Previous Director of Tinig (2015-16): Francis Villaruz
What do you know about Francis Villaruz, the current director of Tinig? Perhaps just the basics from the introductions initiating each rehearsal: He’s a fifth year, Chemical Engineering major, from “San Diego, the finest city in America,” (pfft, positive PR ploy[1]). Many members call him “Franci,” a nickname originating from Tinig alumni, often paired with the epithet “Fancy.” There’s a meme floating around somewhere in the internet of Fancy Franci in his white Troy Bolton outfit[2] with altered lyrics from the famed Iggy Azalea song.[3]
Back to the basics, or information ideally found in mini-biographies, Francis claimed the inability to name any dislikes unless in the moment; this was proven wrong in the subsequent second. Peas. Particularly mushy peas. “Yeah, that’s just weird,” he said, referring to their texture. Other than the dreaded green vegetable, our esteemed director dislikes awkward situations and feeling uncomfortable from talking. Conversely, Francis likes talking to people.
“I fully believe in sharing things. You have to put a bit of yourself, be willing to share, to show that you’re interested in friendship. I usually create a topic, but if they don’t add in, then they’re not interested. What’s the point? But I like hearing about different stories. Not everyone’s experience is the same.”
Yet rather than share about his own interests, Francis requested to hear about his rumored activities and athleticism.
Swimming? Not really, anymore. The primary dilemma seems to be location and time. Apparently, Sunset Rec is populated with non-students, having classes for kids and being visited by much older adults. “Should I swim faster and pass them up?” Francis wondered. “Or should I swim slowly behind them?”
High school volleyball team? “That’s a lie.”
Basketball? “Only with Tinig. I can move the ball around, but I can’t shoot. I was at that awkward height [when I was younger], making it easier to shoot without jumping. Then the courts became more regulated, so I had to jump to make the shot but I never learned how.”
That’s three negatives... Let’s move on to something I know you do.
As a destressor, Francis plays video games, seven or so hours spent on a single one. Then he doesn’t touch it for a week. “People often think at high speeds, do pieces of things, but never finishing. Games provide specific goals, put me in that mentality, help me focus, but also,” somewhat ironically, “let me zone out and think about other things, step out of school for a second.”
Francis adamantly denies singing in the shower, or doing karaoke, despite the latter being an annual Halloween Tinig event.[4] His current favorite song is Blink-182’s “I Miss You,” which reminds him of his second ex-girlfriend. However, don’t be fooled by the title, Queenbelle (his current girlfriend)! He simply remembers how he introduced that song to her.
As with the vast majority of Asians, Franci’s first instrument was the piano: “When I was six, my mom taught me. So I knew the basics back then, but none now.
“In fourth grade, I tried four different instruments, one per week: drums (percussion), trumpet (brass), clarinet (wind), and violin (strings). The clarinet was the one I was most comfortable with.”
Eleventh grade, performing arts requirement. Francis joined band for the next two years, choosing the baritone sax as his instrument. “I secluded myself and learned how to play in one and a half months. I didn’t master it. I was decent.” Nevertheless, he was bass section leader for his second year. Although emphasizing his lesser musicality, Francis conceded having the better leadership skills, being able to work with everyone. The rundown: “If I couldn’t read it, I brought it to a friend. Then I’d ask the section to play and fix it from there. It was more regulated than a choir, the music usually being in three-four, four-four, or cut time.[5] Much more individual work. If the music was too complicated, you got to slow down and work through it. For brass, the problem would usually be incorrect mouth shape, for others it might be using multiple buttons.
“I was the one who knew what everyone struggled with, the one who helped others, the one who said ‘Hey, what’s up?’ The band director would just say, ‘There’s a problem. Fix it.’”
Music, Francis believes, is a medium for expression: to show, to match, or to change your feelings. His favorite song (“I Miss You”) changes because of different feelings, different memories. “Memories, yours and others of you, define you as a person. What if for me it’s a real experience, but others differ? Others could be lying, I could lie to you right now.
“It’s important to share with others. But the worst thing is to share something that’s not real.”
Francis has been part of Tinig for three and a half years, having joined in Winter quarter of his first year. In his One Step Ahead (OSA) mentorship, much of his family was part of Tinig: Kriz Villapando, former alto section leader Paloma Doreza, and the tenor section leader Marc Abuel. At that point, he hardly cared about the singing aspect of the group. Instead, they asked him if he wanted “a place where you feel like you belong.”
Has Tinig changed you?
“I’ve become more open, though I still don’t talk much. As an upperclassman, I’ve learned that I need to initiate, especially with the first years. Help each other out, bond over music. Ask questions like ‘Do you listen to rap?’
“I’m also more wary of people, of how others interact. If there’s a problem in the group, a general member may feel ‘off’ but not know how to combat it. On staff, I’ve learned how to troubleshoot, problem solve, and mediate between people. You need to answer, to care, as the voice of Tinig.”
Why did you apply to be director?
“I wanted to change Tinig, and if so, better to be at the head. The last two staffs were great, amazing, but there were issues with internal development. Something I haven’t seen in Tinig since my first year: an all-encompassing great place. I’m glad that some people feel like Tinig is that way: people like Neelem,[6] who joined halfway, also became staff.
“Others go in and out. There’s some sort of disconnect. I want them to come back. People burnout, even general members, not because we’re not friendly or we’re not a good group, but we need to make them feel like we care. Sincerity. We want people to be happy, we want to be welcoming.
“The sincerity is there individually, but not as a whole. It’s hard to convey.”
Another expectation Francis has for Tinig is diversification, both in our performances and in our members. “We want to appeal to more than just Pilipinos,” more than just college students. Plans are currently being made for performances at high schools.
Do you see Tinig as part of your life after you graduate?
“All the friends I met during my first year—Ian Cordero, Kim Figuracion—we still hangout a lot. We're still really close. Even the people who graduated, if they're in the area, I make time for them.
"Friends in Tinig, always in life."
♫
Notes.
1. Origin of the phrase here. If it's tl;dr, you can skip to the last few paragraphs.
3. "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea
4. Sing-A-Thon, our Halloween event not actually held on that date, involves the usual costume party with the addition of karaoke. Traditionally, members have asked for donors to provide a few cents per point received, or a lump sum (often a dollar because everyone is a poor college student). Last year, however, due to the lack of a scoring program, we simply sang our hearts out using youtube. Some dancing may also have been involved.
5. Francis is referring to time signatures, which look like fractions at the beginning of a musical staff. 3/4, 4/4, and cut time (2/2) are commonplace, and perhaps the easiest to follow. The top number indicates beats per measure; the bottom, the length of the beat. In 4/4, for example, there would be four beats in a measure and the note representing "4" (the quarter note) would be equivalent to one beat. Thus, four quarter notes would fill a measure.
You can learn more here, or ask Jeff Borreta, our Tenor Section Leader. Claire Garcia, our Assistant Director, will also be offering office hours to discuss music theory, vocal techniques, or life in general, starting this week.
6. Neelem Sheikh is our Alto Section Leader this year.
