AFTER almost three years of hiding from the virus, the songs of Christmas give me more meaning. It means we can sing together freely. It means we can again celebrate this season with friends and relatives. We took all of these blessings lightly, but now we understand how our simplest pleasures come from above.
In him we live and move and have our being, the Bible says.
One of the fine things we can already enjoy now is watching choral contests.
I like to see such competitions because I used to sing in a church choir, albeit briefly. When I was a business student in UP in the Visayas, I became a cast of the then popular musicale – Joseph The Dreamer – playing the role of Judah. World-class performers also inspire me.
A meaningful choral contest
I could not miss the Kasadya sa Bohol choral competition at the Bohol Cultural Center on December 10. Watching the performances, one would feel enchanted by voices bringing the spirit of Christmas in the Boholano language.
This is the idea of governor Aris Aumentado because he wants to strengthen the culture of Boholanos through music.
This governor nurtures Boholano music and culture as the event shows.
Handsome Prizes
Twelve municipalities and the city joined the choral contest. They were: Balilihan, Bilar, Calape, Dauis, Guindulman, Jagna, Loay, Loboc, Panglao, Sevilla, Tagbilaran City, and Tubigon.
The participants were all agog for handsome prizes. This simply attests the governor doesn’t withhold what can lift the morale of singers. Tubigon, the grand champion, romped home P150 thousand; Dauis, the second placer, received P100 thousand; while Balilihan, the third placer, bagged P75 thousand.
With these prizes, what group would not level up its stage choreography and rendition?
Inspiring the audience
At the cultural center, I took note that the venue was almost filled with the audience.
Understand this: the audience did not just benefit from the message of Christmas. Their gathering is proof we are no longer afraid of hiding from our fears. Our Christmas shows us it is indeed a time of liberation. Let us not forget how we would obey protocols and go hungry because only few could go outside their homes.
We have moved on.
And music has the power to transcend us to a new level of experience. Where the message of hope, salvation, and restoration was sung with various interpretations, we should be inspired and live up according to our innate divine instincts. The choral performances remind us it is indeed liberation time.
This is a more meaningful Christmas. Appreciate the blessings. The good Lord has turned our years of mourning and fear into songs.
We should continue to seek the Christ of our Christmases. Allow music to move our soul so that we can embody love, joy, and peace.
