I can’t even quite recall how I got to know about this. I only remember sharing the link with a few other friends who enjoy singing, to jio them to join in.
But I also recall that when I saw the ‘call for videos’, I instantly knew that I’d want to be in. I love singing. In fact, my family members are always asking me to stop. (Not that I sound awful, I’m sure?)
So I signed up, started watching the training videos and was mighty impressed. Who knew one could teach so well from a video? I’m a fan, Darius Lim!
Then I chose my red (white or black) outfit and started recording. It was not easy to get my entire household to be quiet enough, and I even took their instructions so seriously that I switched off my fan and aircon (to eliminate all background noise – it’s true, the aircon draft can actually be heard!) and started recording in the mid-day heat.
Incidentally, a day after, my hubby decided to buy a headset with mic for his many work zoom conference calls, and “you can use it for your recording too”, he said.
So I did ‘Take 2’, after grabbing a nearby comfy white tee. And the sound was so much better – since it was a noise-cancelling mic, I didn’t need everyone to pussy-foot around me.
The logistics were not that simple, and my final set-up to prioritise sound quality included a tablet to scroll through the score, a mobile phone to record the sound and video through a microphone, and another device to stream in the background audio, which should not be part of the recording. I took many, many takes, but it was worth it!
When the video premiered on prime time TV, we all gathered excitedly to watch. My kids spotted me first, not once but at least twice! Soon, friends and family started messaging me on Whatsapp to say they noticed me in that now viral video.
I felt incredibly touched when I saw images of doctors and nurses in their uniforms, singing. We made the recordings in April, when the pandemic was raging and all my friends in healthcare were immensely worried that our infrastructure and manpower would collapse under the strain, especially with dire news coming in from Italy and later places like New York City.
The familiar song with its emotive lyrics always choke me up when I sing it. As the producers mentioned, many recordings sent in were very emotional. Finally, I did manage to steel myself enough to send in a version without breaking down too much. I do love my country deeply, and this has grown from a youthful idealistic fervour, to something mellowed yet no less intense in many ways. I do believe that it is a true love of country, coupled with eyes wide open to all its faults, that will help each citizen propel the country forward in the right direction.
On hindsight, personally the process of recording cheered me up so much amidst the gloom of being trapped at home, and the depressing sights of all that red-and-white tape cordoning off every single social space.
One of my dear friends who relocated to the UK also joined in the virtual choir, and separately asked me to send her my video and audio so she could put together something just for ourselves. Another dear friend who completes our trio recorded a piano instrumental that she arranged, and my UK friend lent her media-splicing wizardry towards combining it all into an interesting video that we shared with friends and family.
I suppose that one of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is that burgeoning of virtual choirs, orchestras and ensembles.
The difference is that we are not able to hear one another, and thus adjust ourselves to blend as usual. The burden then falls to the audio specialists who have to adjust the sound waves such that it does not sound discordant or jarring. Whilst I think this takes away quite a lot from the whole point of being in a choir and singing together, unusual times call for unusual measures.
And for Voices of Singapore, the symbolic coming together of Singaporeans, some of whom are part of the diaspora, sending in their videos from some 26 different countries, meant so much more than the actual quality of singing or the usual professional blending of being in a “live” choir.
I was indeed privileged to be part of this virtual choir, and kudos to Darius and team for even dreaming this up in March 2020 when our lockdown started. It really brought a lot of hope and joy to many, many hearts, and steeled us towards working together to overcome all the odds that were yet to come our way.
Majulah, Singapura.
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