ASEAN-KOREA FLUTE FESTIVAL

MAY Y. CASTRO

In an initiative to promote cultural exchange and regional talent showcase of ASEAN Member States and Republic of Korea, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Seoul Music Group teamed up for the first-ever ASEAN-KOREA Flute Festival.

With the theme, Celebrating ASEAN Traditions Across Cultures, the music festival gathers some of the finest flute musicians from the region to perform and provide lectures in various cultural, public, and academic venues in the Philippines and Korea, from November 26 to December 9, 2017.

On November 28, a pocket show was held at the Gabaldon Building at the Angeles City Division Office from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The show aims to provide an opportunity for flutists in Southeast Asia and Korea to interact and create integrated renditions of contemporary and traditional songs targeted to be appreciated by the general public, most especially the youth, while also incorporating classic and modern approaches in music-making.

The show in Angeles featured traditional instruments like changgo, haegum, kayagum and piri. As a music leader, I along with four students from Grade 8 were chosen as participants.

The cross-cultural event also kicked off with several pocket shows and cultural tours in Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan, and culminated with a gala performance concert at Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza on December 1 (Friday) and a public performance concert at Luneta National Park on December 2 (Saturday).

Featuring the artistic direction of National Artist for Music Dr. Ramon P. Santos, the ASEAN-KOREA Flute Festival aimed to break new grounds for deeper sense of cultural awareness and for better understanding of our shared musical heritage with neighboring ASEAN countries and Korea.

The music festival was a joint project of the Philippines and Korea, with funding support from the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, as part of the celebration to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN, the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-KOREA Dialogue Partnership, as well as the ASEAN-Korea Cultural Exchange Year 2017.

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The author is Teacher II at Diosdado Macapagal High School Sto. Domingo, Mexico, Pam panga