No dream is too big when you have the courage to pursue it. For UK-based classical soprano Lizzie Bett Estrada, her dreams can move mountains and people—in more places than one.
"My parents can sing. We are a typical family who enjoys karaoke," laughed Estrada. "I started joining choirs in elementary school because I enjoyed singing with people, and then I began to discover more about my voice and its capabilities."
Estrada is one of the scholars of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ International Scholarship Program, which aims to provide financial support to exceptional learners who have achieved outstanding academic and artistic excellence in their respective art forms and have been accepted to higher educational institutions outside the Philippines.
Estrada’s love for singing brought her to the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), where she graduated with Highest Honors and an Outstanding Student Award in the field of music.
The Laguna-born music artist looks back on the start of her musical journey and reveals the depth of her father’s support in getting her into PHSA.
"My dad was the one who suggested PHSA. I think his intention was just to get free tuition, so he didn’t know that singing at PHSA is actually classical. I didn't know anything about music theory when I first auditioned, so it was like shooting for the moon."
Back then, the young CCP scholar persisted in learning basic music theory from her choir conductor until she passed her second audition and finally entered the institution located in Makiling.
"I really enjoyed singing during my first four years in Makiling. It was so fulfilling to study various genres like pop and choral singing. Then, I started participating in competitions outside the country," she enthused.
Estrada competed in Thailand and Singapore during her second and third years at PHSA. Despite not winning, she was happy to perform in different music halls abroad. The experience fueled her aspirations to perform on a bigger stage.
"It was a gradual love affair with singing and opera. Hearing stories from my teachers, it felt wonderful to dream big because of their experiences traveling everywhere. So, I thought, what if I could also achieve all those things?"
Under the tutelage of her PHSA mentors Camille Lopez-Molina and Pablo Molina, Estrada's repertoire expanded. Eventually, she received scholarship offers from two prestigious music schools in London—the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Despite concerns over the expenses of moving to the United Kingdom, Estrada and her father were determined to pursue this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"It seemed like a shot in the dark. I was doing my best, but my dad wrote all the letters and physically sent them to the NCCA, Ayala Foundation, and the CCP. We hoped they would support us, considering I already had a full scholarship—and they did."
The CCP, through its then-president Margarita Moran-Floirendo, offered to make Estrada one of its International Scholars and cover her accommodation, allowances, and other educational expenses.
Currently, Estrada is enrolled in the Music Standard Pathway program at the Royal Academy of Music, training under the tutelage of Professor Susan Waters. Recently, she won first prize at the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers in Manchester, England.
Reflecting on her experience, Estrada said, "Two weeks before the competition, we had a run-through during our performance class."
"Interestingly, I was being too modest—typical of Filipinos—so after I sang, I kept saying, 'Oh no, I didn’t do well because I made so many mistakes.' My teacher spoke to me. She said, 'You did really well. It’s just in your culture to be humble. That’s why you thought what you gave was not enough. But the truth is, it was.'"
Estrada realized she just needed to allow herself to enjoy the music and genuinely appreciate the audience to make her performances more meaningful.
"I felt like I won not because I was certain I would win, but because I discovered that feeling within myself. It was very nurturing for me. I felt liberated."
Nowadays, Estrada is actively working on improving herself by exploring her strengths and weaknesses. She recalls a lesson from her mentor Lopez-Molina about having grit to push through obstacles that may come her way.
"Just dream big. As they say, it doesn’t cost anything to dream."
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