By ERVIN JON DAGUS
I’m proud to be part of the De La Salle University (DLSU) Chorale. Not everyone can say that they were part of a chorale during their university years, and even more so when one is part of an award-winning chorale hailed among the world’s best in 2023.
This milestone was achieved this year when the DLSU Chorale was crowned the 2023 Grand Prix Champion at the Busan Chorale Festival and Competition held in October. Our chorale not only took home a 20-million Won prize (almost a million pesos), but also bagged victories in the “Ethnic” and “Classical Mixed and Equal” categories. Our choirmaster, Jose Emmanuel “Joel” Aquino was proclaimed the best conductor.
We were not the only chorale group proudly waving the Philippine flag. Other Filipino groups, DYCI Dagalak and the City of Voices Chamber Singers, also claimed prizes at the Busan competition. Also from the country were Coro Bikolano, Voci di Gesu Chamber Singers, and Voices of the South Children's Choir.
The Busan Chorale Festival is a prestigious competition among chorale groups, and this year, 54 teams mostly from South Korea competed in front of more than 2,000 attendees. The victory marks the first time the DLSU Chorale has clinched the top plum since the competition’s inception in 2005.
When our group was announced as the Grand Prix champion on stage, the euphoria I experienced was unforgettable. Despite the stress and nerves that accompanied our journey, it was undoubtedly worth it.
Pressure piles up
Competing against top chorale groups globally added pressure. Prior to the Busan event, we participated in various competitions throughout the year, where our group consistently performed well and placed highly. With those successes, there is pressure to maintain the winning momentum.
Our preparations for the Busan stint began as early as the start of this year, amid fulfilling performance requests left and right, and holding a major mid-year production on campus. Despite these preparations and wins, there was much more happening behind the scenes.
Hurdles came our way, including tight deadlines for visa and passport applications. As students, we had to juggle these requirements while simultaneously keeping up with academic workloads, limiting our chances to rehearse as a complete group in the few days leading up to our departure for Busan.
Despite the stress, we finally came full circle, and the dream slowly materialized each day approaching our departure. Each one contributed selflessly, sacrificing the limited time they have to give their all to the group. Thanks to our hardworking executive board that exerted effort to make sure each individual was more than prepared with their documents, and every member was in good condition.
On the morning of the flight, immense joy filled me as soon as I got in the airport and joined the team huddle — getting goosebumps from the realization that we had a complete team embarking on a new experience, cherishing this new feat of traveling overseas to compete in a major international chorale competition.
Getting ready in Busan
Exhilaration set in the moment we arrived in Busan, greeted by bright lights from stores and restaurants. We were welcomed by the sea breeze brought by the famed Haeundae Beach close to our accommodation. As first-timers in the city, it was a magnificent sight.
However, we knew we had to set aside the excitement temporarily as we were reminded of our purpose in visiting Busan — to focus on the competition. Our unfamiliarity with the environment meant strict scheduling for rehearsals, lunch breaks, pre-competition preparations, as well as following precautions to safeguard each team member’s health, considering the chilly weather conditions in Busan, a stark contrast to the humid and hot weather in Manila.
Competition did not wait for us to settle those challenges, and it was time for the Busan Chorale Festival and Competition. We took centerstage at the Busan Cinema Center.
To understand the magnitude of the competition: every choir that competed, mostly from South Korea but with several from countries including Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and a few from the Philippines, was screened by esteemed choirmasters. We knew how closely matched we were with all choirs and must not be complacent at any level. More than the competition, taking the center stage reminded us about coming together as a group, feeling the joy of performing, and storytelling through making music.
Singing our hearts out
Nerves got the best of us a couple of times during our performances. But with every error, the team hurriedly did its best to rectify and work out any mistakes onto the next performance.
Before we knew it, our group was announced as the top choir in the two categories we competed in — Ethnic Category and Mixed Voices Category. We all squealed and jumped for joy, chanting the “D-L-S-U! Animo La Salle!” victory cry, as we could not believe the news that was broken to us just before the day ended. This unbelievable result would propel us to the Grand Prix, where we went on to give our hearts to our final performance, and not long after, overwhelmingly crowned as the top winner of the entire competition. The cherry on top was our conductor, Sir Joel, winning the richly-deserved “Best Conductor” award.
With so much happening, we could not believe an eventful week had passed in Busan. Before leaving, we couldn’t complete our trip without marveling at the city and buying souvenirs for loved ones.
On the day of our departure, many members wanted to see the sunrise by the beach. It turned out to be one of the more beautiful sights we’ve seen all week long. We did our morning walk right there, glancing at the clear sky, feeling the powdery sand and cool sea water, and watching how each person enjoyed their time.
Not long after, we were off to do last-minute shopping as we couldn’t afford to miss out on the craze on skin care products and K-pop merchandise. These moments of joy warmed my heart, knowing that my co-members and Sir Joel worked hard enough to get here and enjoy so much of what Busan has to offer, especially as champions.
This life-changing exposure will always stick with me wherever I go. Beyond seeing my dream of going to South Korea become a reality, I saw the hard work, passion, and dedication of all the people who made this trip possible. It was here that I saw the power of friendship and love. I admired how different personalities shaped our team dynamic, making a winning team feasible through our collective passion for making music.
The author is a graduating student taking Psychology at De La Salle University. He said the trip would not have been possible without the support of his parents, Nicandro and Imelda Dagus. He also extends his thanks to the DLSU Culture and Arts Office, to Ms. Max Mauricio for accompanying the group throughout the trip, his fellow choir-mates in DLSU Chorale for the lifelong friendships and fun shared in the memories, and to Sir Joel Aquino for being a “catalyst to countless opportunities” and for his “leadership, guidance, and love as the group’s best friend and father.”