A good song has the power of making us feel feverish and mushy. Love songs, old and new, make us think about the words and the thoughts they leave in our mind, long after the last line has been ardently sung. Somehow in a strange and wonderfully weird way, it makes us understand our own love story better and more.
This fleeting moment I felt while being serenaded by the Harana Men’s Chorus last Valentines Day. I remember telling myself when I walked in to take my seat in the second row that, if the size of the crowd was a portent of things to come, I was almost sure I was going to be in for a great time. The Celebrity Center at the Church of Scientology in Hollywood was filled to the rafters! Stage light on and there they were on stage – all 13 of them, ready to make ‘harana’, a Philippine tradition where a group of men literally gathers to serenade a woman to win her love.
Throughout the night they sang favorite international and Original Pilipino Music (OPM) hits. And with each different song came different memories. We were transformed into chunks of lovely memories. Many times the audience sang along and it was very spontaneous. My heart jumped when they sang L-O-V-E, a Nat King Cole favorite. It made me all woozy in hopes of one day getting hit by cupid’s arrow. Such a light romantic song! A second favorite is Too Shy to Say which is a modern acapella version of Stevie Wonder. Lara Avengoza did an awesome job singing The Carpenters signature hit, I Won’t Last A Day Without You. OPM’s Mamang Kutsero, a Ryan Cayabyab classic and an arrangement of Kundiman pulled us back to a time of Manila memories.
So much talent we have! Harana Men’s Chorus are amazing singers, accomplished in their own way, exuding with so much passion and enthusiasm. They have a gentle way of making the audience want more. Founded by Gelo Francisco and conducted by Ed Nepomuceno, the Harana Men’s Chorus is a group of young men of varied choral background from Southern California joined by their love for singing and making music.
Songs from the heart has the power of making us feel blessed to have someone to love and who loves us right back. Each has a different love story to tell always. As in every generation, many people today are still searching for answers to questions about love, how to love and the quest to finding the "right one." At the moment, let the Harana Men’s Chorus wrap us with their music and embrace us with their spunk and creativity. This is their magic.
( Published February 24, 2010 in MDWK p. 6 )
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