personal
Haay September Na...
24 Sep 2009 11:04 PM
Haaay... I had originally set up this blog with the
goal of writing weekly. It turned out to be harder
than I thought.
It’s hard because I want to write interesting things, maybe some more orchestration or MIDI tutorials, maybe some album and band reviews, and definitely stuff I learn and experience in music, . For my hobbies such as running and biking, I want to write nice accounts of what happened, during my training and racing. Unfortunately, I don’t have the discipline for really churning out weekly content.
So now, just to not let this week pass without any new content, I’ll just post a rundown of my September so far.
Moved to a “new” space in the office (mid-August pala ito)
- once a resident of the third floor, my suite is now in the fourth, where I now have access to “my own” vocal booth. Yahoo!
- my third move ever since I started working in Carmel House Studios.
Recordings for Aiza Seguerra
- new album coming up! It’ll be a Singapore release.
here’s a video with me on piano (from the last album release)
Flow gigs
- continued playing for Flow, a musical/dance/acrobatic show in Pagcor. Full big band setup here, and my father Mel Villena is the musical director.
Learn more about Flow here
Singing Bee gigs
- am still writing for SInging Bee, the evening game show. I write music sheets for the band, for those songs that stop in the middle, and contestants have to complete the lyrics.
Arranged music for our company’s choir
- Globalink’s choir, whose album is in the works.
Attended big band clinics at Ten 02 Bar
- with the intention of honing my big band arranging skills, and of course hanging out with the cool musicians. Sometimes I played piano too.
Now arranging music for Eat Bulaga’s Bulilit Birit
- Yup, I’m doing this at the moment, and just taking a break from it.. need to submit the arrangements tomorrow afternoon.
Attended the iBike clinic
- there are some photos here
Attained my best 10k time so far
- At Ayala Eco-Dash race. And this was unintended (1hr. 3 mins. for the 10k). I think I would’ve done better if I hadn’t been biking the whole day before.
Joined my first Duathlon (sprint distance: 7k run, 30k bike, 3.5k run)
- dismal finish, but the point is, I finished! Now I know what I need to train for, for next time.
- - - - - - -
Whew, I think that’s a lot so far! No wonder I don’t get to blog much. I think it gets even crazier when the -ber months are well underway.
Related posts:
This Week’s Tasks...
It’s hard because I want to write interesting things, maybe some more orchestration or MIDI tutorials, maybe some album and band reviews, and definitely stuff I learn and experience in music, . For my hobbies such as running and biking, I want to write nice accounts of what happened, during my training and racing. Unfortunately, I don’t have the discipline for really churning out weekly content.
So now, just to not let this week pass without any new content, I’ll just post a rundown of my September so far.
Moved to a “new” space in the office (mid-August pala ito)
- once a resident of the third floor, my suite is now in the fourth, where I now have access to “my own” vocal booth. Yahoo!
- my third move ever since I started working in Carmel House Studios.
Recordings for Aiza Seguerra
- new album coming up! It’ll be a Singapore release.
here’s a video with me on piano (from the last album release)
Flow gigs
- continued playing for Flow, a musical/dance/acrobatic show in Pagcor. Full big band setup here, and my father Mel Villena is the musical director.
Learn more about Flow here
Singing Bee gigs
- am still writing for SInging Bee, the evening game show. I write music sheets for the band, for those songs that stop in the middle, and contestants have to complete the lyrics.
Arranged music for our company’s choir
- Globalink’s choir, whose album is in the works.
Attended big band clinics at Ten 02 Bar
- with the intention of honing my big band arranging skills, and of course hanging out with the cool musicians. Sometimes I played piano too.
Now arranging music for Eat Bulaga’s Bulilit Birit
- Yup, I’m doing this at the moment, and just taking a break from it.. need to submit the arrangements tomorrow afternoon.
Attended the iBike clinic
- there are some photos here
Attained my best 10k time so far
- At Ayala Eco-Dash race. And this was unintended (1hr. 3 mins. for the 10k). I think I would’ve done better if I hadn’t been biking the whole day before.
Joined my first Duathlon (sprint distance: 7k run, 30k bike, 3.5k run)
- dismal finish, but the point is, I finished! Now I know what I need to train for, for next time.
- - - - - - -
Whew, I think that’s a lot so far! No wonder I don’t get to blog much. I think it gets even crazier when the -ber months are well underway.
Related posts:
This Week’s Tasks...
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Gig With Bamboo at Lovapalooza
12 Feb 2009 11:54 PM
Ok, I don’t have any pictures to show for it yet (maybe I’ll just wait for people to upload videos and photos), but I had a great time playing with Bamboo at the 2009 Lovapalooza. I know I’m a full-time arranger/composer now, and I’m more into scoring, arranging for albums, writing for orchestra, than actually performing, but it’s really nice to be able to perform live once in a while. And I know that while my first love is jazz, I’m also into rock and pop. And I think I should explore.
I do miss playing jazz, and playing in a trio/quartet. Ever since I got my piano again (inherited it from my family), I’ve been playing at home a lot. Maybe it’s time to take my playing out on the road again.
Yeah, yeah, maybe’s, what if’s and wishes. “Well done” is better than “well said.” Let’s see if I’ll really do this.
I’ll leave you with a video of my last gig with Bamboo before this Lovapalooza event. It’s been two years since!
Dinner With Rodrin and Adjeng
29 Jan 2009 06:38 PM
Finally! After not going out together for eight
months, we meet again. This time, they treated us to
a nice dinner at Galileo Enoteca restaurant, located
in one of the non-main streets of Mandaluyong. It's a
nice, cozy place. Charming ambience, great food.
Adjeng and Rodrin, our friends
Menu. I like that the place also offers individual set Italian meals - an appetizer, plate of cold cuts, salad and the main course. That makes it attractive for first-timers to sample what the place has to offer.
Dex and me. Munching on cheeses, cold cuts, and bread, with wine
Group pic. As you can see, the dining tables are surrounded with walls holding packs and bottles of Italian food and ingredients. It made the ambience homey for me, a nice place to just hang out and talk with friends. Minimal, if any, background music, which I prefer on nights like this.
Porcini Risotto. It has truffle oil. I love the taste and texture. Creamy, but not too much, and the mushrooms were perfect.
Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms. (Adjeng, where's the pic of the Chicken Breast w/ Pesto? Nakalimutan mo ba kasi nag-dive ka na agad? Hehehe joke!)
Tartufo for dessert. Dark chocolate ice cream. Yum!
Panna Cotta for dessert, too.
Yehey!
Yehey! Thanks again Rodrin and Adjeng, the night was lovely. Let's do this again soon, and also try out places we haven't been to.
All photos courtesy of Adjeng.
We received these from them too:
For Dex
For me
For me from Adjeng
Thanks Rodrin and Adjeng!
Related posts:
FIlharmoniKA at the Filfest
Adjeng and Rodrin, our friends
Menu. I like that the place also offers individual set Italian meals - an appetizer, plate of cold cuts, salad and the main course. That makes it attractive for first-timers to sample what the place has to offer.
Dex and me. Munching on cheeses, cold cuts, and bread, with wine
Group pic. As you can see, the dining tables are surrounded with walls holding packs and bottles of Italian food and ingredients. It made the ambience homey for me, a nice place to just hang out and talk with friends. Minimal, if any, background music, which I prefer on nights like this.
Porcini Risotto. It has truffle oil. I love the taste and texture. Creamy, but not too much, and the mushrooms were perfect.
Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms. (Adjeng, where's the pic of the Chicken Breast w/ Pesto? Nakalimutan mo ba kasi nag-dive ka na agad? Hehehe joke!)
Tartufo for dessert. Dark chocolate ice cream. Yum!
Panna Cotta for dessert, too.
Yehey!
Yehey! Thanks again Rodrin and Adjeng, the night was lovely. Let's do this again soon, and also try out places we haven't been to.
All photos courtesy of Adjeng.
We received these from them too:
For Dex
For me
For me from Adjeng
Thanks Rodrin and Adjeng!
Related posts:
FIlharmoniKA at the Filfest
Time For Some Nonsense
29 Oct 2008 09:50 AM
I don't take these things seriously, but I liked the
results of this test, so...
Got this from my cousin Nina's site.
Related posts:
Ten Years Ago, etc.
This is fairly accurate...
You are Strength
Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.
This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take
the Test to Find Out.
Got this from my cousin Nina's site.
Related posts:
Ten Years Ago, etc.
This is fairly accurate...
The First Thing My Dad Ever Taught Me
11 Sep 2008 01:49 AM
Way before riding a bike, swimming and diving, and
even reading notes and playing the piano, the first
thing my Dad ever taught me was...
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Hehehehehe! I'm kidding, of course! But we do like San Miguel beer a lot...
I had thought to post about my dad today because it was his birthday yesterday (September 10).
My dad Mel Villena is one of the finest musicians out there, but even more than that, he is really the most wonderful father.
Cheers!
Related posts:
This Week's Tasks, Plus Some Tidbits About My Dad
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Hehehehehe! I'm kidding, of course! But we do like San Miguel beer a lot...
I had thought to post about my dad today because it was his birthday yesterday (September 10).
My dad Mel Villena is one of the finest musicians out there, but even more than that, he is really the most wonderful father.
Cheers!
Related posts:
This Week's Tasks, Plus Some Tidbits About My Dad
This Is War!!!
20 Aug 2008 10:51 PM
No, not really... It's just that our new little
doggie's name sounds like the Filipino word for
"War." He he.
Meet Gera!
Full name: Gera z Herodesova Domu
We named her Gera after her grandfather, Gero, who is famous among working-line German Shepherds. He holds many working titles (represented in red letters). He and Gera hail from a line of Czechoslovakian frontier-police dogs (border patrol). These dogs were originally bred to help stop people from illegally crossing the border. Nowadays, the line continues as there is a demand for excellent police and sporting dogs all over the world.
Gera at 5 weeks, back in Czech Republic:
"When I grow up, I wanna be a police dog!" - Gera
("No, you will be a pet dog."- Daddy Dex)
Here is Gera's mom, and her pedigree (the red letters stand for working titles):
And here is her dad and his pedigree.
Dex hasn't started training with her yet. We will wait till she is a bit older.
Gera with me, at nearly 3 months:
Related posts:
My Bodyguard
Meet Gera!
Full name: Gera z Herodesova Domu
We named her Gera after her grandfather, Gero, who is famous among working-line German Shepherds. He holds many working titles (represented in red letters). He and Gera hail from a line of Czechoslovakian frontier-police dogs (border patrol). These dogs were originally bred to help stop people from illegally crossing the border. Nowadays, the line continues as there is a demand for excellent police and sporting dogs all over the world.
Gera at 5 weeks, back in Czech Republic:
"When I grow up, I wanna be a police dog!" - Gera
("No, you will be a pet dog."- Daddy Dex)
Here is Gera's mom, and her pedigree (the red letters stand for working titles):
And here is her dad and his pedigree.
Dex hasn't started training with her yet. We will wait till she is a bit older.
Gera with me, at nearly 3 months:
Related posts:
My Bodyguard