Category Archives: music

Our First Duet

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 Abet had this bright idea to have a first duet instead of the traditional first dance — him on guitar, me on cello. It’s mainly because he absolutely refuses to dance. I didn’t want to do it at first because our musical skills are not at par. Abet is a national champion (he won the NAMCYA for guitar in 2005), while I studied cello until Suzuki Book 3 (a children’s method). He practices six hours per day while I practice… once every six months. :P But then again, why not?  I haven’t seen it done before, most of my friends have never heard me play, and it will be oh-so Abet and Dea, so uniquely us. After all, it was music that brought us together.

I chose the piece we played, Salut d’Amour, op. 12 by British composer Sir Edward Elgar. It means ‘greeting of love.’ It’s a piece originally for piano and violin which Abet arranged (and super-simplified to Dea-level) for guitar and cello.

I was nervous about it, but Abet told me to just enjoy the moment, and I did. Even as I heard my notes go flat and my strings screech against my bow, I enjoyed it. I had fun, can you tell?

I am so glad that we got to do this. Our duet is one of my favorite wedding moments. I’ll forever cherish this comment left by my friend Bunny on my Facebook:

Most of the time that you were playing, I was watching how Abet looked so admiringly at you – and not at his guitar. Ikaw na, Dea. Ikaw na. =D

May this be the start of a lifetime of making beautiful music together.

*first 3 photos from my friend Maedeleine Chua’s Facebook, last photo by Mimi+Karl

My little brother is so talented!

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My brother Joe cover’s Katy Perry’s Firework on the cello — with five cello parts! Must watch!

He did the video-editing himself.

Not bad for only less than three years of lessons and a chipipay instrument. :)

And yeah, he’s 19 years old, but he’ll always be a little baby boy to me.

Hello, Cello!

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We have a new addition to our little collection of musical instruments: an electric cello! This is my parents’ gift to my brother Joe for his 19th birthday last week.

My brother is in love with his new toy, and so am I. I couldn’t stop playing it earlier. My brother and I name all our instruments, but Joe can’t think of an appropriate one yet.

I’m so excited about this instrument. It means that I can start practicing again! The main reason I’m not able to practice as much as I want to is because the only time I have to do so is in the wee small hours of the morning, and the traditional cello is too noisy for that. Now, I can just plug in the earphones and bow away! I want to be good enough so I can play the cello at my own wedding.

I think I like the electric one better than the traditional one, I’m thinking of getting one for myself after the wedding (I hope I save enough so I won’t have to look into easy personal loans).

This means that we have three cellos in our home now:

The new cello, the old cello, and Cello the dog!

EDIT: Click here for video of him playing Bach’s Prelude no. 1 in G Major, recorded yesterday.

***My brother is so handsome, haha!***

Lemming for a trombone

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I want a trombone. I’ve always wanted one. It’s my second favorite instrument next to the cello for three reasons: (1) it’s used in both jazz and classical music, which are my two great loves; (2) it mainly uses the bass clef, which I prefer over the treble clef; and (3) it doesn’t call for long fingers, which I don’t have. Abet and I went to Raon yesterday to get a mic for the cello and I can’t help but ogle the t-bones on display. I probably won’t be getting one anytime soon, though. I need a trombone like I need snow boots in Manila. Besides, we already have enough musical instruments at the moment. We have Jacqueline the cello which is in Baguio with Joe. Then there’s Joshua the violin which is missing its chinrest. Underneath my bed is Herbie the flute, which I haven’t touched again after I had it re-padded three years ago. There are the two guitars, one of which was a Christmas gift from Abet to my family. We have an upright piano that needs a bit of tuning. And somewhere in this house, there’s a “C” harmonica named Toots.

I wonder if there’s anyone out there who’s willing to trade a decent trombone for a chinrest-less violin.

Meet my favorite guitarist

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…who also happens to be my favorite boyfriend:

My officemates asked me if I have any videos of Abet playing, and I remembered this video that one of his teachers uploaded on YouTube. This was taken several years ago when he was still as student, before we got together. He looks so young here, but his playing kicks ass.

My officemates became instant fans after watching this. I’m president of the fans’ club, of course.

I’ve always loved ‘em musician boys. :D Being musically-inclined is what gets me most attracted to guys (that, and perfect teeth, good skin, and good English). And while I could probably be been happy with someone who can at least carry a tune and know the difference between an oboe and a double bass (given that he has perfect teeth, good skin, and speaks good English), I end up with an excellent musician- -who teaches music for a living! How cool is that?

Abet doesn’t need any kind of gayuma or maxoderm or potions on me, he just whips out his guitar and starts playing, and I’m all over him!

Love + Cello

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Love is like anything; the more you nurture and focus on it, the better it becomes. You can’t expect to be a master cellist if you never pick up the cello. Do you think Yo-Yo Ma became who he is by laying on opposite sides of his cello in bed at night? Or by listening to the TV instead of it? I would guess not. I would think he held it. Touched it. Listened to it.

-from Gwen in Love, a new sex relationship blog I’m loving right now

–=-=–

deacello02

This is Jacqueline, one of my loves. I miss her terribly. She’s in Baguio with Joe right now, where I’m sure she’s having a grand time with all the hunky boys around. :P

Seriously, I really do miss having the cello around. I miss taking lessons and practicing until my fingertips are sore. My siblings and I used to do these silly trios with May on the guitar and Joe on the violin, I miss that as well, those were fun times.

I really should buy my own cello, because I’m getting nowhere near my goal of playing Bach’s first cello prelude without an instrument around!

Life as a Classical Guitarist’s Girlfriend

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I was chatting on Facebook earlier with a high school friend whom I haven’t been in touch with in a long time, and we discovered that our boyfriends are both classical guitarists/guitar professors. Pretty soon, we were talking about what it’s like to have a musician for a significant other. I found it hilarious that her boyfriend played for her Agustin Barrios-Mangore’s Julia Florida before they got together–just like Abet did to me before we got together! So now we know… that piece is the secret weapon of guitarists! :D Listen to Julia Florida being played by David Russell on YouTube and tell me if the piece doesn’t make you fall in love.

–=-=–

Our online conversation reminded me of this blog post I wrote on September 2007, written a month before our first anniversary, I’ll repost it here for posterity:

Some anecdotes from the past 11 months:

  • I now know what PIMA stands for, and what fingers they correspond to. As if I care.
  • I know all four members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet by face. I can’t even do that for any string quartet.
  • I can impersonate Odair Assad. Maybe even Pepe Romero if I try hard enough. Yep, I know who they are.
  • I find it disturbing to watch him file his fingernails with utmost intensity. I feel like he’s going to pull out a magnifying mirror any minute and then tweeze his eyebrows. This still needs some getting used to.
  • The nail of his right thumb needs to be a certain shape and length for him to produce his ideal sound. I have taken it to myself to memorize how that nail is supposed to look, lest he get frustrated. I have even taken high-resolution close-up photographs for reference.
  • I can hum/sing the orchestral part/accompaniment of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.
  • He gave me the best birthday gift ever, on the day before my 24th birthday, the NAMCYA Concert of Champions. It was a moment I’ll never forget–Abet alone with his guitar on the stage of the CCP Main Theater, a larger-than-life sepia photograph of him slowly descending from the ceiling as his recorded self-introduction was being played back, which went, “Nais kong pasalamatan ang aking inang si Carmelita at ang aking kasintahang si Dea. Alay ko sa kanila ang aking tugtugin ngayong gabi.” I would probably have fainted if not for the reaction of the audience. ;-) He then played Barrios’ La Catedral and Koshkin’s Usher Waltz flawlessly.
  • A common message I receive:

    Mahal, bukas na
    lang ako tatawag,
    ha? Napasarap
    ensayo ko.

  • I have mastered turning pages upside-down. Sometimes Abet plays sitting on the bed facing me, with the sheet music between us facing him, so the music is upside-down from my perspective. I’ve gotten used to this arrangement, I don’t know if I can still turn pages right-side up.
  • He counts with his fingers the American way, i.e. thumb is 1, pointer finger is 2, middle finger is 3, etc. I think it has something to do with the PIMA thing.
  • He influenced me into loving four of the most popular musicians ever–The Beatles!
  • If I had a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup for every time I’ve heard him introduced as “si Abet, yung nanalo sa NAMCYA” or something along that line, well, I’ve probably had a lot of Reese’s by now.
  • He randomly checks the fingertips of my left hand to make sure they’re rough and calloused. He claims that he can tell if I’ve been practicing based on how rough they are.
  • He also does these random musical tests. One time, a drum corps passed us by, and he asked, “Anong metro ‘yan?” Or the time he asked what interval the ding-dong of the elevator was.
  • One time, we were arguing, nagpapayabangan kami, pataasan ng ihi ba. And when he was already hopelessly losing, he desperately cried out, “E bakit, marunong ka bang mag-Aranjuez?” Grrrrrrrrr! Get over it, that is so 2005! That was when I realized that it is possible to be annoying and adorable at the same time.
  • He was once in love with a girl named Mimi, and his ex-girlfriend that came before me is named Lala. Therefore, I have given myself the new nickname Dosharpdosharp, just to complete his A Major triad. Both our initials are A.M. after all.
  • A message I received yesterday:

    I love you so much,
    mahal ko. You’re
    the most precious
    gift He has given
    me, more precious
    than music.

    ‘Kung di pa ako matutunaw niyan, ewan ko na lang.

Baguio again in a bit

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Mama, Papa and I will be off to Baguio in a few hours to bring Joe his cello. I cannot explain just how happy I am to know that Joe will get to make music while in the Academy. I’m sure that having his beloved instrument with him will bring him a bit of comfort. I’m glad that the PMA officials are encouraging their cadets to keep on developing their talents.

My brother has major talent in his pinky fingers alone.

I’m gonna miss Jackie the cello here (I haven’t been using her that much lately, anyway), but she and Joe will have a good time!

Pepper Lunch

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Until this afternoon, I was probably the only Chuvaness fan in Manila who has not tried Pepper Lunch yet. The first two branches (Rockwell and Shangri-La) aren’t too accessible to me. Luckily, Pepper Lunch opened at Alabang Town Center two weeks ago. I dragged Abet and May there for lunch today.

Pepper Lunch
May’s Beef Pepper Rice (P198)

The dish is served on a patented cast iron heated to 260 degrees centigrade and stays hot for up to 20 minutes. The meat is raw when it arrives: you’re supposed to cook your meat on the plate, mix everything up (there’s special butter and sauce in the middle of the plate), and drizzle the food with steak sauce (Amakuchi – Honey Brown or Karakuchi – Garlic Soy).

Pepper Lunch
Abet’s Shimofuri Pepper Steak (P610)

Just look at that pretty chunk of beef above, doesn’t the marbling look good? We couldn’t talk to Abet after his dish was served, he was too busy enjoying his steak.

Pepper Lunch
my already-cooked and already-mixed Chicken Pepper Rice (P198)

I enjoyed everything about my Chicken Pepper Rice, and I don’t even like peppercorns. I guess it made a difference that their peppers are freshly prepared each morning, with just the fragrant outer shells used. Their honey brown sauce was just to die for, May and I practically drowned our food in it.

I can’t believe it took me this long to try Pepper Lunch. It was worth queuing for more than 15 minutes to order and smelling like our food afterwards. With the ATC branch nearby, the only thing that’s keeping us from dining there more often is the price. Don’t get me wrong, the food was worth it, but Abet and I shouldn’t be spending so much at this point. Still, I’m dying to try the salmon chicken rice and the hamburger + cut steak combo. Next payday, perhaps? I just need to make sure we don’t go there during lunch time.

–=-=–

Abet took me to the Pluck and Struck concert at the Insular Auditorium in Alabang last Saturday evening. It was my first time to watch Abet’s professor and mentor, Sir Ruben Reyes, in concert. He played Brouwer’s Concierto Elegiaco and I was in awe: he really is the best. Perf de Castro performed one of my favorite pieces in the whole world, Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, and I was utterly disappointed, both with the guitarist and the orchestra. What a bummer. Jovianney Cruz’s Liszt Piano Concerto no. 1 was fantastic, so it was still a good concert overall.

–=-=–
While waiting to meet up with Abet last Saturday before the concert, I caught this nice old man playing the grand piano at the Commerce Ave. part of ATC:

I was looking at shoes at VNC (great stuff there, by the way) when I heard “I Wish You Love” playing from outside the store, and I just had to follow the music. A small crowd had gathered to listen to him play standard tunes. Lolo was really good–he took requests–he must have been a hotel or bar pianist in his younger years. I have a video of him playing “That’s All.” It was a nice treat to hear good live jazz music when I least expected it.

–=-=–

Abet and I watched Marley and Me on DVD–Marley looks exactly like our Labrador Retriever, Django! We were cooing during the movie. I wish our dog lived with me instead of with my boyfriend–I only get to see him on weekends–but I don’t think I can handle all the feeding and the cleaning up.

–=-=–

I’m drinking chocolate Vodka Mudshake as I type. Good stuff.

I hope y’all had a good weekend.

Missing the cello…

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Abet took me to a concert by the Manila Symphony Orchestra at Phil-Am last night–Haydn’s Symphony no. 104, Paganini violin concerto with Junior Saraza as soloist, and Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5. What a nice Saturday evening date! The soloist was amazing, I had goosebumps during his entire concerto (and his two encores), and Beethoven’s 5th is always a joy to experience. My boyfriend is the greatest for surprising me with tickets.

I used to be an avid classical and jazz concert-goer when I was a student. Back then, I’d go alone most of the time–none of my friends were into the same kind of music I liked. Now, I have a default companion (who sometimes gets tickets at a discounted rate or even for free), there’s really no excuse for me not to watch more often. Plus, I get little lessons about classical music whenever I watch with Abet. (“That’s a fughetta, hear that?”)

He’s taking me to another concert this Saturday, whoopee!

–=-=–

I picked the cello up for the first time in months today. It felt like being reunited with an old friend. Since Joe left for Baguio, the instrument (her name’s Jackie after cellist Jacqueline du Pre) has just been sitting forlornly in the little anteroom we have upstairs. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I touched it. I did a few scales and played a few notes of that Bach piece I was working on when I left off–and then I cried.

I missed Joe so bad. I missed my cello buddy. And I was saddened at the thought that he’s not making music right now, something he loves to do.

Right now, he is being trained to be the best soldier he can be, something he loves even more.

And that makes it all okay.

–=-=–

Here’s Joe the day he got his cello case in May 2007:


He loves that case. We went to a concert at CCP later that evening, just the two of us.

I hope there’s a nice concert when he gets to come home after his first year *puhon*, I’m sure he misses concert-watching as well.