Sing for the World Part III: Originally from Hong Kong, Bunch of Love for Indonesia

For reading the first series of “Sing for the World” about the introduction and achievement of Voca Erudita choir group, please click here:Sing for the World Part 1: On Behalf of Indonesia, They Will Sing for the World

For reading the second series of “Sing for the World” about the love of Voca Erudita choir group to Sebelas Maret University and Solo city plus about its fabulous concert, please click here:Sing for the World Part II: The Fire Comes from Here

[caption id="attachment_116704" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Chung Wing Yeung. Originally from Hong Kong with bunch of love for Indonesia. Photo by Chung Wing Yeung"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_116701" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Chung Wing Yeung during the concert of Voca Erudita. Photo by Sonny Hendrawan Saputra"][/caption]

During the concert of Voca Erudita entitled "Notes - A Journey of Symphony” in Friday, June 17, 2011, people were welcomed by nice romantic Mandarin song from a acapella group consisting of six members of Voca Erudita. They sang“Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin” delightfully with lovely arrangement of voices. All singers could sing perfectly, but there was one singer whom audiences could realize that he could pronounce that Mandarin lyric fluently just like native Chinese singing Mandarin song. Though Indonesians were common to see oriental look, audiences of that concert could find something different and unique from the man wearing blue shiny Chinese outfit. Yes, in fact he was not Chinese Indonesian, but he was the real Chinese from Hong Kong.

Then many questions might appear from audiences after they knew that he was the real Chinese from Hong Kong. They were impressed and curious how he could join Indonesian choir that would also fight for the name of Indonesia in International competitions. They also wanted to know how he could manage his singing practise with various Indonesian and Javanese songs. In fact, there was long memorable story of him before entering Voca Erudita group, there was his long journey to be here, in Indonesia, and nicely, there was bunch of love for Indonesia deep inside his heart.

His name is Chung Wing Yeung, student from Chinese University of Hong Kong who gets the Darmasiswa scholarship from Ministry of National Education or Republic of Indonesia to study Indonesian language in Sebelas Maret University Solo (UNS). He is known more with the name Patrick and funnily his Indonesian friends modify his name with Javanese sense. They transform Patrick name into Petruk, a character of Indonesianwayang(Indonesian traditional puppet). Indeed, he is special student. He has many outstanding talents like singing, diving, and photography.

Patrick had visited Indonesia before he got Darmasiswa scholarship for his diving and choral conservation project. He stepped his feet in Solo for the first time with status of Darmasiswa student in August 8, 2010 in Adi Sumarmo Solo International Airport. Uniquely, there was something missing during his attendance. Though he had been listed as Darmasiswa student in UNS, that university did not get information from Jakarta that his flight to Solo was that day. Fortunately, he was not person who was easy to be panic; not like some others people who tended to be very panic when they got trouble in their first trip in the new foreign country. He tried to coordinate by himself by contacting Jakarta to get the contact of UNS and eventually everything was smooth until he finally could arrive in that university.

There was another surprising thing when he looked for house. Usually, International Office of UNS helped to give some choices of accommodations, but he managed to get by himself with the help of UNS student friend, Januar Arifin. People could wonder how he could already have UNS student friend. In fact, they had met each other during choir competition in Malaysia.

[caption id="attachment_116708" align="aligncenter" width="604" caption="Chung Wing Yeung met Voca Erudita for the first time in Malaysia. Photo by Chung Wing Yeung"][/caption]

Yups, looking back to his past experience, "A Voyage of Song" International choir competition in Penang Malaysia in 2009 was a very memorable moment for him. He was the member of choir group named Music Office Youth Choir (MOYC) organized by Hong Kong Government. In that competition, he was impressed by Voca Erudita choir group from UNS Indonesia that could perform with attractive choreography. It was not common for his choir group singing with many movements like Voca Erudita did. Patrick appreciated that group and wanted to keep that memory by taking picture together with Voca Erudita members. In truth, that moment had its "chemical reaction". Without Patrick realized, he and Voca Erudita both physically and emotionally started to be connected each other. Thus, when he knew that there was the opportunity to study in Indonesia, without a doubt he chose UNS in his application as his place of study, as the place where he could meet Voca Erudita. Luckily, the destiny led him to be accepted in UNS.

After Patrick started his Indonesian class, of course he did not forget to apply to join extracurricular activity in UNS choir. Though most of members had known his singing capability, he still had to pass Voca Erudita's audition. As predicted before, he was accepted and warmly welcomed to be the member of Voca Erudita. Young man born in December 14, 1985 practised so hard to both speak and sing Indonesian and Javanese language. He also had to make his body to be more "flexible" to dance and to make various movements during singing. Though those new activities were not easy, Patrick never gave up and consider those all as challenges. He got more emotional connection with Voca Erudita after he performed together with Voca Erudita in mini concert in April 2011. He felt closer with other members and satisfied for his first experience to perform as solid team in Voca Erudita.

[caption id="attachment_116715" align="aligncenter" width="649" caption="With other members of Voca Erudita. Photo by Adityo Faturrochman"][/caption]

It is bit unbelievable, but Patrick truly has bunch of love for Indonesia. He wants to sing Indonesia Raya, Indonesian National Anthem after reaching the dream to gain victory in International choir competitions. His dreams started to build by participating Voca Erudita to compete in 1st Bandung International Choral Competition July 1- 4, 2011 and 4th Grand Prix Pattaya in Thailand in July 20 - 24, 2011. The process before going to those competitions are also something forgettable for him. He experiences something called as "ngamen". It is Indonesian term to tell the activity of singing on the street to gain money. In Hong Kong, his activity in International choir competitions are fully supported by government, but here, his team needs to add some more money though they also have got  subsidy from university and some institutions' sponsorship.

[caption id="attachment_116712" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Chung Wing Yeung has a big love for diving and doing choral conservation. Photo by Rizya Adiwijaya"][/caption]

Patrick who has dived in Indonesia (Berau, Bali, Karimunjawa, Ujung Kulon and Bunaken), Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, and USA also shares his love feeling to his Voca Erudita members. He considers Voca Erudita is his big family. All the members have the same "way of life" as they posses the same spirit of "music is our life". Patrick loves the way how he and his friends make funny jokes and stupid tricks. "Voca Erudita members are fun and crazy", he said. He imagines, if he has known more about Indonesian and Javanese language, he will certainly be happier since he will also know the complete meaning of their friends' jokes. He also often hangs out with Voca Erudita members to visit some interesting spots in Indonesia. From his friendliness, Patrick easily gets a lot of friends. Ardhyanto Restu Widodo, his Voca Erudita friend mentions that maybe most students of UNS knows Patrick because he is very friendly and easy going.

[caption id="attachment_116709" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="Chung Wing Yeung got birthday surprise from his friends from Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Photo by Chung Wing Yeung"][/caption]

Then how other friends outside Voca Erudita see Patrick? Phatraphon Uno, the Darmasiswa student from Thailand with the same batch as Patrick says that Patrick is lovable person since he is very helpful to his friends. Patrick is also crazy friend with crazy jokes, but it makes him more interesting to be friend. However Uno, also says that Patrick is very busy until he does not have much time to spend the days with other International students. But it is something understandable since. Patrick recognizes that he has to reduce some times with other International students to focus to practise before his choir competitions, but he still always tries to get involved into International students' activities when he is free like attending International students' birthday party or accompanying them in airport when they will get back to their home country.

Rizky Adi Yanuasari, task force of International Office of UNS says "Patrick is extraordinary for both inside and outside performance" He can be very crazy to get fun with friends but he can still be serious boy who is very diligent to study.

[caption id="attachment_116710" align="aligncenter" width="479" caption="Chung Wing Yeung in action. He can be crazy but can suddenly split to be very serious. Photo by Chung Wing Yeung"][/caption] That's a little story about Patrick and his Voca Erudita. Of course, he has a big love for Hong Kong, the place where he comes from, but deep inside his heart he also have bunch of love for Indonesia.Xie XiePatrick. Indonesia loves you, too Patrick. May you and Voca Erudita can always be solid to keep singing for the world.

to be continued

For reading the fourth series of “Sing for the World” about Voca Erudita’s achievements in the 1st Bandung International Choir Competition, please click here: Sing for the World Part IV: Beautiful Melodies in Bandung.

Note : This is the part 3 of “Sing for the World” Series written by Sonny Hendrawan Saputra to capture every struggle and beautiful moment of Voca Erudita in their way to face  1st Bandung International Choral Competition July 1- 4, 2011 and 4th Grand Prix Pattaya in Thailand in July 20 - 24, 2011