Choral rebirth in Dagupan?

By Gerry Garcia

The University of Pangasinan Glee Club’s bagging top honors, together with Russia, in the choral competition in Xiamen, China mid-July (dubbed the 4th World Choir Games 2006) involving daw the “best groups” from 10 countries was, for this writer at least, amazing. Utterly amazing! in fact.

And  we have cause to be delightfully shocked, as young Choirmaster Gilbert Allan Dispo most probably was, because the Upang Glee Club had been this writer’s baby during his heydays as English/Philosophy professor  in the then Dagupan Junior Colleges, immediately precursor of the University of Pangasinan. That was then in the early 60s, when maestro Allan was probably not born yet.

* * *

There was a whale of difference though, between the present university glee club and that of yesteryears. The glee club, actually a mixed chorus of female (soprano and alto) and male (tenor and bass) voices, we originally whipped up in 1963 was made up of some 60 members — a far cry from Allan Dispo’s group today, which numbers only 10. And it has an assistant choirmaster, Leo Jun Hugo.

Again, while the DJC group had been existent up to the earlier years of the university it made various appearances in school and public functions, it did not enter nor was it  ever invited  to any competition.

The new UPang Glee Club on the other hand, despite its diminutive size, struck silver, signifying the “highest winner” in Category 6, Music Vocal Ensemble, meaning, in the words of Allan, the University of Pangasinan Glee Club was proclaimed winner with Russia, a country known for its magnificent cultural heritage.

Rather comforting . . . . . but confusing.

* * *

A few years after the war, we had a sort of Cathedral Male Choir in the city made up of real and frustrated music lovers. The tenor section was led by the late Vicente Vinterez, then a UP Conservatory of Music alumnus. He had under him former policemen Ray Parayno and Johnny Bacani as second tenors. Baritone sector, including bass, was dominated by the late Dagupan City Police Chief Atty. Bing Calimlim and the late Dean of the Upang’s college of engineering Manuel Fernandez . . . with the off-and-on assistance of US-based Johnny Villamil. Wielding the baton was the late violinist and banker Antonio Espino, at times substituted for by this writer. Piano accompanist was the late Paquito Villamil, father of Johnny.

We remember having the late Tony Miranda of the Development Bank of the Philippines branch here in the city rubbing elbows with Vinterez, Parayno and Bacani in the tenor section.

In our annual Christmas caroling drive in Manila, we used to have the consoling company of parish priests Rev. Fathers Jaime Allado and Carlos Frias and managed to raise from 7 to 10 thousand pesos from 3-night yuletide singing, then already a hefty amount in those days.

The additional sum netted beyond the 10 thousand quotas we divide among ourselves. After all it’s not the money that counts but the joy of travel and the feeling of goodwill.

 

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments