and I was a bit panicky again. Well I was seated on the floor in front of the audition room… feeling weird. I was nervous.. and I dunno… I also felt calm l ‘coz I just asked my churchmates to pray for me. And I trusted God about it. Hmmm…. that’s the best thing about trusting God. You can really rest assured that everything will be a-okay. And being a-okay doesn’t only apply to the nice things that happen in our lives. Even if things don’t go as we planned, well God is still in control.
So I just sang… my mind was whirling while the words and melody floated out in the air… naks poetic! Then I just went home and trusted God for the result. Sabi ko nga sa nanay ko… my motto became… to pass is Christ and to fail is gain. Hehehehe… well she also told me that there’s really nothing to lose since I already graduated…
My audition was a Monday… then the next day while I was on the jeepney on my way home I got an sms from Dr. Navarro… the Chair of the Choral Conducting Dept. that I might be intersted in trying out for the choral conducting program since I was referred by the voice dept…. but of course! So the next day I went there again after work… I just practiced a little bit at home the night before. When I got there, another lady was also waiting outside for the audition. Actually we got there at the same time. She asked me if we still have to wear a Sunday dress since last Monday we did. I was like… Huwaaaat??!! We were s’posed to wear a dress? Oh… so that’s why almost everybody were all dolled up and pretty and I was slimped on the floor wearing just a red shirt and a pair of jeans! Bwahahaha… Anyway she told me that’s how we’re s’posed to dress up during auditions. Hmmm… I really didn’t have any idea.
Anyway… Dr. Navarro got out of the office and handed me a music sheet… I think that was the UP Hymn or something. I was to study it for ten minutes on a piano and play it for him afterwards. I can play all of the parts individually but of course since it has four voices I have to play at least two voices together. When I got in the room, I was feeling relaxed and all… I mean that’s my 2nd audition already… so I was like pretty much used to it. So he interviewed me first… just threw me a few questions about my music experience then after that he told me to play the piece. Hurrmmm… I played the Soprano part with ease… the beat was basic so it was pretty easy. Then he asked me to play the soprano and alto part together… hmm… okay…. i bungled most of the parts… but when I got to the tenor and bass part… it was just… never mind. I was squinting.. and I felt a bit dizzy.. I think I need to wear a pair of eyeglasses already…. (excuses, excuses, excuses)
SHING SHING SHING SHING….
I just had to wait for a day and a half to get the result. My legs felt wobbly and there were like butterflies and bees inside my tummy the whole day. Before I got the result I decided to go with Andrea again to the home for unwed moms. The bible study ended at about 5 pm… so she decided to just drop me off at UP ‘coz she was riding a cab on her way to Marikina to attend a prayer meeting. She’s such a dahlin’… ^^
So I get there…. walked up the steps to enter the small gate. There were not a lot of people there anymore since it was almost 6 pm already… I walked… and walked… and walked… then I saw the board with a post of the names who passed.
Cantuba, Ma. Divinagracia …………………………………….. Choral Conducting
Whew. Shaky hands. Thank GOD. Text someone, anyone. No load. Walk, walk, walk…. waiting for the jeepney outside. Hmmm…. nice sunset. Luvit! Contemplating. This is for you God.
Bawat kumpas ay para sa’yo.
