-a note to reminiscence Octava Chamber Choir’s journey
This so called impossible-yet-ended-happily journey started
in a bright day in August, when Adi invited me and some others PSM-ITB alumni
to meet at Plaza Festival to discuss about ‘this year project’. For your
information, Octava Choir was established back in 2011, and we (they, actually, because I couldn’t join
them in the previous 2 years) usually gather around Christmas time to do some
Christmas carol. But this year, Adi, as our founder and music director and
manager, proposed us something bigger: to join the Magnificat Choir
Competition.
That day, the attendants of the meeting automatically agreed
with Adi’s idea. We found this quite challenging, and we even already boasted
up about ‘how will we spend the money prize, eh?’ things. Such a silly
arrogance, I know. But our adrenaline told us that we could do this, in
whatever ways.
But there is no such thing like smooth, easy way in
anything. So did in our case. The first difficult we faced were where we should
practice. Many options came up, such as Prama’s or Doan’s house, but then kakak
Liza (our 2030 IA ITB Chairwoman) proposed a cool alternative: we could use the
house of IA ITB which is located in Hang Lekiu (around Pakubuwono area) to do
our practice. Wow!
Then the rehearsal began a week later. The IA ITB’s house was
far beyond our imagination: it was fully equipped with everything we need.
Sofa, wi-fi connection, cable TV, pantry, even they provided tea and coffee
there. Heaven (#proudtobeITBalumna :p)! Unfortunately there were some times we
couldn’t use Hang Lekiu because the collided schedule with internal IA’s agenda,
so we had to find another rehearsal place. Once, we rehearsed at the Plaza
Festival and we ended up chased by the security because our voice disturbing
people’s peace, hahaha….
Practice venue problem was solved, but another problem came:
rehearsal schedule. I started to realize that we were in the different
situation as before: now most of us are employee with tight work schedule (even
on the weekend!), and our workplace are scattering in different areas. It made
us (or Adi, specifically) fluttered about how to arrange a schedule that
everyone could attend. Most of the times the rehearsal only attended by less
than ten people (although in the beginning we agreed that a rehearsal will only
occur if there are more than 12 people attending), and I understand that it
made Adi confused, to that extent that one day he texted us saying ‘Bro and
sis, should we continue this project or just give it up? I remind you, they
will eliminate the choir with less than 20 members performing at the stage’.
‘Bro and sis, should we continue this project or just give it up? I remind you, they will eliminate the choir with less than 20 members performing at the stage’
One by one, our members began to quit this project. Honestly,
I myself took quite a long time to consider his saying. I had been skipped the
rehearsal few times because of many reasons, and I must admit that sometime I
felt lazy to go to the downtown of Jakarta from Bintaro in a peaceful, precious
weekend of mine only to rehearse. Plus the crazy work load on October and
November, I felt like I want to give up.
But then I remembered that it had been a long time since the
last time I sang on the choir. Actually I missed that feeling of being the
artist, standing in the stage, singing, harmonizing my voice with the others.
Additionally the songs were the sacred ones, which could be my way to praise
The Lord Almighty.
Then I came to the decision that I would still join the
project -- a decision that I will never regret. To fill up the empty places of
the absent members, Adi and Rio took the initiative to invite their friends who
were also chorister. Adi brought Prisca, Yuli, and Reza from his another-choir,
and Rio brought Tya, Aksa, and Ojan. Wow! Octava were so colorful!
We could not get sufficient rehearsal time because November’s
weekends were so packed of another schedule. Once, we were ‘forced’ to do
rehearsal in Friday night at Iota’s home. It was a hassle! Together with Ci
Caleuy and Yessie, I had to fight with Jakarta’s damn traffic to reach Iota’s
home, so did the other members. Adi
decided that our very last rehearsal will be in the D day. Yes, rehearsal in
the D day! In fact, even the D day rehearsal did not attended by the whole team
because Meichan was still on her way from the airport. Hahaha… Sounds so
ridiculous maybe? But this is Octava, people. Haughtiness is the first word in
our dictionary, pardon us.
When we entered the competition venue, I began to realize
that we were the one who did not wear uniformed clothes. The other choirs were
wearing nice uniform, but in our case we just have the dress code: the women
could wear anything as long as it is white, so we came up with different kind
of white dresses. But I found it fun, because the second word in Octava’s
dictionary is pluralism, indeed.
The competition began as we entered the stage. Adi was so
trembling in the backstage, while I didn’t experience any tense or increase
heart beat or something like that. Maybe my heart is trained to face the
professors or specialists before so it gets used to intense situation haha.
First song, Salve Regina, the mandatory one, and I (or
almost of us, if I may defense myself, LOL) failed to do a good attack because
honestly I (or we) was so shocked! I didn’t look that Henry, our conductor (who
was not standing in the front like in the common choir’s setting, instead he
was in line with us the chorister as a part of the singers), had raised his
hand to give us a start sign. Uh oh…. I started to sing in the third bar, God
please forgive me (or us).
Second song was Cantate Domino. This time, I must admit that
we did a good job! I love the decision (the very last minute decision,
honestly) that Henry will acts as an ordinary (I don’t know how to express it)
conductor and standing in front of us. His expression was really brought up our
mood, and I enjoyed singing the song soooo much. After we finished our
performance that silly grin still hung on my face because I was so satisfied
with our Cantate Domino. (you can watch our performance HERE)
After that, we changed our costume and started to plan what
would we do next. We didn’t have any intention to wait for the champion
announcement, because we feel that ‘oh come on, with that imperfect mandatory
song, how come we can take a place? Just be realistic, we better go and have
some fun’. So we went to Plaza Semanggi and ate a lot there, continued with
watching Frozen for me, Iota, Andre, Ais, and Meichan.
After the movie ended,
five of us decided to just go back to our home. So Andre and I took the
TransJakarta. While waiting for the TJ, I said to Andre ‘Ndre, have you check
your WhatsApp? I begin to curious about the result, although I don’t have any
hope on it’. And Andre replied that no, he hadn’t check it. Then I took a look
on my phone and found there were 140 unread WhatsApp messages in Octava’s
group. My heart began to beat faster, I opened it and the first line I could
read up was ‘KALIAN JUARA SATU!’ from Aris.
‘Ndre!! We win! We win! WE WIN!!’ I said (no, more like I
shouted it) to Andre in such a crowded TJ. Andre’s eyes began to round and he
said his disbelief toward my word. He began to check his own phone and after
realize that we were actually won, he was started to join my shock wave.
Seriously, how come WE could win the FIRST place?
Only God and the judges could answer that question. For me,
it was beyond victory: it was a gift from God for us, also it was a very actual
evidence God gave me to teach me that – I will quote the late Mr. Nelson
Mandela here – everything seems impossible until it is done. Octava dreamt to
be the best, but we faced some hurricanes on our way. We stood still, thrived,
keep going, and here we are: champion. We don’t have permanent rehearsal place,
we didn’t wear sophisticated uniform, we came from different places and
backgrounds, we didn’t have sufficient rehearsal time, but we could made it.
That day, I learnt something from Octava. Don’t stop
dreaming. Dream as high as you can. Fight with all your extent, and somehow you
will get what you want.
Because God never asleep.
