One, two, three, four ... over thirty sopranos, altos, tenors and basses gathered on a Sunday afternoon. Five, six, seven, eight ... in less than fourteen days, they would have to be ready to perform for friends and family, both here and abroad. Anyone sane knows that it would be a logistical nightmare putting up a concert this fast.
But brilliance is never in the same neighborhood of sanity.
The initial response to the idea was overwhelming. Believe me when I say that the word overwhelming is an understatement. It was getting harder each day to read through the dozens of email replies, most of them providing encouraging words to keep us on the path. Albeit, in all efforts, naysayers are always bound to be trolling the happy campers--they were shown the error of their ways, if not shown the way out.
This was the kind of brilliance held by those who postponed their lives, left early from work and who felt there was something else important that they had to do. It's the kind of brilliance that warms the hearts of strangers: the kind of brilliance that turns into magnificence when four sets of voices and members who have never even sung together assembled to sing as one.
For one.
It wasn't just a reunion concert. I wouldn't even call it a PPF Concert. At best, it was a choir serenading its son, brother and father, Eric Oracion. And half-way through the performance, which he thought was the end of the concert, he was asked to sit with the audience as the rest of the choir continued to perform songs which he taught us, the PPF Choir, to sing.
We started the evening with the PPF version of Ama Namin, which was followed by Precious and Few with the choir's most prime members. Calvin Millado sang the solo part of Hanggang Langit, and Matit Villasin-Wood and Glenda Rea-Rollan sang Matulog Ka, one of the songs that was written and composed by Eric Oracion. Mavee Rea led the choir into a medley of Christmas Songs, one of them which was Himig ng Hangin, a haunting song about the birth of Christ which is my personal favorite. The men rendered a swooning Iniibig Kita rendition, which was upped by the song God Will Make A Way, led by Matit, Eric, Jay Rollan and Vincent Ocampo. Jan Mendoza flanked by Oliver Liwanag and Noel Ibay, with the rest of the boys sang a Boys II Men original, If I Ever. I'll Never Say Goodbye, the theme from the Promise was sung afterwards and Jan Mendoza and Batchie Dy sang Butchikik together with the choir. After the songs Pagbabasbas and Love and Truth, we requested Eric to sit down and enjoy the rest of the evening.
It was Kiko Versoza, who was able to gather himself quite admirably faster than the rest of us, explained why the rest of the choir was almost crying when Send in the Clowns was being sung - it was one of Eric's karaoke favorites. Even after the concert, its haunting melody is still stuck in my head like an idea waiting to be conceived.
And the Clowns continued to perform.
Tere Ibañez, sisters Carla and Dada Yoingco sang Your Heart Today, which left the men breatless. And a brilliant guitar duet of the song Katana by cousins Artie Ocampo and Harold Ocampo left the audience and rest of the choir speechless. Sophie Mozo braved the song I'll Take Care of You armed with a guitar while Pepeng Rollan and the Rollan and Rea cousins brought the house down with Eraserheads' Magazine and Huling El Bimbo. The Ocampo girls, backed-up by the choir, sang Breath of God while Adel Samson killed Change The World. Afterwards, the girls serenaded Eric with Say A Little Prayer led by Matit.
The concert ended with the songs Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas and the choir's swan song, United We Stand. I found myself shouting, "one more time" when there were still two stanzas left to sing. I can only imagine the high that everyone was feeling during that night. Amidst the rain, the strong winds and the obstacles that were laid on our paths, we were able to prove that impossible is nothing.
So who's clowning around? "Was there any doubt?" I told Corina Millado before leaving that night. There was a huge task that lay ahead of us still, but for one night we gave ourselves the task of seeing the smile on Eric Oracion's face, I think the clowns did an excellent job.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight... my head's still counting the beats. And my heart's still beating.
