The 3 kids in the middle are my guitar students -- Brandon Kyle Lagmay Soriano, 2nd from right, and birthday celebrant (Friday and Saturday); Bianca Adriano, 3rd from right, (Mon. and Wed.); Samantha Tsao, 3rd from left, (Fri. afternoon and Sat. morning) and her brother Shane, who don't feel well that night. At left is Amos, the grand winner of D' Voice Palau 2014. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND
GUITAR RECITAL OF
BRANDON KYLE SORIANO
TWO weeks before the 7th birthday of one of my guitar students Brandon Kyle Lagmay Soriano, or Kyle for short, I have taught my other guitar students to practice the songs that they will perform as a sort of 'recital' on Kyle's birthday party to be held at Red Rooster Cafe on May 15, 2015 at 6:30pm.
When I was informed by Kyle's mom, Violet, that there will be some Palauan guests, so I taught them also one very popular Palau song "Dil Dil Lomais", where some part of the song will be changed to the name of the venue... Red Rooster. The original song mentioned the bar named Omball in the song and it will be replaced by Red Rooster ... (era Red Rooster).
Every place I play, I always change "era Omball" to "era Image" (referring to Image Restaurant where I played piano for 13 years); "era PRR" (referring to Palau Royal Resort, where I'm playing piano/keyboard since June 01, 2007 to present).
Kyle is my first guitar student this year followed by Bianca Adriano, his neighbor, a week later. To fit in to my tight schedules of students, I have to teach Bianca an hour on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30pm. I'll proceed directly back to PRR for work at 7pm-11pm.
Kyle's schedule is 5:30pm on Fridays and 5:00pm on Saturdays. Because it's my day off on Fridays, I stay longer because Kyle is so nice to teach and very energetic. His and Bianca's music teacher has left Palau and I was recommended by the mother of one of my guitar/keyboard students Rafael Castro.
Fortus is one of the awardee in the 2009 Outstanding OFW in Palau with Roberto, left. Nancy won a photography contest sponsored by PRR and won a gift certificate of dinner for 2 at PRR. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
On the day of teaching before the birthday celebration, Wednesday afternoon, I brought a keyboard and mike stand so that Kyle and Bianca will have a 'feel' of playing in front of at least 40 people. I know that they will have a stage fright if only one of them will perform so I invited also Sam and her brother Shane for a sort of 'recital' of my guitar students.
It's my day off on that Friday, May 15. After teaching Sam and Shane from 3:30-5:30 pm, I proceed to Red
Rooster Cafe and while parking, the Soriano family is there already. They are about to leave so that Kyle can change his clothes. Bruce, Kyle's dad, help me to carry the equipments (keyboard, guitar, music stand, song books, keyboard stand) to the venue.
I asked Bruce a week earlier to set up a sound system with microphone which was set up but we forgot to bring the mike stand that I left at Bianca's house. We tried to call her dad and mom but they left already.
There is an old Palauan lady in the crowd and Sam's grandma, who is half Japanese and half Palauan. Her grandson Shane didn't make it. He's not feeling well.
When I sing "Dil Dil Lomais", with my 3 students playing the guitar with me, those two ladies dance!
Amos, the grand winner in D' Voice Palau, knows that one of the tradition in Palau when somebody is singing or dancing, and they like it, they will get a single dollar bill to give it to the dancer/singer.
During the performance, Sam's mother suggested if we can used the new junior size guitar that she bought for Sam. After tuning it, we sound better with 2 nylon stringed guitar (Kyle and Bianca) and steel stringed guitar by me and Sam.
We played Jambalaya, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Last Christmas, Dil Dil Lomais, Filipino song "Kumusta Ka" (How Are You?"), What's Up and
I don't see any nervousness to the 3 young guitarists when they play in front of that many people. In some songs that we are performing, I alternately put the mike in front of one of them and they will sing with the lyrics while still playing the guitar.
The very happy Palauan lady even suggests that the kids might be invited to a Palau house party to perform. It's really a refreshing sight to see kids playing musical instruments.
After the kids' performance, Amos rendered a song to the delight of the audience. He sang "Hotel California."
The celebration is finished at past 8pm. I proceed immediately to the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ in the 4th Watch (Palau Locale) to attend the Prayer Meeting. I informed the Pastoral staff that I will be late because of the 'recital' and birthday party.
Sources: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
June 18, 2015
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
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