Their first singing experiences were different, but the joy and satisfaction factors were the same for Garrette Hall of Fontana, Bryan Malolot of Covina and Mary Robles of Diamond Bar, all standout vocalists in Mt. San Antonio College choral groups. They loved singing as children and followed their hearts to the Walnut community college where music is definitely a big deal. They sheepishly confessed that most of the student singers and instrumentalists are "on the five-year plan," reluctant to leave college conductors and groups that have put them in the spotlight on some of America's and the world's finest stages.
Malolot, 25, is a tenor and alumnus of Frontline and Singcopation, the college's vocal jazz groups, and the Chamber Singers. He went with the Chamber Singers to Europe twice, first touring Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and England in 2000 and returning in 2003 for the group's tour of Bulgaria and performance at the Grand Prix Choir Competition.
Robles, a 21-year-old soprano in Frontline, the Chamber Singers and Nothin' But Treble, the new women's a cappella ensemble, also toured Bulgaria in 2003. In 2004, she was among the classical choir members who competed at the Europe Grand Prix Choir Competition and sang in concert halls throughout Austria and Italy.
Garrette, 26, has lent his baritone pipes to Singcopation and Fermata Nowhere, the college's all-male a cappella group. He sang with Singcopation for its appearances at the International Association for Jazz Education's conventions in New York City, Toronto and Long Beach and has performed with both groups for concerts at several American Choral Directors Association conferences and conventions.
Their friendship began because of their involvement in the Mt. SAC vocal groups. It is sustained through common respect for the universal language of music, the bonds formed working hard and contributing to the success of the college choral ensembles and the fact they just plain like each other. The interview with the trio was filled with playful jabbing and a substantial mix of spoken and sang words.
Robles was born in Anaheim and raised in Diamond Bar, the youngest of Mt. SAC child development professor Donice Robles' and retired Mt. SAC counselor Salvador Robles' six children. She gets her singing talents from her father, a baritone. Two of her brothers, Joe and Rick, also play guitar.
Her first "public" performance as a soloist was a challenge for a 12-year-old girl.
"I've always loved singing and sang in elementary school choirs for fun," Robles said. "But when I was asked to sing `Ave Maria' for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary that was scary. I said `Mom, are you crazy? Do you think I can do this?' My mom got me a tape of Marian Anderson singing `Ave Maria" in German and she taught me the Latin version of the song.
"I'd never sing anything like the great Marian Anderson," she said, "but my grandparents really loved my version."
Robles sang for four years in West Covina High's show choir and in the school's concert choir during her senior year. Her parents wanted her to come to Mt. SAC because they worked there, but the choral music program made the college choice an easy one for Robles. An excellent audition before choral activities director Bruce Rogers earned her immediate placement in the Chamber Singers, the school's top classical choir. She also sang in the concert choir as a freshman, and later added Frontline, Nothin' But Treble and the women's ensemble.
Hall's entry into the public vocal arena was a bit more colorful.
As a sixth-grader, the Youngstown, Ohio native raised in Pomona from age 3 was a big fan of rapper M.C. Hammer. His parents, supermarket meatcutter Booker Hall and Albertson's service deli rep Paulette Hall, bought him four pairs of "Hammer" pants, the loose African pants popularized the rap artist. Since he had the pants, it made sense to young Garrette to mimic M.C. Hammer for the Upland Elementary School talent show. "Did you wear that vest thing like Hammer or did you wear a shirt?" Malolot jokingly asked.
"I wore zebra print pants, Raybans and crocodile-skinned shoes," Hall answered, laughing. "It was dope. It was tight, but I was loose. I was singing `Feelings' from Hammer's Coke commercial and wearing these Hammer pants and the Gumbie haircut. Everybody laughed."
Few laugh now when Hall sings, especially on the challenging scatting and energetic solo rifts that spark spontaneous clapping and whistling in the audience.
Musical talent is a gene-pool thing in the Hall household. His dad is a tenor with a baritone range and "he can saaaaang," Malolot dramatically declared. Garrette's sister, Taleah, was an alto in Upland High's Madrigal Singers, Expressions Jazz Ensemble and Aria, the school's classical and operetta group. His brother Justin, Upland's first black drum major, plays Scottish snare drum in the Kevin Blandford Memorial Bagpipe Ensemble and clarinet.
Hall avoided choirs as a pre-teen
and teenager, hiding his talent behind a chauvinistic
assumption that singing was for girls, until Rogers recruited
him for an Upland Unified School District mass choir. "He
simply said you're going to be in the choir," Hall
recalled. "I was in eighth grade then."
He didn't return to public singing until he and classmates Sean Lewis and Carolyn Keith sang "Fair Eastside" at Upland High's senior breakfast.
Besides Mt. SAC choirs, Hall sang in Dae One, a rhythm-and-blues group managed by Dick Scott who also managed Boyz To Men, New Kids on the Block and Dionne Warwick. He also sings at the Water of Life Community Church in Fontana and will leave the Inland Valley soon to become director of music ministries at Ocean Pacific Community Church in Los Osos. Robles and Hall teased Malolot when the young man born and raised in Los Angeles confessed his introduction to public singing was at his preschool graduation.
"Did you sing `Never Walk Alone?' " Hall asked, mimicking the sing-song pattern of a giggling toddler. "Or did you sing `Can't Touch This?' "
"Maybe it was `High Hopes' because a kid graduating from preschool would have 'em," Robles quipped.
"I don't remember. After all, I was only 3 or 4 years old," Malolot said. "All I know is it was fun after I got over being a little bit scared. Once I got on stage I was at home."
Herme and Rowena Malolot, a facility logistics manager and a registered nurse, gave daughter Sharon and sons Bryan and Ron piano lessons. The siblings' affinity for music prompted Sharon to additionally study the clarinet, Byron to take up the trumpet and Bryan to develop his vocal instrument. Malolot sang in choirs throughout elementary school and at the Glendale Adventist Academy. Uncertain about majoring in physical therapy at La Sierra University, he came to Mt. SAC instead, unaware of the school's musical reputation. It was fortuitous. he said. He majors in music at Mt. SAC and also takes recording engineer classes at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood.
Malolot and Hall additionally sing in Projekt Soul, a funk-jazz-rock-gospel group, and Five Piece, an all-male a cappella group. Hall sang in the house choir for Black Entertainment Television's Gospel Celebration 2005.
Inspired by their college conductors and educators, the three will all pursue careers in music as performers and teachers.