Over
the past few years, the My City, My SM
series has showcased the different facets of our country’s rich culture – our
tourist attractions, our cuisine, our artisan crafts, and most recently, our
visual arts.
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| Bringing music and people together. My City, My SM, My Music project partners will celebrate the joys of Philippine performing arts in communities around the SM malls. From left: World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) Team Philippines Country Director Gerry Mercado and Creative Director Annie Mercado, SM‘s Millie Dizon, the Philippine Star Executive Vice President Lucien C. Dy Tioco, Metropolitan Museum of Manila President Tina Colayco, Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. (FHFI) President Armita Rufino and National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) President Dr. Renato Lucas. This photo was taken at the Upper Lobby of The Manila Peninsula. |
Beginning this August, our cultural journey takes us to another exciting route with the premiere launching of My City, My SM, My Music at The Block at SM City North EDSA.
A joint project of SM, the Metropolitan Museum
of Manila, the Filipino Heritage Festival, WCOPA, and the Philippine Star, with
support from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National
Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) and Tahanan Books, My City, My SM, My Music is a
celebration of Philippine performing arts – music, dance, and theatre.
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| The life and works of National Artist for Music Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos will be showcased during the My City, My SM, My Music launch on August 27th at The Block at SM City North EDSA. |
It aims to bring music and people together by showcasing indigenous, folk classical, and contemporary artistry in a roadshow around the SM Supermalls. Advocating music for all, we are working with communities to mount shows, exhibits, workshops, and contests in key cities around the Philippines.
But
why music? While every country has its own language there’s only one language
we can understand: the language of music. Music plays a very important role in
bringing people together because it connects people in ways no other medium
can.
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| Tahanan Books Music Editor Dr. Fe A. Prudente joins My City, My SM, My Music to promote and preserve musical heritage for young readers through its beautifully illustrated children’s books of folk songs around the country. |
More than that, it is said that Filipinos are born to sing, dance, and perform. Beyond the melodies of everyday life, singing is our way of celebrating. Indigenous groups continue to practice inherited music like songs for work, rituals, festivals, mourning, and courting. And today, music continues to move us, inspire us, and join our hearts in song.
For
Filipino Heritage Festival President
Armita Rufino, who has worked with SM for many years to bring our rich
culture to the malls. “This project of SM is going to be very informative for
us who love music and who love dance.”
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| The award winning PWU JASMS Manila Rondalla under the leadership of its director Noli DO. Rodriguez will perform Dr. Santos’s compositions during the launch on August 27th at SM City North EDSA. |
“Music is the language of the soul,” says Annie Mercado, Creative Director of the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) Team Philippines, which has brought much honor to the Philippines since it joined the prestigious annual competition in 2005. “It connects hearts. It speaks to you. It knows no boundaries, religion, ethnicity, culture, or social class. I am happy that SM has given recognition to the performing arts and music, the recognition it rightly deserves.”
More than that, “music is a gift from God,” adds Gerry Mercado National Director for WCOPA Team Philippines, “and we feel very blessed that through this project, Filipinos will be able to showcase their God given talents all over the country.”
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| With the support of NAMCYA, My City, My SM, Music will feature talented NAMCYA winners like 2018 First Prize NAMCYA winner Cellist Joshua Ethan Dakanay as it tours the SM malls. |
For National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) President, Dr. Renato Lucas, who is also a cellist and conductor, “music expresses the unspeakable, describes the undemonstrable, and it reminds us of the memorable. Our music and our performing arts is a living monument of what we were, what we are, and what we could be.”
“The
Philippine Star has been all the way with SM in its My City, My SM series ever since its first incarnation”, says Philippine Star EVP for Sales and Marketing Lucien Dy Tioco.
“I think this edition is really exciting because music covers everybody and it
celebrates the culture of every region.
With our collaboration, we will be able to bring Philippine performing
arts more to the mainstream.”
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| Jed Madela was the first Filipino to win the WCOPA World Grand Champion Title, and is known with a uniquely wide vocal range. Today a multi-awarded Singer, recording artist, songwriter, TV host, and entertainer he will join the launch at SM City North EDSA. |
Mallgoers will have the rare opportunity to have a glimpse of the life and work of National Artist for Music Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos during the premier of My City, My SM, My Music event at SM City North EDSA from August 27 to 31. The award winning PWU JASMS Manila Rondalla under Noli DO. Rodriguez will be performing his compositions during the event launch; as will the amazing WCOPA Team Philippines medalists who have given us much honor in the prestigious international competition.
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| World class performances by WCOPA Team Philippine medalists like Ejay Arrieta, Aleczandra Yamzon, David Mercado will be highlighted during the My City, My SM, My Music launch at SM City North EDSA. |
My City, My SM, My Music is a take-off from the My City, My SM campaign which promotes tourism; My City, My SM, My Cuisine, which highlights family heirloom recipes in the different regions; and My City, My SM, My Crafts, which celebrates traditional arts and modern Philippine design. Most recently, My City, My SM, My Art was a celebration of Philippine visual arts – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and filmmaking.
My City, My SM, My Music’s next stop will be at SM City Olongapo Central. (SM PR)
