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.
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.
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.
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.
Their main flutist lineup includes:
Awang
Moss Minggo from Brunei Darussalam
Khean
Yun from Cambodia
Desmal
Hendri from Indonesia
Soulinh
Sengkham from Laos
Firlany
Malik from Malaysia
Than
Zaw from Myanmar
Benicio
Sokkong from Philippines
Ghanavenothan
Retnam from Singapore
Surasak
Kingsai from Thailand
Thao
Nguyen from Vietnam
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..”.
“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.
ASEAN
KOR Flute Festival Organizer with the 11 Main Flutist
ASEAN
KOR Flute Festival Organizer with the 44 flutist
Benicio
Sokkong with his Tongali (Nose Flute)
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.
