The legacy that became part of my history.
My college days would not be complete without this A Capella group that I have had the privileged of being part of. More than the vocals and harmonizing with them, they are a part of me, my life, my extended family away from home.
Every single one of them is amazing in their own way. And time spent with them individually has given me valuable insights into their lives and who they are. Aside from me, there are six of them: (for the purpose of keeping their identities hidden I shall refer to them by their initials...)
PJ - Beat-box & Bass
JK - Bass & Lead
JJ - Second Tenor & Lead
VW - First Tenor & Lead
SP - Alto
AP - The Manager
This is the craziest bunch of people I have ever come across. They can be all professional and serious about making harmony in A Capella, and then suddenly, they can burst into silly comedy and surprisingly dirty humor for a christian vocal group. Each of them has a story to tell, a history to share. They're not perfect, rather far from it. But that's what makes them so special to me. Couple months into joining and already I considered them my very close friends, my family. Everyday I learn more from them and everyday spent with them is a happy day, a day of fun, laughter and good music. And that combination is very hard to come by.
PJ is kind of like the leader of the group. He grills us till we get the right notes. and when we don't, he'll sit us down and give passionate speeches on the wonders of singing in harmony and at times gets technical about music theory, which I know nothing about. But when he picks up a mic and starts beat-boxing, he's insane. You just feel like dancing to the beats. And fun note, he's also a kick-ass drummer! What's interesting is that while he can be a bit driven during practice, he is in fact the funniest guy in the group. Once he starts off on a humorous line, he can belt out stories after stories that will make you cry with laughter.
The second joker of the group is JK. While PJ can get too stern during practice, "serious" is not in JK's dictionary. He'll split your sides just by smiling at you. He has a face that can brighten your day and you'll want to listen to him, even when he's sprouting nonsense. During my time with Signature, parts of his lingo have seeped into mine. Words like "beggar", "ditcher", "full-on" and adding "like" at the end of every expression to induce a silly atmosphere in a humdrum day. He has the most carefree and happy-go-lucky personality in the whole group, which may seem absurd for he almost always picks a fight with SP, but in a good way. They'll be calling each other names and make faces but that's fun to watch. Their constant banter is the norm when we all get together, and sometime we join in the fun.
SP is the only other girl in the group. She can be very sweet and loving and won't hesitate to support you in a difficult situation. She can also be very crazy and at times get on people's nerves. I cannot explain this phenomenon but cold weather makes her hyper. I have spent a few days with her to experience this. As stated before, she and JK share a special bond of playful banter and ridicule. The rest of us enjoy watching them torment each other.
JJ is the quiet one in the group. However, he can also be very mischievous and the best part is, you won't know it was him, for he is usually the sane one. JJ is our music master. When there's a new song to be learned, he provides the notes for all our parts. He is extremely talented on the keyboard and guitar. He and JK hang out together like brothers in crime and share the same sense of humor. While JK is a radical in comedy, JJ is more sweet in nature and the most amiable person I have had the pleasure of knowing. He just draws you in with his child-like charisma but can also be insightful and more often than not, surprisingly playful in casual conversations. I look up to him as my inspiration. From his life testimony, I learned not to let my difficulties hinder me from praising God.
VW has the same tastes in music as I. We both enjoy listening to David Phelps and Paul Wilbur. He'll even mimic my goofy expressions to pass time during practice. He has the highest full voice among the guys and can sustain the high notes for an impressive amount of time. I always love it when he covers a David Phelps song. I was overjoyed when I first learned that he and I share the same tastes in music. He can sing songs off the top of his head, inducing a sense of praise and worship for all around him. During my time with Signature, he has become a very good friend and brother in Christ.
And then there's AP. Although he doesn't sing with us, he is our manager. He sets up the dates for practice, communicates upcoming events where we have to perform or remind us of important updates; basically handling us so we just have to concentrate on our singing. Throughout my time with Signature, AP has been a mighty pillar of support, guidance and more often than not, the voice of reason in the group. He makes sure to keep us in check and brings us back on track when we deviate from practice. AP has an amazing vocal range. While I would love it if he joined us in song,he specializes in elocution, debate and stage theater. He has an excellent command of the English language and is extremely brilliant and witty. He is the one I can converse with on a more philosophical level.
The more I spend time with with these guys, the more I understand them and in turn, deeply care for them. A common passion for good music brought us together and in one year I've collected so many fond memories of this group that I shall indeed cherish forever!
