COMPOSERS from at least 10 countries are now here in the Philippines for the 2018 Banaue International Music Composition Competition (BIMCC).
The contest, which aims to raise funds to finance efforts to restore the beauty of the Banaue Rice Terraces and aid Ifugao farmers, was launched in November 2017 by the Universal Harverster Inc., in cooperation with the Municipal Government of Banaue.
The Banaue Rice Terraces are known as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
At a press conference on Tuesday, July 10, Dr. Milagros How, chairperson of the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration project and the BIMCC, revealed the names of the 20 semi-finalists who are going to move on to the next round of the competition.
The 20 symphonic works composed by the semi-finalists were chosen from among the 84 entries that were received by the BIMCC from Chile, Spain, Finland, Malaysia, Russia, Australia, Greece, Norway, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, among others.
The Filipinos who made it to the second round of the competition are Joshua Ansale, Jan Neland Cabuguas, Jem Talaroc and Jimuel Dave Dagta.
Bracha Bdil, Avner Finberg and Eteri Kourbanov finalists from Israel and Caterina Di Cecca, Stefano Giannotti, Michele Masin and Alessandra Salvati, finalists from Italy are also moving on to the next round.
Theodore Broutzakis and Miran Tsalikian from Greece and Eduardo Soutullo and Raquel Sanchez from Spain are also included in the list.
Also included in the top 20 are Leon Firšt (Slovenia); Lee Jinjun (Singapore); Charlie McCarron (USA); Mario Oyanadel (Chile) and Jonathan Shaw (United Kingdom).
According to the BIMCC, the 20 finalists will participate in an intensive immersion program in Banaue from July 9 to July 20 to familiarize themselves with the culture, music and tradition of the Ifugaos and from these experiences enhance their entries before the semi-final competition.
Only 10 out of the 20 composers will move on to the final round.
Their work will be judged by Ricardo Lorenz, chair of the Music Competition at Michigan State University College; Isao Matsushita, a world-renowned Japanese composer; Dr. Chinary Ung, Presidential Fellow and a Senior Composer in Residence at Chapman University; and Dr. Ramon Santos, a Filipino composer, musicologist and ethnomusicologist.
The compositions of the qualifying candidates will be played and performed by the TOFARM Festival Orchestra with BIMCC Artist Director Prof. Josefino Chino Toledo, Conductor, during the grand finals concert to be held on July 25 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines.
The grand winner will receive $12,000 while the two runners-up will receive $6,000.
The proceeds from the concert will go to restoration and rehabilitation of the 628 hectares of damaged sections of the Banaue Rice Terraces, starting at the Barangay View Point.
Banaue Mayor Jerry Dalipog hopes that the composition competition will not just help bring back the beauty of the Banaue Rice Terraces but will also boost the tourism industry in the province.
Aside from private organizations, Dalipog said the national government is also helping restore the Rice Terraces.
"In the budget for 2018 there was a P200 million for the restoration of the terraces," said Dalipog.
The Banaue mayor said he also expects an increase in job opportunities for the Ifugaos once the restoration of the terraces begins. (SunStar Philippines)