Who would know that I would ask my old chorus instructor to guide District 67 Toastmasters Chorus on her daughter's funeral Wednesday, August 12th? It has been more than a decade since I last sang with Chinese Women Chorus conducted by Ms. Hung. It was a big surprised to see her and her daughter Yu-ting at my friend's wedding on July 4th this year. A week later, I was informed by my friend that Yu-ting passed away and there would be a funeral concert on August 12th. What a shock news it was!
At Yu-ting's funeral, I listened to many beautiful healing and comforting songs from various chorus groups in Taiwan. Four old members from the Madrigal Singers of the University of the Philippines came to the funeral. When Chris called me before the concert, I could hardly recognize him. Then Oscar, Mark, Jojo waved at me to whisper hello. Likewise, it has been more than a decade since I last saw them.
After the funeral concert, we went to Barista Cafe' for brunch. It was the first time I could have another good look at the four handsome guys. So much has changed in the last 15 years, Mark is the master of Madrigal Singers now, Chris is still in Madrigal Singers, but from the youngest member to the oldest member of the group. Jojo and Oscar left Madrigal Singers and became famous conductors in the Philippines.Life is an array of serendipity. Hopefully we seize the celestial messages from God and our friends in the heaven to give birth of District 67 Toastmasters Chorus and excel ourselves at the debut performance at D67 Fall Convention 2009 at the historical Chung-sun building in Yangmingshan National Park in November 2009.
2 comments:
Dear Sherry, What a wonderful story about friends, singing and chorus. There are times that our beloved ones leave us to heaven. And there are times grief can only be expressed by silence. However, you are right! Music can heal, songs can comfort souls. And we are all God's children to help each other during the difficult times. My eldest brother Allen just passed away recently and I sang a song for him before his ashes were permanently placed in a small chapel on the hill. After a long battle of physical illness he is finally rested in peace. I am grateful that we have friends and relatives to come and pay our last respect to him. To leave this with a happy note, in March our members of YMIC TMC had a good time join the wedding of Alice Lin our EVP then. Now she is our president. We are expecting to hear her good news about the baby hopefully soon. Then we will all get together sing our hearts out for her. Chills!! erick
Dear Erick,
So happy to know that we shall become the charter members of District 67 Toastmasters Chorus.
When language can't express our sorrow and joy enough, music comes in. Music can not only heal our souls, but it also uplifts our spirits to a new dimension.
How nice it is we could cherish one another in Toastmasters in another form of talents bestowed upon us human beings by the Almighty.
Cheers,
Sherry
Post a Comment