Miko David Galang and the music of life

Soprano Mico Galang opens up her vocal cords and vocalizes with assisting artist Farley Asuncion by the Lyric piano hours before her July 28 concert at the Ayala Museum.

Nice, warm rapport between two music artists

Alone with piano or guitar (Angela Vinculado of Triple Fret) accompaniment, Miko is sight to behold, an earful to enjoy, especially when you hear rarely performed songs like the premiere of a Spanish song penned by National Artist Francisco Feliciano and dedicated to Miko's mentor Naomi Sison or an aria from the opera Lucia de Lammermoor. She herself admits it is not easy to sing the part of a madwoman. Outside the spotlight she's a regular gal hamming it up with friends some of who are in the classical music world, too, like fellow soprano Stephanie Aguilar, and newly won over admirers like writer Alma Cruz Miclat.

Miko's newly met Tita Babeth took her on a road trip to Baguio a week ago so she could be part of a surprise birthday party for retiring University of the Philippines Baguio Prof. Delfin L. Tolentino Jr., Del to us, Boy to his family. Cowgirl Miko takes a selfie of us inside the bus on a night trip.

Tita B introduces her to two art community members gathered for a lunch of salad, pasta, pizza and ribs at Amare (clockwise): Karen Lee Hizola, Miko, blogger and Jenny Cariño. A time for establishing common ground, where to shop quickly for pasalubong before we left for technical rehearsals at the Hill Station's Justina Garcia Function Room.

Miko testing the acoustics inside Hill Station

Miko meets her fellow Malolos person, Lolo Ben Tapang, who organized the surprise party with the Tolentino family in cahoots. The Tolentinos are also from the province of Bulacan.

More friends from Del's UPB years (from left): Ruth Tindaan, Grace Subido, Lolo Ben and Joy Subido.

Her popular repertoire for this evening includes her personal favorites: "I Could've Danced All Night," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "O Mio Babbino Caro," "Quando me'n vo," popularly known as "Musetta's Waltz" from La Boheme, "Sa Kabukiran" to celebrate the country girl in her.

When Del (left) and the guests heard Agot Espino's "Kundiman ng Langit," Miko's encore piece, it was a hushed moment. Del told her how "beautifully ravishing" the song was. The lyrics follow below the last picture showing Miko with Del's extended family of St. Paul de Chartres nuns.

The nuns went up to Miko after her short show to say, "You not only sang well, you warmed our hearts." Their words were the kind of acknowledgment we both needed as we traveled back to busy Manila a few hours later after this last picture was taken. Most photos by Babeth Lolarga

KUNDIMAN NG LANGIT

May isang kundimang naiiba,
Daloy ay kay haba, waring hindi magwawakas;
Nilikha buhat sa langit, ng Amang tapat umibig;
Awitin, kundiman ng langit.

Himig ay sinulat ng Kanyang dugo,
Titik ay hinugot sa pusong ‘di magtatampo,
Ang hatid ay kaligtasan, at ang ating kalayaan;
Dinggin, kundimang ito.

Kay hiwaga ng pag-ibig na dulot Mo,
Kasalanan ko’y nilimot nang totoo;
Sa kabila ng ginawa ko; ako’y mahal na mahal Mo,
May hihigit pa ba sa pag-ibig Mo?

Sana’y tugunan ang haranang ito
Na binuhay ng kamatayang pinangtubos,
Sugat ay paghihilumin. Dungis nati’y lilinisin;
Damhin, pagsuyong ito.

May hihigit pa ba sa kundimang ito?