Explaining the Pro Patria (means “for country”) in our motto Pro Pontifice et Patria.
Pro Pontifice et Patria
The Choir has always seen service to flag and country as flowing naturally from its dedication to God. Render unto Caesar that which is due to Caesar, as the Lord Himself has taught, indicating that even cooperation with legitimate governing authority in service of the community could be dignified and worthy of service to God. Indeed, not only choirs or church ministries, but all Christians are similarly called, bearing in mind the exhortations of the Apostle Paul that legitimate authority be obeyed as instituted by God Himself.
Yet in a special way the Choir’s 50-year long history and fortunes have been inextricably woven with the history of our country, itself spanning some five decades. The Choir could arguably claim to share the birth year of the nation, as witnessed by its humble beginnings in the Church of St Michael’s in 1965. But both would go on to share more than that–in the choir was fulfilled the need for an appropriate artistic medium to express the hopes and struggle for Singapore’s nascent existence. A fruitful collaboration, spanning the decades, was formed.
Early years
The Choir, while still in the Church of the Risen Christ (its home since 1970), was frequently sought as a collaborator in various national cultural events given its reputation for musical ability and professionalism. The 1970s-80s were productive decades, with Sir Peter heavily involved in cultural initiatives by the then-Ministry of Culture (now Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth), such as the “Music for Everyone” series spanning the latter years of the 70s.
Over the course of these years Peter Low served on several government committees in an advisory capacity to assist the government’s efforts to kindle the genuine spark of artistic culture, or at the very least shelter and nurture it. The Choir itself was invited to participate in several of these initiatives, such as at the Festival of Choirs (1979).
It would also regularly lend its voices to government campaigns in service of the common good, such as the 1987 launch of the National Courtesy Campaign, or even to the government’s efforts to promote stronger regional cooperation, such as at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (1984).
One particularly memorable milestone for the Choir was the opportunity to mark the official launch of Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT, our version of the London Tube) system in 1988 with a performance. A combined choir, comprising the Risen Christ Choir and children of MRT employees coached by Peter Low presented a medley of songs and dances titled “Showcase Singapura” to commemorate the launch, with then-PM Lee Kuan Yew in attendance.
Before NDP, there was…
It was natural, thus, that the Choir would also contribute to the country’s efforts to celebrate the anniversary of its independence with festivity befitting of the occasion. Its earliest efforts were seen as early as 1977, with the Risen Christ Junior and Senior Choirs performing at National Day events such as the National Day Cultural Show and Rally.
But perhaps unknown to most is the fact that the Choir has also contributed its voices to the official recordings of much-loved classics of Singapore’s National Day repertoire: Count on Me Singapore (1986), We Are Singapore (1987), Stand Up for Singapore (1984), and One People, One Nation (1990).
Yet the 25th Anniversary of the country’s founding was a particularly significant milestone the Choir had the opportunity to participate in. Under the name, The Peter Low Singers, the Choir was the sole choir, selected after a 45-minute audition, to perform at the Official 25th Anniversary launch concert (1990), a $2.5 million production depicting the struggles of the past 25 years and a celebration of the years to come. Performed in the newly-opened Indoor Stadium, it was a memorable day when the Choir shed their robes and donned the costumes of strikers and rioters for their segment of the performance depicting the turbulent 1960s.
Honouring the past
As the nation matures, it has had occasion to honour the past, which has been the Choir’s privilege to be a part of. In 2001, on the cusp of the Choir’s move to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, it sung for the Official Opening of the Changi War Memorial Prison and the Consecration of the Changi Chapel on the 39th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore.
But perhaps a most fitting milestone to the Choir’s decades of service for God and Country was singing at the Requiem Mass for the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew in 2015, celebrated by Archbishop William Goh and Apostolic Nuncio Bishop Leopoldo Girelli. Here service to both God and Country were in one stroke combined, an appropriate tribute to the past decades lived in fidelity to the Choir’s motto, and the expression of hope that such fruitful collaboration will endure to the good of all.
Below is a video, kindly recorded by a member of the public
Links
https://mothership.sg/2018/07/we-are-singapore-ndp-song/
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2015-03-11_165927.html