ASEAN-KOREA Flute Festival - A Musical Collaboration of Tradition Across Cultures

1 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Poster


The first musical instrument I got during my childhood years was a 10 pesos wooden flute. I got to play simple music with it and sometimes ran out of breath midway to the Bahay Kubo piece. Fast forward many years and my adult life, I have forgotten to play the flute and missed the music it produced by rhythmically opening and closing the holes where the melodic air passes.


Fortunately, I have been invited to a flute festival cultural event where flute musicians from the ASEAN region and Korea will gather to perform and spread awareness through lectures in cultural venues, schools and public places in the Philippines and Korea that will run from November 26 to December 9, 2017.   


2 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival -  PETA

3 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Stage

During the press event at PETA, Annie Luis (Head of the International Affairs Office, NCCA) invites us to join and witness the activities of the ASEAN Korea Flute Festival that will celebrate the traditions across cultures from different regions of the ASEAN and Korea. Activities in the Philippines includes a series of lectures, workshops and joint performances in Bulacan, Pampanga and Rizal that will feature the best 44 flute musicians from the ASEAN region and Korea.

 Annie Luis - Head of the International Affairs Office NCCA


On December 1 (6pm - 8pm), a gala performance concert will be held at Carlos P. Romulo Theater, Makati and on December 2 (6pm - 8pm) at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium, a public performance concert.  It will feature the 44 the best performers of ASEAN and Korea with the artistic direction of National Artist for Music Dr. Ramon P. Santos whose commissioned a piece ‘IIHIP-IHIP-AN’. ‘There will also be collaborative sessions between countries.. There will 5 different combinations of countries that will be featured so I would like to invite each and every one’, said Dr. Ramon P. Santos.

5 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival -  Ramon Santos - National Artist and Artistic Director

 To celebrate the the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-KOREA Dialogue Partnership, they have gathered the top flute musicians to the ASEAN-KOREA Flute Festival. “Today, we are here gathered together and looking forward to create this friendship.. And in the end, create this joy that we’ll bring together and we’ll gonna share bringing back to our country and share it more with people within our nation.”, said Qing Lung Tan, ASEAN-KOREA Flute Festival Director.

4 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Qing Lung Tan - Director


  
Their main flutist lineup includes:
6 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Awang Moss Minggo - Brunei Darussalam
Awang Moss Minggo from Brunei Darussalam




7 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Khean Yun - Cambodia
Khean Yun from Cambodia




8 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Desmal Hendri - India
Desmal Hendri from Indonesia




9 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Soulinh Sengkham - Lao PDR
Soulinh Sengkham from Laos




10 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Firlany Malik - Malaysia
Firlany Malik from Malaysia




11 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Than Zaw - Myanmar
Than Zaw from Myanmar



12 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Benicio Sokkong - Philippines
Benicio Sokkong from Philippines




13 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Ghanavenothan Retnam - Singapore
Ghanavenothan Retnam from Singapore




14 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Surasak Kingsai - Thailand
Surasak Kingsai from Thailand




15 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Thao Nguyen - Vietnam
Thao Nguyen from Vietnam

16 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Dasom Baek - Korea
Dasom Baek from Korea


The main flutist from the ASEAN and Korea performed a short piece and each performance was amazing!

Here were some of their performances:

From Philippines, Benicio Sokkong


From Korea, Dasom Baek


From Vietnam, Thao Ngyuen



After their short performances, an interview session came after. All the best flutist in Asia gathered in one stage. Firlany Malik from Malaysia said that “It’s been very fun and also enjoyable. We got to know each other, this is my first time in the Philippines. This is my first time knowing them, from Korea and everything. And also of different cultures, different technique and the character of their flutes..”.

17 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Flute Musician Panel 1


“For me the flute is very important because I’m from a musician family. My family plays all kinds of instruments but I don’t play that many instruments, I only play the flute. It’s a natural instrument, nature's gift to humanity. It’s made of bamboo so it’s very nice and has mystical sounds. It gives a very sentimental note to any kind of melodical lines we play, any type of flute you can see this.”  Ghanavenothan Retnam from Singapore said on why they chose the flute to master.

18 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Flute Musician Panel 2

19 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Interview Panel

20 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival -  Photo Op 1
ASEAN KOR Flute Festival Organizer with the 11 Main Flutist


ASEAN KOR Flute Festival Organizer with the 44 flutist




22 ASEAN KOR Flute Festival - Sir Benicio with his Nose Flute
Benicio Sokkong with his Tongali (Nose Flute)

ASEAN KOR Flute Festival -  Me with Sir Benicio

Me with Sir Benicio Sokkong

I’m glad that I had a chance to witness their teaser performance. Each with their own technique and passion when they play their flute. Regardless of the different cultures and background, we are all united with music. I highly suggest to check their performance and see how different cultures can join together in celebration of unity and to further strengthen the cultural awareness with our neighboring ASEAN countries and Korea.


Coverage by: Aaron Nomo
for Azrael's Merryland Blog