Name: The Other Side of the Nephrologist Beyond the Clinic: Dr. Marissa Lim, Intimate with Music - Philippine Society of Nephrology
Uploaded: 2022-04-28T05:48:24+08:00
Description: The Other Side of the Nephrologist

The Other Side of the Nephrologist

Beyond the Clinic: Dr. Marissa Lim, Intimate with Music

Reina Lynn Antonio, MD, FPSN

“Music touches us emotionally where words alone can’t.” – Johnny Depp

This is the favorite quote of our featured Nephrologist, Dr. Marissa Elizabeth Lim, the Training Officer of the Section of Nephrology at the East Avenue Medical Center.

As dearly known to everyone, Marissa or Mar is really into music. It is her talent and outlet. She plays, sings, and conducts it. She even feels like she exercises when she sings. Mar admits seeing the notes dancing and interacting in her head whenever she sings or hears music; that is how intimate music is for her. She does not only feel it but lives it.

She was formally trained in piano and started her lessons at 3. Singing comes naturally to her. Since her family is into music, she grew up in a musical environment. All the girls in her family were required to have piano lessons. Her mom regularly sang to them and plays “sing-along” or karaoke frequently with them, thus instilling a natural love for music.

Mar discovered she sang well when she auditioned with their school’s prestigious grade school glee club and she was even astonished when she got accepted. From then on, she has been singing for others too.

Mar admits she loves to sing but not to perform solo in a big crowd. Hence, she prefers to be a member of a choir or singing group, e.g., Girl’s Choirs (in school), UP College of Medicine Choir (2001-2012 and as an alumna). After 30 years, she mustered the courage to join the Pansol choir in her church (her dream Choir membership), the Philippine College of Physicians, and the Philippine Society of Nephrology choirs. She is more of an accompanist when it comes to piano playing. Playing or singing solo is her greatest fear and secret shame.

Singing in a group is much fun for her. Knowing how amiable Mar is, it is not surprising that she loves making friends with the people she sings with, making every performance and practice enjoyable to her.

Mar admits that she is competitive and is a perfectionist. Having this attitude and world-class talent, her choirs love to join contests and always bag prizes. Most notable of them are the People’s Choice Award with the UP Medchoir in Cork, Ireland, Gold Medal in the 2006 World Choir Olympics with the UP Med Choir in China, Gold Medal in the 2017 Bali International Choral Festival with Pansol Choir, and the Gold Medal in the Tapei International Choral Competition with Pansol Choir too, aside from local competitions they joined and won.

Mar has music records with Pansol Choir in Spotify and several virtual choir videos of her singing groups on social media.

They are all memorable experiences for her. It is one of her many accomplishments and inspirations.

Her participation in the choir exposed her to experts in the chorale field, e.g., Mr. Mark Anthony Carpio, Mr. Jonathan Velasco, Mr. Robert Delgado, Mr. Arman Ferrer, and other up-and-coming composers and conductors. They all motivate her to become a better singer and an excellent conductor herself.

Despite all these achievements, Mar remains humble and even encouraging others about music. It gives her life. It is a connection without words, developing familiarity and love particularly during these challenging times.

Although she only attends meetings with her choirs virtually since she is a frontline exposed to COVID 19, they are her channels for reclaiming control of her work-life balance.

There are musical concerts in the works, some positive things to look forward to in this Pandemic. So, be sure to watch out for Mar in her musical activities and in our societies’ choir performances.

-RLGA2022

Mar’s Youtube page

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDh-y1MKuX8EoftJpko_wg