Monday, February 18, 2008 Costanilla: Reviving maesto Villareal's music By Sam Costanilla spotlight
THERE is one musical event that I am endorsing to the general public because the reason behind its staging is very laudable. The show aims to raise funds for the SOS Children’s Village, an orphanage in Talamban. While it is true that the institution continues to accommodate orphans, it badly needs more financial support to sustain its operation. It is, therefore, very commendable on the part of a newly formed company to organize this forthcoming show in order to give the public the chance to help a noble cause.
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THE event that I’m talking about is a musical quartet competition involving three students playing musical instruments and one vocalist. So it’s not just a simple show—it is, as the title says, a contest. Students between 10 and 17 years old from local schools are qualified to join the competition slated on Mar. 1, from one to five in the afternoon, at Cebu Midtown Hotel. Behind its staging is ImageWise, a newly-created public relations consultancy and events firm organized by two lovely ladies, lawyer-singer Maribelle Adelfa “Gingging” Navarro and former Cebu Midtown Hotel sales director Ma. Teresa “Tess” Catipay. According to them, tickets are now available at P399 per piece, inclusive of snacks. They are also asking those that are interested to sponsor the event to call or text cell phone number 0917-7017188 or call landline number 2387546 right now. Let’s all help to ensure the successful staging of this noble project.
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IT was a successful dinner-concert that the Cebu United Radio and Television Artists Corp. put up over the weekend at Baseline Restaurant. The event was aimed to raise funds for the club’s medical aid fund considering that most of its members are retired and semi-retired drama writers, directors, talents, soundmen, spinners and entertainers. There were requests for a repeat performance, but the organization has yet to decide on that. As one of the corporation’s consultant and the show’s pianist, let me thank all those who came and watched “Some Enchanted Evening.” It’s heartwarming to note that there are still a lot of people and establishments that readily support shows that feature purely local talents. I thought they only watch events that feature Manila artists.
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THERE are efforts to re-record some of maestro Mil Villareal’s immortal Cebuano compositions sung by noted artists in the 50s thru the 60s. I got this information from my US-based friend Dr. Rene Sitoy who was in town last week for a brief visit. According to him, Villareal, who is now based in Canada, had been meeting with him and singer Lino Monares, a textile engineer, for the three of them to collaborate on the project. Sitoy himself is a prolific composer – in fact, his song titled Ginaingon was picked as the grand prize winning song in the Cebu Popular Music Festival a few years back.
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THE three gentlemen’s intention should be pursued if only to give Villareal’s immortal songs a fresh sound, thus enabling everybody, especially the young, to appreciate them. Sitoy vowed to contact this writer again as soon as the re-recorded album of Villareal’s classic pieces is ready.
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THIS radio commentator is busy looking for a substantial amount for bail purposes. But even some of his relatives and friends are saying he deserves to be sued.
