although STELLAR musical performances are nothing new to the Ateneo College Glee Club (ACGC), the club is still determined to maintain a flawless pace throughout its upcoming stint in Europe this summer.
The European tour is the highlight of the club’s 90th year celebration.
ACGC President Will Tan said, “This year has been one of the years wherein a lot of alumni and parents have been very supportive in our concerts, tour preparations… This is why I’m happy that at least this year, our supporters have become more active than ever.”
Three concerts have been set prior to the tour, namely Gloria! In eXCelsis Deo, It’s a Grand Night for Singing, and a farewell concert.
The theme for each concert was patterned after the thrusts of Ateneo’s sesquicentennial celebrations — deepening spirituality, celebrating excellence, and building a nation.
The ACGC tour will start on April 1 and will end on June 20.
Old choir, fresh fire
ACGC is the country’s oldest university choir. The choir is world-renowned and award-winning; this, despite the absence of music degree offerings in the Ateneo.
Tan said that he wanted the community to be proud of the talents in the university. “I want them to feel the same level of pride that I feel for the organization. To win in international competitions and bring glory to the Philippines and the school is not something everyone can do, and so I’m really happy [with] how the glee club has become,” Tan said.
ACGC Vice President for External Affairs Abby Co agreed and said, “ACGC’s existence shows how Ateneans have continued to excel not only in academics but also in the arts.”
According to Tan, the members of ACGC also acknowledge and value the history and the past achievements of the club. He emphasized, however, that they want to “remain humble in spite of all the blessings since [they] know that everything was merely because of the grace of God.”
Tan also added that they themselves want the best for their organization, so much so that even graduates would keep track of the activities of ACGC.
Meanwhile, ACGC Marketing Head Mikhail Llado admitted that “the university can make do without [the club]. He said that ACGC sees itself as something “uplifting” rather than “necessary.”
“It’s really an honor—being musicians here in the Ateneo– not because we have to study our art, but because we love bringing it straight to the community,” he added.
Phasing their music
ACGC members practice for three hours a day to prepare for their concerts.
Comprehensive workshops on performance, vocals, choreography, and language are lined up for the members to polish their skills as performers in their upcoming tour.
Tan said that they also try to rehearse in different venues so as to get a feel of different acoustics.
Singing evaluations have already taken place twice and will continue, to ensure that each member stays in top shape.
ACGC also has a Concert Committee (ConCom) supervised by Llado and is composed of the singing members and the production staff. They act as the promotional arm of ACGC with regard to the organization‘s concert series and its 90th anniversary celebration.
“The concerts have been creatively done recently [compared to previous years where we simply have a theme and where we sing]. Now it’s more of really making the audience remember each concert. The ConCom [has] been excellent in organizing these conceptual concerts,” Co said.
Now and beyond
Llado said that the legacy of ACGC is the music that it has preserved and which grows through different batches of the ACGC across the century.
He added that the passion of the singers further enamors the living legacy of ACGC.
Tan sums up what is to be destined for ACGC and said, “ACGC will continue its legacy of musical excellence and devotion to God. People in the organization may change, but these two will surely [remain] the same.”
