Last Saturday, I attended the Philippine Youth Symphonic Band rehearsal. I went there to deliver a new arrangement of Sitsiritsit and Leron Leron Sinta (in a medley). They also played my Sarung Banggui arrangement. Though the members weren't all there that day, I heard the arrangements and I felt really honored to be working with those guys. They play well for their age.

The new material are all Filipino folk songs, as an effort to remind the younger generation/s about them. They are slowly being forgotten. I remember that in High School, we used to sing some of these songs. Even then, some of the songs I learned were incomplete. I had to revise my Sarung Banggui arrangement for this group after the first reading because there was one part missing, due to the fact that I didn't know there was a C part. We were only taught the A and B parts at school.

Not only did I have the chance to hear the arrangements played (which I enjoyed making, not the least because of my own uncertainty as to whether it'll work out), these would be sponsored (read: professional fees), and I was fed some spaghetti and cake. What more can one ask for on a nice Saturday?









Romy San Jose conducting the group

 Subscribe in a reader

Tags: philippine youth symphonic band,arrangement,concert band