M a r k A g pa s a : crescendo through triumph Words by DJULIENNE FLOR V. FOSTER and PATRICK V. MIGUEL Photo by ELIJAH JOHN M. ENCINAS
M
usic sheets in hand. Compositions in mind. Arrangements planned. Calendar marked with reminders of practices with choirs inside and outside the campus. That night, Mark Raeniel Agpasa set foot on campus as he had a rehearsal with the UST Chorus of Arts and Letters. He sat in front of the piano; the students gathered with their respective voices. His hands glided over the keys, hitting the notes without even looking down. His fingers skimmed through sheet music, as he gracefully waved his hand to guide them in every beat and measure. His students’ voices shone through even when he sang along. Their chorus was as if the notes were lifted off the paper, bursting like bubbles into beautiful harmonies. His life circulated around music – and music alone. Striking a chord Mark’s parents always took him to their choir rehearsals, and he slowly got more involved in choral music. “Up until mag-high school ako…until mag-college ako, wala na akong inisip na ibang course kung 'di music,” he says. Even before he began pursuing music, he had already started making his own song arrangements and compositions. These made him realize that he was meant to create music. Mark focused on being a choir conductor as he wanted to pass his knowledge on to the next generation of musicians. “Hindi ko masasabing I’m a successful musician if hindi ko siya naipasa sa new generation [...] You pass it on and ’dun ka makikilala, not just by your works but your values and your knowledge din na pinasa mo sa kanila,” he says. Hitting the right notes Mark became the chorale’s conductor in 2015. He tried out for the position when he was in third year college. From there, he experienced how to handle the choir, gaining knowledge on
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