Tan-áw
Full program notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hMtbLj79ZR3RQ-cUjNghhvUfoXiNskbm/view?usp=sharing
TAN-ÁW
Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Cebuano
(v. to see, to look at, to view, to mind, to contemplate, to be vigilant)
“Con el recuerdo del pasado, entro en el porvenir.”
“ I enter the future with a memory of the past”
- Dr. Jose Rizal
“Ang taong hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”
“He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.”
- Filipino proverb
In a time where we find ourselves in a place of disillusionment, in a state of flux – with differing energies and a wavering sense of stability, it is necessary to take a step back and find resolve within ourselves. In Chaitanya Tamayo’s Pintig (pulse), written for solo voice and remote audio processing, we seek to address the agony caused by the tribulations we constantly face. As our strengths are reduced by the persistent and increasing throbbing in our veins, we learn to counter the pain by reflecting on our past and conditioning our souls to be at peace with the present.
In Feliz Anne Macahis’ d:ua:ta (derived from the word Diwata – spirit/guide, written as a study for solo mezzo soprano), we look back on the rich culture and tradition of the T’bolis of South Cotabato. As a people who were insulated from Spanish and American colonial influences, they were able to retain their customs – enabling them to preserve a distinct way of life, language, music, and material culture. Known for generating intricate weaving patterns through dreams that they believe are gifts from the gods, the T'bolis’ epics and music culture similarly exhibit complexity and fluidity in delivery. Macahis’ d:ua:ta explores this intricacy by studying the capabilities of the voice, thereby creating a sound world that is evocative of the T’boli ethos and
environment - suspended in time and space. Through the re-creation and reimagination of our collective past, we realize our full potential and propel toward a future with endless possibilities.
But as we move forward, we must constantly remind ourselves that we are finite beings - all fighting against time to an inevitable end. In Jonathan Domingo’s musical setting of Ralph Fonte’s set of Tagalog poems entitled Ecopoetry, Domingo echoes a challenge for all of us to become vigilant stewards of our bodies and of the earth. Written as a song cycle for coloratura soprano, piano, flute, and cello, Domingo’s kaLIKHAsan addresses our role in the cycle of creation and death in our ecosystem. Our failure to recognize our responsibilities as custodians of the earth leads us to a place of disillusionment, devoid of motivation and purpose. If we learn to see the limits of time and affect change in our ways and acknowledge stewardship, we can move to a position of hope and fully begin to live in the present.
Yet in our struggle for existence, most of us long for a spiritual connection within and without. In Dave Dagta’s setting of the Lord’s Prayer in Cebuano, written for voice, pierrot ensemble and percussion, Amahan Namo transports us to a time and place of reflection that mirrors Filipino animist and Catholic rituals. As ancestor worshippers and colonized Christians, we ask deities for protection and sustenance, yet simultaneously ask guidance from our forefathers to direct us to a place of righteousness. In this concurrence of beliefs, we bridge the past and the present and find peace in the differences between both realms.
As we continue to mold our consciousness as a people, may we never forget our past, for it is in retrospection that we learn to ground ourselves to remember who we were, and evaluate what we have become.
TAN-ÁW, is an appeal for all of us to look deeper into ourselves and find our inner purpose. Easily eclipsed by the noise of voices in and out of our heads, it is challenging to see clearly and be illuminated by our verity. But as the Persian poet Rumi says, “What you seek is seeking you,” may we remember to find solace within ourselves, yet learn from our past, and gain the strength and courage to pave a better future not just for ourselves, but for humanity.
The pieces in the recital program are written and derived from various languages: Cebuano, Ilocano, Ibaloi, Kalanguya, T’boli, and Tagalog as part of the WIKÁWIT initiative of revitalizing Filipino languages through music.
TAN-ÁW
Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Cebuano
(v. to see, to look at, to view, to mind, to contemplate, to be vigilant)
“Con el recuerdo del pasado, entro en el porvenir.”
“ I enter the future with a memory of the past”
- Dr. Jose Rizal
“Ang taong hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”
“He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.”
- Filipino proverb
In a time where we find ourselves in a place of disillusionment, in a state of flux – with differing energies and a wavering sense of stability, it is necessary to take a step back and find resolve within ourselves. In Chaitanya Tamayo’s Pintig (pulse), written for solo voice and remote audio processing, we seek to address the agony caused by the tribulations we constantly face. As our strengths are reduced by the persistent and increasing throbbing in our veins, we learn to counter the pain by reflecting on our past and conditioning our souls to be at peace with the present.
In Feliz Anne Macahis’ d:ua:ta (derived from the word Diwata – spirit/guide, written as a study for solo mezzo soprano), we look back on the rich culture and tradition of the T’bolis of South Cotabato. As a people who were insulated from Spanish and American colonial influences, they were able to retain their customs – enabling them to preserve a distinct way of life, language, music, and material culture. Known for generating intricate weaving patterns through dreams that they believe are gifts from the gods, the T'bolis’ epics and music culture similarly exhibit complexity and fluidity in delivery. Macahis’ d:ua:ta explores this intricacy by studying the capabilities of the voice, thereby creating a sound world that is evocative of the T’boli ethos and
environment - suspended in time and space. Through the re-creation and reimagination of our collective past, we realize our full potential and propel toward a future with endless possibilities.
But as we move forward, we must constantly remind ourselves that we are finite beings - all fighting against time to an inevitable end. In Jonathan Domingo’s musical setting of Ralph Fonte’s set of Tagalog poems entitled Ecopoetry, Domingo echoes a challenge for all of us to become vigilant stewards of our bodies and of the earth. Written as a song cycle for coloratura soprano, piano, flute, and cello, Domingo’s kaLIKHAsan addresses our role in the cycle of creation and death in our ecosystem. Our failure to recognize our responsibilities as custodians of the earth leads us to a place of disillusionment, devoid of motivation and purpose. If we learn to see the limits of time and affect change in our ways and acknowledge stewardship, we can move to a position of hope and fully begin to live in the present.
Yet in our struggle for existence, most of us long for a spiritual connection within and without. In Dave Dagta’s setting of the Lord’s Prayer in Cebuano, written for voice, pierrot ensemble and percussion, Amahan Namo transports us to a time and place of reflection that mirrors Filipino animist and Catholic rituals. As ancestor worshippers and colonized Christians, we ask deities for protection and sustenance, yet simultaneously ask guidance from our forefathers to direct us to a place of righteousness. In this concurrence of beliefs, we bridge the past and the present and find peace in the differences between both realms.
As we continue to mold our consciousness as a people, may we never forget our past, for it is in retrospection that we learn to ground ourselves to remember who we were, and evaluate what we have become.
TAN-ÁW, is an appeal for all of us to look deeper into ourselves and find our inner purpose. Easily eclipsed by the noise of voices in and out of our heads, it is challenging to see clearly and be illuminated by our verity. But as the Persian poet Rumi says, “What you seek is seeking you,” may we remember to find solace within ourselves, yet learn from our past, and gain the strength and courage to pave a better future not just for ourselves, but for humanity.
The pieces in the recital program are written and derived from various languages: Cebuano, Ilocano, Ibaloi, Kalanguya, T’boli, and Tagalog as part of the WIKÁWIT initiative of revitalizing Filipino languages through music.
Dryad
The concert was an exploration of settings of striking 20th century poetry, set for one to three voices. It featured Kaija Saariaho's From the Grammar of Dreams (1988) for two female voices to words from Sylvia Plath's Bell Jar, the first movement of George Crumb's iconic Madrigals with poems by Lorca, and Hans Werner Henze's moving Three Auden Songs (1984) for tenor and piano.
Another special work is Grete von Zieritz's Stimmen im Walde (1993) for coloratura soprano and flute, in its U.S. Premiere.
The second half of the program is devoted to the world premiere of Alex Taylor's Dryad, a 30 minute piece commissioned by the kallisti ensemble for coloratura soprano, lyric soprano, tenor, piano, flute, harp and percussion, with texts by H.D., Ezra Pound, Bryher and Frances Gregg.
The singers are Stefanie Quintin-Avila, Mariana Flores, and Miguel Zazueta. They are joined by Rebecca Lloyd Jones, percussion, Alex Ishov, flute, Tasha Smith Godinez, harp, Kyle Adam Blair, piano with the assistance of conductor Yifan Guo.
Another special work is Grete von Zieritz's Stimmen im Walde (1993) for coloratura soprano and flute, in its U.S. Premiere.
The second half of the program is devoted to the world premiere of Alex Taylor's Dryad, a 30 minute piece commissioned by the kallisti ensemble for coloratura soprano, lyric soprano, tenor, piano, flute, harp and percussion, with texts by H.D., Ezra Pound, Bryher and Frances Gregg.
The singers are Stefanie Quintin-Avila, Mariana Flores, and Miguel Zazueta. They are joined by Rebecca Lloyd Jones, percussion, Alex Ishov, flute, Tasha Smith Godinez, harp, Kyle Adam Blair, piano with the assistance of conductor Yifan Guo.
Pagtanaw
In partnership with the Goethe Institut Philippines and Manila Composers Lab, the Ripieno Ensemble PH launched a concert series which reexamines the Filipino identity through the ‘Kundiman’ - a song form embedded with Filipino values of devotion, unity, and patriotism. Inspired by Johannes Schoellhorn’s notion of trans-composition, the Ripieno Ensemble PH envisions these songs into modern arrangements which incorporates the aesthetics of contemporary music yet uncompromising its core.
Link to concert series playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMxAqxcIRsmEjhA0ies_tnf1oYaMM1Vlp
Link to concert series playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMxAqxcIRsmEjhA0ies_tnf1oYaMM1Vlp
Tao Po
"Tao po" is a formal expression used by Filipinos to ask permission to enter a person's home, showing utmost respect to the physical boundaries and privacy of the homeowner.
At the height of the Philippine "War on Drugs," the police force was tasked to look for the homes of drug users, pushers and syndicates. The "Operation Tokhang" (tokhang = "knock" and "convince") was intended to make drug suspects to rehabilitate and change their ways. As the operations began, a bloody war ensued. Some suspects were taken out of their homes by force, and some "alleged" suspects resisted and fought for their rights. Some were lucky, while the others perished in the hands of those who swore an oath to protect people. "Tao po" is a plea from the children of those who were slain, gently knocking on heaven's doors to bring justice on earth.
Music: Stefanie Quintin-Avila & Vahid Jahandari
Text: Stefanie Quintin-Avila
Audio Mixing: Vahid Jahandari
Videography: Stefanie Quintin-Avila
Cinematography: Vahid Jahandari
At the height of the Philippine "War on Drugs," the police force was tasked to look for the homes of drug users, pushers and syndicates. The "Operation Tokhang" (tokhang = "knock" and "convince") was intended to make drug suspects to rehabilitate and change their ways. As the operations began, a bloody war ensued. Some suspects were taken out of their homes by force, and some "alleged" suspects resisted and fought for their rights. Some were lucky, while the others perished in the hands of those who swore an oath to protect people. "Tao po" is a plea from the children of those who were slain, gently knocking on heaven's doors to bring justice on earth.
Music: Stefanie Quintin-Avila & Vahid Jahandari
Text: Stefanie Quintin-Avila
Audio Mixing: Vahid Jahandari
Videography: Stefanie Quintin-Avila
Cinematography: Vahid Jahandari
Alexithymia
Composer Ni Zheng's "Alexithymia" is a piece that explores the inability to express oneself, unwillingly blind towards one's emotions. The primary materials were derived from improvised vocal experiments, and then defined, varied, and de/constructed compositionally.
