Sacred sound from the mountains

MUSIC AND ARTS

Gene Gomez

On Nov. 2012 during the Kawannan nan Batawa Eco-Arts Festival held at Sabangan Mountain Province, people gathered around having heard of mysterious wind music instruments performed by international musician Kosei Yamamoto.

The performance made people hear the melody of different countries through their respective wind musical instruments. To name a few, he played individual wind instruments from South America, Europe, Japan, and even some traditional music instruments familiar here in the Philippines. He plays wind music instruments made out of metal, wood, plastic, or even clay.

Kosei Yamamoto from Japan together with his wife Hoshiko had been performing their craft all across the world. Kosei is an artist who has continued to be grounded in his own unique style.

Never limiting himself to any specific genre, his music creates a world which projects a brilliant light filled with an abundant joy to all who are exposed to it. Hoshiko plays Kankles, a Lithonian harp.

Soft as the air, multi-talented comparable to the paths where wind goes, Alex Tumapang will also perform in front of indigenous music lovers in Baguio City. Alex Tumapang’s background of bamboo music instruments traces back where he came from at Tanudan, Kalinga Province.

He is a warrior among his youth as he displayed exceptional skills in playing Kalinga music instruments where every kid from his village has to undergo while growing up. Considering Kalinga is known as the best Cordilleran province when it comes to music and dance, Alex is the “cream of the camote crop” in the Cordilleras.

Alex also chants. He is the successor of his mother who is a famous chanter in the Cordilleras. He was featured in the Japanese documentary TV program “Amazing Voice” in 2011. With Grace Nono, well-known singer from Mindanao, he has toured several countries around the world.

Alex is an expert of bamboo musical instruments and no person ever knew from where he works today that he is a genius when it comes to music. He stays humble and hardworking, a sign of his being a Cordilleran.

A perfect way to commemorate All Souls’ Day this Nov. 2 is to hear a live collaboration performance of these two brilliant musicians. Artist-composer Rey Angelo Aurelio pens the chants that Alex will perform while Kosei accompanies him with his magical wind musical instruments. Alex will be performing around ten chants namely Ugayam, Ulalim, Salidumay, Ballogay, Dagdag-ay, Dandan-nag, Uwayat, Ading, Uwawi, and Tug-om.

The performance will be held at Share and Guesthouse Tala located at 25 J. Felipe Street, Baguio City near Hotel Elizabeth at 6:00 pm. For an entrance fee of 250 pesos only audiences will get to enjoy the music while sipping overflowing hot cup of KapiTako coffee.

No tickets but only reservations. Please feel free to contact Gene Gomez at 0927-701-8307 or phone in at 074-423-0839 or email us at tala.guesthouse@gmail.com. Kosei Yamamoto and Alex Tumapang through their gift of music will attempt to call and bring the forgotten sounds of the solemn and mountainous city of Baguio.