Europa!

Im about to go on a 3 month  Europe Concert tour next week with the Philippine Madrigal Singers...



Let me just say that once again.



Im about to go on a 3 month Europe Concert tour next week with the Philippine Madrigal Singers.




OH MY GOD. I just came back from our Singapore concert 3 days ago and next week I'm flying to Europe.


I find the thought a bit hard to digest.


Sometimes the thought really doesnt sink in because its kind of overwhelming that this is all happening to me. Who wouldve thought... Me? I havent really identified myself as a singer as I've been trained half of my life as a pianist. Singing only came secondary to me as I was required in my course to finish a minor in voice and attend 6 units of chorus class. I am still learning and learning a lot and above all, Im loving it. <3

I may not show my enthusiasm on the surface but deep down, I am just so honored. I honestly dont know what I did to have the opportunity to sing with such a great choir.

 Sometimes people would ask me, "Are you excited to go to Europe?!", and I go, "Yeah... a little."
I guess other concerns are also playing in my mind like studying and memorizing scores. But when I really really think about it, its all a bit too much to take in.

 Like if I were to tell my highschool self  "Cel, in the not so far future, you will be travelling around the world with the best choir in the Philippines", I probably would toy  with the thought bu then probably dismiss it after a day or two. Heck, I didnt even know then that I would be a piano student of UP College of Music. Back then, I was choosing between English Lit., Management Economics as pre-law, or Piano Performance.

 It really is unfortunate to have to choose at such an early age what you want to do for the rest of your life because even at this point, I still don't know what I'm going to do with my life and I'm still in the process of discovering. Maybe this is it. I'm going to sing to the world. I'm happy though that I chose music though sometimes I try to look back and think where I'd be  now if I chose to pursue Management Economics in Ateneo. I'd probably be in an office cubicle, computing, analyzing numbers and stuff. Or studying my brains off in law school. Yeah...I'm glad I chose music. If only for the opportunity to join the Madz, I'd pick music all over again, but I'd probably take up voice instead of piano.

We leave Sunday next week (And I honestly dont know where we are going) and I'm just at lost with what to pack and bring as this s my first time to travel around Europe, more so with a very prestigious choir.

So obviously I have a lot to learn with this troubadour lifestyle. I've made a general list of things I need to bring in Europe and heres what I have so far.

VERY IMPORTANT (I can forget everything except these):
Passport and ticket
Costumes, shoes and Accesories and Make up kit
Madz Shirts
Music Scores

IMPORTANT
Toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deo, sunblock?, cotton buds, tissue, sanitary napkins etc)
Medicines (Alerta, biogesic, decolgen)

Clothes - how many and what kind?
Jeans - how many?
Jacket/coat - what kind? what fabric?
Boots, slippers, rubber shows, black flats
swimwear?

Gadgets:
Cellphone, laptop, itouch, CAMERA! and their respective chargers, of course.


Hmmm what else? I think I have most of them I just need to go shopping for:

Boots
Contact lenses and solution
New jeans
La Boca Jeans
Underwear and sleep wear
A new LAPTOP - Im hoping people who read this post (though I know I only of one reader, Cat de Leon, who is my only follower in blogspot. hahah) can suggest any brand and efficient model for a musician's laptop. Initially I wanted Apple but I decided its too pricey for my erratic monthly income from teaching and gigs...which by the way I'm about to leave behind.

Yes. I'm about to become jobless! Im finalizing my lessons with my students and transferring them to my old piano teacher. Slowly breaking the news to the parents and kids. :-( But cest la vie. There come a time when I will settle with a stable job and place of my own, perhaps a music school, but now, I must exhaust all the marrow of life and enjoy youth's vitality! And Madz is the perfect place to be to grow and experience life.



Hmmmm what else? Lets see.


Oh yeah - note to self: MUST LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE EUROPE. Ive gained since we started touring, and thats not even Europe! Project sexiness is back for the Nth time and lets hope I succeed. I have one week left. HAHA. Lets do this!

I'm about to meet up with Ate Jacq in awhile to giver her my costume for some further embroidery. Its already 5:20. I should start getting ready.


Bye