I am writing, and in my writing, I thought of the old Lettermen song, “No Man is an Island.” You never know, really, all the music that shaped you in your childhood. I have so many influences, favorite singers and songwriters, bands, and songs.
One way old songs come to the forefront of my brain is that when I drive alone, very often I turn off the tunes and simply sing. This is one of the songs that makes up my repertoire. When I went to look for it on YouTube, I found this version, recorded in May 2020.
I have no more words except what’s on the video and beneath it. Peace.
For over 30 years, the members and alumni of the Victoria Chorale and Victoria Junior College Choir have held this song dearly to our hearts as our anthem. Our joint battle against COVID-19 has demonstrated that neither person nor country can be disconnected from each other. Each person, or country, may play his or her part, but it is only together that any collective goal can be realised.
The 103-voice virtual choir is made up of singers from the very first batch of VJC Choir members (1985-86), to current members (2020-21). In the making of this video, many of us were initially in a position where we were not used to singing alone. Yet, our individual performances serve as our contribution to the collective performance. Together, we are greater than the sum of ourselves. Only if we do our part in containing the spread of the virus, can we change things for the better.
No man is an island, no man stands alone.
_____
Artistic Director
Nelson Kwei
Editors
Kenneth Tay
Malcolm Ravindran
Dayne Taniajura