BAM culminating shows, song release, workshops

BROWN Academy of Music (BAM) held its first major culminating show of 2019 last April 6 at Ayala Center Cebu. In line with the 60th anniversary of the founding of Motown Records, the show, titled “Higher and Higher,” featured the music of Motown, Soul and R&B. There were approximately 70 students who performed on stage enrolled in voice, dance, guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums or violin lessons. The performers were a mix of children and adults.

BAM Productions, a division of Brown Academy of Music, recently released its debut single “Breakup Countdown.” The song was written last year by the songwriting workshop students at BAM, taught by award-winning songwriter, producer and musical director Jude Gitamondoc. The song was arranged by Anjelo Calinawan of The Music Cage, recorded at Room Eleven, produced by Gitamondoc and executive produced by BAM Productions. The vocals feature current BAM students Jericho Streegan and Mary Andrei Sambas. Christopher Faelnar played the keyboard and Christian Faelnar played the guitar. The song was released on all digital streaming platforms, and a lyric video was released on BAM’s social media account.

This summer, BAM hosted the first-ever Promil iShine Music Camp held in Cebu. Only two schools in the Philippines taught in the music camp: The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab in Metro Manila, and BAM. National Artist for Music, Cayabyab, flew to Cebu in March to personally train BAM faculty members. The Promil iShine Music Camp took place at Brown Academy of Music from April 22 to 26. In addition to the Promil camp, BAM is once again partnering with Ayala Center Cebu to offer the Summer BAMStar Workshop.

The workshop will run all summer with a culminating show on June 1, in partnership with the Knapsack Dancers and the Cebu City Pasundayag program. BAM will also be offering its regular lessons with a culminating show on June 2 at The Terraces.