Passing Traditional Music From One Generation to Another
BOHOL - Bohol continued its efforts to preserve and promote its musical heritage through the 53rd NAMCYA Padayaw Tagbilaran – Regional Workshops, Visayas Cluster, held on September 4 at JJ’s Seafood Village Function Hall in Tagbilaran City. The activity featured workshops on traditional music and choral performance, giving participants opportunities to learn from experienced practitioners while developing a deeper appreciation for the cultural traditions carried through music. Ethnomusicologist and musician-educator Amiel Kim Capitan led the Traditional Music Workshop with the theme “Carrying the Music: Listen, Play, Remember, Share,” introducing participants to indigenous bamboo instruments such as the tongatong, pateteg or patatag, bungkaka, gangsa, and sagagong. Beyond learning playing techniques, the workshop emphasized how traditions are carried through memory, movement, relationships, and the communities that preserve them.
Strengthening Choral Performance and Musical Expression
The program also featured a Choir Clinic led by choral conductor and clinician Ma. Lourdes Hermo, bringing together members of the BISU MC Chorale, Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School Senior High School Music Club, Koro Seraphim, and Rapsodia Choir. Participants received hands-on guidance in breathing, diction, phrasing, vocal capability, and effective choral performance. Hermo encouraged singers to understand the meaning and story behind every musical piece rather than focusing solely on hitting the correct notes. She also shared guidance for conductors on using gestures effectively and selecting music that performers can understand and internalize. The sessions demonstrated how musical training can develop not only technical ability but also discipline, communication, understanding, and meaningful connections among performers.
Keeping Bohol’s Cultural Heritage Moving Forward
The regional workshops were presented in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Okada Manila, and the Provincial Government of Bohol, led by Governor Aris Aumentado through the Bohol Center for Culture and Arts Development (BCCAD), together with the City Government of Tagbilaran and with support from the Department of Education and the National Museum of the Philippines. The initiative supports the province’s Strategic Governance Roadmap by strengthening cultural education and encouraging the preservation and transmission of traditions to future generations. As Bohol continues to promote its identity as a UNESCO Global Geopark, activities that connect young people and communities with traditional music help ensure that the province’s cultural heritage remains active, relevant, and appreciated for generations to come.
