THE MADZ’S MINDANAO OUTREACH TOUR TOUCHES AND INSPIRES LIVES
The Philippine Madrigal Singers resumed their touring program after two and a half years of not being able to hold onsite concerts and travel due to the coronavirus pandemic
The Philippine Madrigal Singers, the resident choral company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, continue to touch and inspire lives through music even with their 2022 Mindanao outreach tour titled “Pagdasig,” a Cebuano word that means “to inspire.”
Having been on the road since 25 November, the Madz, as they are fondly called, has given concerts in Koronadal City, South Cotabato (26 November); Davao City (30 November); Tagum City, Davao del Norte (1 December); Sibagat, Agusan del Sur (3 December); Marawi City, Lanao del Sure (7 December); and Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Norte (9 December).
Led by choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio, the Madz resumed their touring program (under the banner title “Banaag”) after two and a half years of not being able to hold onsite concerts and travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. They started their 2022 tours in Luzon and proceeded to Visayas. The Mindanao leg was supported by CCP’s Cultural Exchange Department and its network of Kaisa sa Sining regional arts centers, local government units and nongovernment organizations.
“Pagdasig” aimed to inspire people and communities in
Mindanao who have experienced varied difficulties in life due to the pandemic. The musical pieces were specifically chosen by Carpio to bring the audiences in a hopeful and encouraging mood.
“Pagdasig” covered 13 cities and municipalities including Koronadal, Lake Sebu, General Santos, Tacurong, Davao, Tagum, Sibagat, Malaybalay, Cagayan de Oro, Marawi, Iligan, Pagadian, and Lapuyan. The Madz singers themselves got inspired too from the outreach tour as each one of them needed to revitalize their creative energies, hone further their musicality and achieve a sense of fulfillment by singing together again, supporting and comforting each other in those “chairs” arranged in a semi-circle.
Founded by National Artist for Music Andrea O. Veneracion 59 years ago, the Madz is fortunate to have visited hundreds of local communities around the country for over five decades
and all throughout their journey to various provinces and regions.
“We witnessed how music warms the hearts and feeds the soul with serenity and hope. Life changing experiences happen in musical encounters especially those that fulfill a dream, a mission,” Carpio shared.
“Being with the Madz, it was instilled in us that we are all part of a mission. We are here to bring messages of hope, love, and peace. When we sing our songs, we converse with people. We bring them comfort. We tell them, ‘We are here for you.’ As a singer, it is empowering to be with the Madz knowing that with every song, city, audience, and workshop, we are all bringing them together through music. The workshops we’ve taught in have also inspired me to share my talents more and what I’ve learned so far. A priest reminded us recently that our talents were not given to us to be kept for ourselves, but to be shared. When we share more of what we have, there are a lot of beautiful possibilities,” said soprano Danielle Fanlo.
On the other hand, baritone Zadkiel John S. Yarcia said, “The opportunities to impart knowledge from my formal studies and my experiences in this outreach tour through the workshops have been helpful in both my growth as a performer and as a person. It is revitalizing to finally be able to go on tour and perform together again. Aside from the experience of teaching and sharing knowledge with others, we also learn how to sing better together as a group. The Madz Outreach tour has been beneficial in sharing the dream of a singing Philippines as it brings and nurtures people’s passion and love for music and singing. Moreover, the Madz also learn from this experience and become better musicians and people in the process.”
“As individual singers, outreach tours allow us to develop a sense of responsibility, discipline, and independence. With only ourselves (and our luggage) and away from our homes, we learn and improve our ways of dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, most especially in meeting new people from different walks of life. As a choir, we learn the value of teamwork to achieve our goals; respect for each other’s time and space; and trust everyone’s contribution for the betterment of the group. Ultimately, we learn the value of gratitude in every person that we meet, in every place that we visit — in every waking moment,” said bass Erwin Flores.
Aside from the concerts, the MADz also conducted workshops for local choirs in seven sites — Koronadal, General Santos, Davao City, Tagum, Sibagat, Iligan, and Pagadian — which made their outreach tour even more meaningful as the MADz continue to fullfill the vision of Veneracion — a singing Philippines united and singing in harmony and peace.
The music for transformation activities and cultural immersions specifically the mini-concerts offered for the Philippine Army soldiers in Marawi City and Lanao del Norte, the interactions with the Tagolwanen women weavers of Bukidnon, the T’bolis of Lake Sebu and the Iranuns of Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, were humbling experiences for the Madz that they will treasure for the rest of their lives.
“A better understanding and appreciation of our country, our culture and our people are the most important impact of our outreach tours. The Madz’s eyes and minds are opened to a lot of valuable things. It teaches us to love what we have and gives us the opportunity to understand and acknowledge our sense of identity and pride as Filipinos. Lifelong relationships and connection with our fellow Filipinos indifferent regions are established. It helps reinforce a sense of community among us. Lastly, it also gives us the opportunity to share this beautiful gift of music that was given to us and use it to help make this world a much better place to live in,” said alto and company manager Perlita Reyes.
With the outcome of the Mindanao tour and also to accommodate several requests, “Pagdasig” will have a second phase in 2023 to reach more audiences and communities in southern Philippines.