The Universal Art of

6 The Universal Art of Music

By Olivia Kim and Linlin Liu

Music is a universal form of art and expression that encompasses culture, creativity, and history. No matter who you are or where you are from, everyone can understand the language of music. It has the power to bridge divisions, bring people together, and create a sense of community, which is incredibly important during this time as COVID-19 affects our world.

Loma Linda Academy provides its students with this valuable skill by hosting both an orchestra as well as a number of choirs and bands. In these programs, students are able to learn how to read music, understand musical terms, express themselves, and experience a new culture or period of history.

Loma Linda Academy currently showcases an audition choir, known as Pro Musica, as well as audition bands, such as Concert Winds and Wind Symphony, for students who want an in-depth and advanced musical experience.

Elden Borillo, a high school senior, is the bass section leader and sings in the choir as a baritone. He related his favorite parts about being in Pro Musica and singing as “learning from a diverse library of music and bonding with everyone in Pro Musica.” Many of his best memories from choir are the tours, as Pro Musica has been to England, Thailand, Arizona, and many other places.

Senior Karina Lim, the principal of the flute section of Wind Symphony, said, “I chose to join the band because I love music and it brings my stress down. Honestly, my favorite part of being in the Wind Symphony is playing my solos and performing for other people.”

Lim related the importance of music in her life, having said, “I play music because I feel like my life would be really boring without it. And just doing school work all day would be really boring, honestly. But music just brings color into your life.”

Borillo encouraged students to join the school’s musical program, having said, “You should join the music program if you have even the slightest interest in music. By simply being with a group, you can find out what you like and grow musically as a person.”

Lim advised, “You will definitely learn how to play as a group, and it’s different from playing alone because you have to listen to other instruments. You get to know other people in the band, and other parts of the music, like bass clarinet.”

Music can also serve as a way to express yourself in ways deeper than words. Borillo said, “I love how I can express myself in a way that can’t be totally described by words, and it’s something you have to sing or play to fully know.”

Even now, despite the restrictions of quarantine, Pro Musica continues to find ways to break through barriers and produce music. They have recently recorded a video performance of one of their songs that was played during Loma Linda University Church’s Easter service, and the video is linked at the end of the

article.

Dr. Brenda Mohr, the conductor of Pro Musica, said “I decided to become a choir teacher because I was so inspired by my own choir teacher that I had.”

Back when Dr. Mohr had to do student teaching, she was assigned to Napa High School, a place known for a high-quality choir program. She said, “I really didn’t realize how much I wanted to be a choir teacher until I did that student teaching, and that experience changed my life. I just knew that was where I felt the happiest—was being with teenagers and teaching them music and singing.”

Thinking back on her favorite memories from conducting choir this year, Dr. Mohr reminisced about their last tour to London and how they “sang in some really beautiful spaces. Churches with amazing acoustics.” She continued, “My favorite memory is when you could just tell that when we’re all in sync. And you could tell when it’s a good performance because the acoustics are good, the audience is really responding.”

Dr. Mohr feels that “art is an expression of someone’s soul” and can be created in many ways, including music. “Even though you can’t see or touch [music], you can hear it, and you can feel it.”

Another strong music feature at LLA is the praise bands in our Weekly Chapels, which is an integral part of the school culture. Pastor JO Cordero, the campus chaplain for both junior high and high school continues to grow the music program in chapel

“The level of what we do now is definitely very, very advanced. Especially technology-wise. And

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when it comes to the culture of worship leading and directing, [we’re] like they do in mega churches now,” said Cordero.

Cordero is most proud that students are starting to listen to individual parts of music that are written for their instruments, rather than everyone playing kind of the same thing. video went down, and then we had this epic song practiced. And as soon as we hit the music, there was no sound came out.” This event happened last year. “We were like ‘what was happening?’ Then I ran onto the stage and realized the system was off. It was tragic,” Pastor JO commented.

Music is an art that grows

LLUC Pro Musica Easter Service Performance: https://youtu.be/rJ4q7PKRsk8

Cordero continued, “Well music for sure is a creative practice that is unique to each musician. There’s so much you can represent yourself with in the music that you sing.”

Cordero likens singing to a “fingerprint.” He said, “When you’re singing other people’s songs, it’s like you’re taking their story with you and inserting yours, and now you create something else.”

Chapel has created valuable memories for Cordero, who said, “My favorite memory [from LLA chapel] is that we’re trying to start Chapel with music after the drop through a long process of mistakes and trials, but the end result is something that is invaluable. The more you delve into the art of music, the more you are able to express yourself and touch the hearts of others. Music is one of the most beautiful things in this world, and right now, it is one of the things that continues to keep our community united.

Photos by Olivia Kim