Monday, July 21, 2008 Costanilla: Varona’s homecoming concert and ‘Hiyas Bisaya’ By Sam Costanilla Spotlight
SONG WRITERS who want to participate in the 2009 Cebu Popular Music Festival have until the 31st of this month to submit their entries to the Cebu Arts Foundation, Inc. secretariat at the University of the Visayas.
It means beyond July 31, entries will no longer be entertained. Screening has been slated on Aug. 10 for purposes of determining the magic 12. I hope there will be no 11th-hour submission of entries.
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IT was a highly successful banig (mat) festival that the municipality of Badian presented over the weekend. I salute Mayor Carmen Librando-Lumain, Vice Mayor Fructouso Caballero and the rest of the town officialdom for coming up with this festival as a move to preserve the municipality’s colorful past as well as pay tribute to the banig sa Badian which continues to improve the economic plight of the poor by making and selling the durable mat.
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TALKING of festivals, all roads lead to the northern town of Sogod on Friday, July 25, for its first ever PanagSogod Festival.
Acting Mayor Lissa Marie Durano, “Moonyeen” to her close friends, should be congratulated for motivating the rest of the officials and employees of the local government unit to work with her and see the realization of their dream.
Tourism Sec. Ace Durano and Gov. Gwen Garcia have already confirmed their attendance during the Sogod event.
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VIOLIST Gerry Varona will be doing a homecoming concert this week to give us a chance to enjoy his brand of music once again. It’s a must-see show as he will delight the members of the audience with his mastery of the viola. To recall, Gerry has played for several years with the Peace Philharmonic Philippines both as a principal of the viola section and as soloist.
He won 1st prize in the National Music Competition for Young Artists in 2004 and the Dean’s Concerto Competition at the Louisiana State University last year.
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GERRY also won in a regional chamber music contest in the whole state of Louisiana and has joined the Interlochen Arts Festival in Michigan where he was privileged to play with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra and with the Honors Quartet and the Boudoin Chamber Music Festival in Maine. Anyway, let’s all cheer for Gerry on Thursday, July 24, 8 p.m., at the Fernan Cebu Press Center in Sudlon, Lahug. He will be accompanied on the piano by Maria Mila Nadala. The Arts Council of Cebu Foundation, Inc., headed by my very good friend Petite Garcia, will present the free show although reservations should be made first by calling tel. nos. 2330452 or 2330236 right now.
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THE Cebu Malay Society of Composers, Artists and Producers (Cemscap) is determined to present a magnificent two-hour concert of Visayan and English songs featuring an all-Cebuano cast. The Hiyas Bisaya concert will have no Manila-based performers but Cemscap and the Chicago-based Yanong family, the concert producers, are optimistic that they would be able to gather a big crowd to watch it inside the Cebu Coliseum on Aug. 9.
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ONE good reason why all of us should watch Hiyas Bisaya is that a very talented 20-year-old singer, saxophonist and pianist from Illinois will be doing several vocal numbers and instrumental pieces specially arranged by musical director Doy Montaña. The handsome artist I’m referring to is Giga Mangubat Yanong whose parents continue to care for and help promote Visayan songs even if they are now living in Chicago. Their co-producing Hiyas Bisaya with Cemscap is proof of the couple’s genuine concern for our culture.
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ASIDE from Giga, the other concert stars are Thea Domingo, Athens Engracia, Edison Monternel, Nobo Bono Jr., Sheryl Panis, Michelle Arizabal, Dr. Warfe Engracia and the Cebu Normal University (CNU) dancers. Yes, the show doesn’t have named Manila stars as guest performers but with everybody’s full support, the Aug. 9 presentation would surely be a roaring success. Cemscap marketing director Tita Domingo says the show tickets are reasonably priced and some outlets include the King Tupas Medical Clinic at E-Mall, CNU main campus and the Cebu Coliseum. This writer is also selling the tickets so please feel free to call or text me anytime.
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THIS former parish pastoral council officer has been directed to pay a substantial amount to the church. She reportedly misspent the money and her dragging the name of the parish priest to the mess didn’t help her at all.
