• 30Aug

    MEBUYAN’s Maan Chua and Geejay Arriola won 2nd place and 3rd place, respectively, at the Tunog Mindanao Annual World Music Competition held in Davao City on August 18, 2009. Top 10 finalists included MEBUYAN’s Gauss Obenza and stalwarts of the alternative music scene in Mindanao–Popong Landero, Frank Englis and Cesar Padilla, who won first place.

  • 21Aug

    ‘Pagdiriwang’ wins world music fest

    Cesario Padilla of Iligan City bagged the grand prize in the 2009 Kadayawan Festival’s Tunog Mindanaw World Music Festival during the final competition last August 18, Tuesday at the NCCC Mall.

    Padilla, who has won various regional and national songwriting contests, beat nine other semi-finalists with his entry “Pagdiriwang”, which he describes as “an invitation to celebrate life by love to all forms of life on Earth”. He won P100,000.

    Awards for the first and second runners up went to Marie Anathea “Maan” Chua and Ma. Cecilia “Geejay” Arriola, respectively. Both from Davao, Chua won for her entry “Itadyak”, which talks about the ancient form of worship by the tribes, praising nature, sun, the moon and other elements, and becoming one with them, while Arriola won for her entry “Iisa”, which talks about oneness in the country, in the world amid the wealth of differences and unique creations.

    Chua received P50,000 while Arriola received P30,000. The seven other finalists received P20,000 each.

    Tunog Mindanaw World Music Festival is an annual pop music composition contest that incorporates significant Mindanawon indigenous and folk music traditions.

    The finalists were judged according the following criteria: Musicality (30%), Creativity (30%), Lyrics/Literary Merits (10%), Commercial Appeal (10%), and Music Performance (20%).

    –from Mindanao Daily Mirror

    http://www.dailymirror.ph/August/pep&events08202009&01.html

  • 12Aug

    Tunog Mindanaw World Music Festival, a pop music compositions contest that incorporates significant Mindanawon indigenous and folk music traditions, bares the top ten entries that made it through the final round of the competition.

    This year’s finalists and their respective composers are: “Taluktok Ng Mt. Apo” by Francisco “Frank” Englis, “Dad-A Kos Yuta” by Felipe Velez Abrogar, “Pagdiriwang“ by Cesario Padilla, “Iisa” by Ma. Cecilia “Geejay” Arriola, “Kalikasan” by Danilo Gillesania/Mark Cutad, “Itadyak” by Marie Anathea “Maan” Chua, “Sayaw Ng Pasasalamat” by Rosario “Gauss” Obenza, “Tara Na!” by Ronolfo “Popong” Landero, “Balaanong Kinaiyahan” by Kalumon Performing Ensemble/Mario Leofer Lim, and “Tahanan” by Elenita “Boots” Dumlao.

    Criteria for judging are Musicality 50%, Creativity 30%, and Commercial Appeal 20%.

    All ten finalists will be performing their entries live during the public performance and final judging on August 18, 2009, 5:00 PM at the NCCC Mall.

    - from Kadayawan Official Website http://www.kadayawan.com/?page=news&newsID=38

  • 09Sep

    By Stella A. Estremera
    http://www.sunstar.com.ph/weekendDavao/09-07-2008/cover.html

    TWO Kadayawan Fetivals ago, I thought the compositions that made it to the 1st Tunog Mindanao World Music Festival Competition were very impressive.

    In that festival held at the NCCC Mall, the music that was distinctly Mindanao but with a lot of polish and zing took centerstage, performed by singers and artists from all over the island.

    But the 2nd Tunog Mindanaw is even more impressive, a confirmation that given the proper venue and exposure, Mindanao artists have what it takes to shine and grab the stage.

    This observation is backed up by the fact that in the eight finalists to the music festival, four were members of the Mebuyan Peace Project.

    Read more »

  • 29Aug

    By Geejay Arriola

    Peace is a candle in the dark.  That’s what artists do—light candles in the dark.  In these times of war and desperation, the only thing that makes any sense is art (and babies, for their yet untarnished spirit).  Despite the horrific violence going on around us, we, being artists, never stop celebrating.

    So when Kadayawan Festival organized “Tunog Mindanaw (Mindanao Sound)—World Music Festival Competition,” I and my co-band members at Mebuyan saw it as an opportunity not only to fill up a second music album, or to win either cash or prestige or both, but an occasion to share our creative wealth at a time when our country needs it most.

    Read more »

  • 25Aug

    By Chris Te Fabian / Published : 2008-08-23
    http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/story.php?id=21469

    IT WAS a tough competition but one has to emerge as the grand champion.

    A reluctant Davao-based songwriter bagged the top prize in the 2nd Tunog Mindanao, a pop music composition that incorporates Mindanaoan flavor, with his song Mag-Iban Kita which calls people to unite.

    Emerging composer Paolo Salvador Sisi and his performing group took home the P100,000 cash prize.

    With Paolo on bass, the Dinabaw-language song about unity was performed by Raffy Donato, Mark Asiong, Joel Carbajosa, Wilson Nason, Jessalyn Mae dela Cruz,Christiane Jayzel dela Cruz, Ana Katrina Ramos and singer Janice Uy during the main presentation Wednesday night at the carpark of NCCC Mall.

    “Mag-Iban Kita” bested nine other entries, including four others from Paolo’s Mebuyan band mates.

    Fellow Mebuyan band member Geejay Arriola scored the second place with “Hohoy,” while US-trained musician Francisco Englis emerged as the third placer with “Panawagan.”

    Read more »