CONTEMPORARY PERFORMING ARTS

KEY TERMS:

 Music
 Kundiman and Harana
 Ballad
 Chamber Music
 Choral Music
 Liturgical Music
 Opera
 Pop Music
 Protest Songs
 Dance
 Aerobic Dance
 Ballet
 Folk Dance
 Street Dance
Filipinos is a race that is bursting with talents.

Not inly do we excel in the visual arts, we are also

considered to be a source of world class performers.

In the diverse field of the performing arts, whether in

Music, Dance or Theater, there will always be Filipinos that
attest to our country’s artistic giftedness.
Music
Filipinos love to sing. No celebration is complete without a karaoke or videoke
machine.
 Contemporary music in the Philippines is a product of our indigenous
traditions and the colonial influences. Though the country is geographically
located in the East, our music is heavily influenced by the west.
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the types of indigenous music found in the
country were instrumental and vocal.
Musical sounds were created by various instruments such as flutes, shell
trumpets, drums, and gongs.
Vocals were performed by individuals or as a group. The singing style differ
from one ethnic group to another.
Here are some examples of Musical Forms:
Kundiman And Harana

Kundiman
 is a musical form that is a product of Spanish colonization. Kundiman is an art song that
signifies love and affection for someone.
 The kundiman, like many art songs, is performed as a solo vocal composition combined
with an instrumental accompaniment to achieve musical harmony.
 The kundiman is described as highly emotional and sentimental because it expresses
personal sorrow.
 The melody is often smooth, flowing, and gentle rhythm. Examples of which are Nicanor
S. Abelardo’s (1893-1934) “ Nasaan Ka, Irog?” and Dr. Francisco Santiago’s (1889-1947)
“ Pakiusap”. Many kundiman music were often used for traditional Filipino Courtship.
Harana
 is a traditional courtship ritual in the Philippines wherein a suitor serenades his object
of affection. Almost any love song can be sung during the harana, including
kundiman songs.
 Traditional harana also use deep Tagalog words and is used to implore
Ballad
Is a traditionally a song that narrates an event in a community. There are many
examples of traditional ballads throughout the Philippines. The style varies form
region to region and form one ethnic tribe to another.
Some examples are the “Idangdang” of Bukidnon, “liyangkit Parang Sabil” of
the Tausug, and “Composo” of Hiligaynon.

Notable Filipino contemporary ballad composers are Ernani Cuenco (1936-

1988) and Jose Mari Chan (b.1945).

Some of the most popular and successful Filipino contemporary balladeers

include Regine velasquez-Alcasid (b.1970), sarah Geronimo (b.1988), Jed
madela (b.1977).
Chamber Music
Is a form of instrumental music composed by a small ensemble wherein each
part is played by one player, as opposed to an orchestral where part is
performed by a group od musicians.
Chamber music is usually performed by a group of three or eight musicians.
Chamber music in the country were pioneered by Dr. Francisco Santiago and
Nicanor Abelardo, who received training abroad, and later on shared with the
younger generation of composers.

Contemporary chamber music examples include Arlene chongson’s “Luduyan I

and II” and Conrado Del Rosario’s “Yugto” for chamber ensemble.

Some popular chamber music groups in the Philippines include the Clarion
Chamber Ensemble and the String Minstrels.
Choral Music
 Is a musical composition intended to be performed by a group of singers called choir.
 The choir is arranged according to voice categories such as Soprano, Alto, and Bass.
 This is still practiced today with many churches and religious groups having their own choir
composed of talented volunteers. School also have their own choral groups that perform
here and abroad.

 The most well-known school choir is the choral group of the University of the Philippines,
the Philippine Madrigal Singers or the “Madz”.
 The “Madz” is one of the most awarded choral groups in the Philippines and in the whole
world.

 They have been taught and trained by some of the country’s best musical composers and
arrangers such as Eudenice Palaruan (1968), Robert Delgado, and Fidel Calalang.
Liturgical Music

Are songs intended for Christian church services. Its early from was inspired
by Jewish Chants during their religious rituals.

Many musicians have adapted liturgical music to reflect contemporary musical

styles and forms.

Some of these artists include National Artist Francisco F. Feliciano (1941-

2014) as seen in his work “Mass of Saint,” Ryan Caybyab (1954) with his
work “Misa”, and the “Praise and Gospel” songs of Gray Valenciano (1964)
Opera

 Is a combination of both music and theater. It is a sung drama that entails

collaborative efforts of singers, dancers, composers, choreographers, etc.
The opera was introduced in the Philippines in the middle of the 1800s. Many
Filipino musicians have adapted the form to reflect more contemporary
Filipino experiences and tastes.
Examples of which are: Felipe Padilla’s (1912-1992) Noli Me Tangere the first
full-length Filipino opera, and Reynaldo T. Paguio (1935-1999) and Fides
Asensio’s (1931) Mayo Bisperas ng Liwanag which was based on a short story
by Nick Joaquin.
Notable Filipino opera singers include Jovita Fuentes (1895-1978), the first
filipina to be recognized as a National Artist for Music, and the female
soprano Rachelle Gerodias.
Pop Music
 Popular Music or Pop Music is used to described music that is readily
available to the broad populace.
 It is an umbrella term that encompasses a multitude of different genres of
music such as RNB, Rap, Rock, Hip-Hop, Dance, etc.
 Many of the popular music played in the Philippines are western imports that
become a strong influence on many contemporary singers and artists.
Filipino musicians create their own version of pop music by combining the
Western style with Filipino taste.

 Examples of Filipino Pop were Fred panopio’s ( 1932-2007) “O! Ang Mga
Babae” and Yoyoy Villames (1932-2007) “Mag-exercise Tayo Tuwing
Umaga.”
Pinoy Folk Music

 a genre of Pinoy Pop that is heavily influenced by the musical style of Western Folk singers such as Bob
Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, among others.
 Well-known Pinoy Folk musicians include Freddie Aguilar (“Anak”1997), Noel Cabangon
("Kanlungan"1994), Grace Nono ("Himig ng Paghilom"), and Gary Granada ("Bahay").

Rap

 a music genre that became popular in the late 1980s in the Phillipines.
 it is originated from the African-Americans and is distinctive of its fast and rhythmic narration
accompanied by electronic ,usic.
 the pioneers of Pinoy rap were Francis Magalona ( 1964-2009 ) and his song “ Mga Kababayan Ko” and
Andrew E. (1967) with his song “ Humanap ka ng Pangit”.

 Contemporary Rap Artist include Gloc-9 (b. 1977), Abra (b. 1991), and Filipino-American [Link] (b.
1974), among many others.
Protest Song
are songs that bring to light injustices and inequality in society.
these seek to inspire nationalism and heroism from their listeners.
these can come in many musical forms and genre such as kundiman
as seen in “Bayan Ko” (1928). “Bayan Ko” is one of the most
popular and recognizable example of protest song.

some protest songs tackle environmental issues such as the band

Asin’s protes pop song “Masdan ang Kapaligiran” (1978) and
Gloc9’s rap song “Nag-iisang Mundo” (2005).
Dance
 it is way to bond and share our talents with the rest of the cmmunity. This can be seen on
how we can easily join in the latest dance craze and post it online.
 Dance is a form of artistic expression and physical activity involving rhythmic movement,
usually performed to music. It can vary greatly in style, technique, and purpose, from
cultural and traditional dances to contemporary and experimental forms.

 Types of Dance:

 Cultural and Traditional Dance

 Modern and Contemporary Dance
 Social and Ballroom Dance
 Street and Hip-Hop Dance
 Performance Dance
 This tradition of passing of skills and knowledge is the basis of the continuing development
of Philippine contemporary dance.
 Here are some of the contemporary dance forms founf in the Philippines.
Aerobic Dance

 is a dance routine made into an exercise program.

 it is usually accompanied by upbeat pop music.
 formal aerobic dance class has three phases: the first warm-up
followed by aerobic dance, and capped with cooldown exercise.
 over the years, there have been many variations of aerobic dancing,
usually dictated by the type of music used.
 examples of which are jazzercise, aero hip-hop, ballroom dancing,
belly dancing, and more recently the brazillian- developed Zumba.
Ballet

 is both a dance and theater art

 it is a style and dance technique that follows strict set of moves and
performance.
 it originated from the European court spectacles and was later bought to
Philippines by the Americans.

 there are different contemporary reiterations of the ballet form, namely,

modern ballet, opera ballet, and folkloric ballet.
Modern Ballet

 uses traditional ballet techniques and style set to contemporary ideas and
subjects.
 Modern ballet is an evolving art form that allows dancers and choreographers
to innovate, explore emotional depth, and expand the boundaries of traditional
ballet
 the pioneer of modern dance in the Philippines is the founder of Ballet
Philippines, Alice Reyes (b. 1942).
 example of modern ballet performances in the Philippines are Tony Fabella’s
( 1941-2009) Limang Dipa ( 1981) that was set in a street in Manila and
Beautiful Girls ( 1990 ) which about a beauty contest.
Opera Ballet
 this type of ballet combines dance and singing. Opera ballet and its more modern version
called the rock ballet.
 one of the first rock opera ballet in the Philippines was “Mahal” (1975), a product of the
collaborative efforts of Abel Labrador, Mon Faustmann, Rahissa Lahat-Wala, and Julie and
Rose Borromeo.
 another was Rama Hari (1988) by Ryan Caybyab, Bienvenido Lumbrera, and Alice Reyes.

Folkloric Ballet

 is a performance that presents subjects and themes based on the art and culture of a
community.
 examples are Agnes by the Davao born Agnes Locsin (b.1957), Tapestry/Bayanihan by Alice
Reyes, and Baile de Aye by Corazon Generoso-Iñigo (b. 1930).
 as the moment, there are three major ballet companies in the Philippines, namely, Ballet
Philippines (1969), Philippines ballet Theater ( 1987) and Ballet Manila ( 1995).
Folk Dance

 is the different dances performed by various cultural groups throughout the country. It
changes from region to region and is performed by nonprofessional dancers who are
members of the said community. It is often performed during rituals, festivals, fiestas, and
other community celebrations.
 under the category og folk dances are mimetic dances which are dance movement that
imitate animals like the Kadal Blelah of the movements that copy communal activities such
as planting rice and harvesting.
 examples of this type of Mimetic Dance are the Mananagat of cebu , which imitates the
movements of fisherman , and the Pangasinense’s Tanobong, which mimics the steps in
making a broom.
 these traditional dances have been used by the ethnic groups to celebrate their identity and
are based on their literature, legends, and beliefs.

 some professional dance troupes that specialized in showcasing folk dance are the
Bayanihan Dnace Company, Darangan Cultural Dance Troupe of Marawi, and the Tambuli
Cultural Troupe of Tawi-tawi.
Street Dance
 is a term used to described vernacular dances, or dances that developed
organically within a community.
 is a dance form that began in urban open spaces, such as parks, streets, yards,
and night clubs; rather than in formal dance studies.
 popular street dance moves in the Philippines include hip-hop routines such as
b-boying (breakdancing), popping, locking, and roboting.
 due to its popularity this dance form is often adapted as an aerobic exercise in
physical education classes, dance studios, and gyms.
 popular street dance groups include the Philippine All-star Dance Crew that
became two time champion in the World Hip-hop Dance Championships in
2006 and 2008, the A-team who won the same competition in 2014 and XB
Gensan who won back to back championships in the 2015 and 2016
Dance2Dance World Street dance competition.
Perform a Mimetic
Dance, and have the
class guess what you
are imitating.
THEATER
 many say that theater is the ultimate art since it is a collaborative art form that
combines the various disciplines of art as literature visual arts, music, and
dance.
 as a nation we are known to produce world class theater artist and
playwrights like Lea Salonga, Audie Gemora, Tony Perez, and Rene
Villanueva.
 this art form is part of our cultural heritage from the precolonial time up to
the present.
 It is the oldest form of drama, though live theatre has now been joined by
modern recorded forms.
 Places, normally buildings, where performances regularly take place are also
called "theatres" (or "theaters"), as derived from the Ancient Greek "a place
for viewing", itself from "to see", "to watch", "to observe".
Different contemporary theater forms in the country:

Absurd
 is a genre of modern play that deliberately exaggerates the events and
situations to emphasized a point.
 the characters are often made stereotypes.
 this theatrical form originated from the West.
 the theater of the Absurd was first performed in the Philippines by the students
of Ateneo de Manila in 1967 with the play Ang Paghihintay Kay Godot that
was translated from the absurd play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.
 other Absurd plays were soon presented by the Philippine Educational Theater
Association (PETA) and eventually followed by other theater companies.
Stage Show or Bodabil
 is a theatrical presentation of various acts and
performances.

 these performances may be a production of the

following: comedy skits, circus acts, musical and
dance numbers, acrobatics, magic shows, and the like.

 contemporary forms of the stage show can be seen

during fiestas and in televesion variety shows.
Brechtian Theater
 is an example of a modern theatrical show. It is also reffered to as
epic theater.
 it is based on Bertolt Brencht’s (1898-1956) proposition that the
audience should not emotionally identify with the characters or
action on the stage but instead stimulate self-reflection and critical
analysis of the events unfolding in te play.
 the first Brechtian-inspired play in the Philippines was mounted by
Repertory Philippines in 1968 with the play Mother Courage and
Her Children. This was later followed by PETA with the play The
Good Woman Of Setzuan in 1970.
 Filipino versions of the epic theater include Rolando Tinio’s May
katwiran (1972), Al Santos’ Mayo A-beinte Uno Atbp. Kabanata
Childrens Theater
 are plays taht are either performed by children or by adults for children. In both
cases, the primary audience are children.
 this type of theater production is intended to educate, inspire, and encourage
creativity and value formation.
 since this type of theater utilizes children as actors and actressess, many of
children theater productions are school-based such as the Ateneo Children’s
Theater (ACT) that annually produce plays since 1931.
 some theater companies specialize in theater productions geared for children
such PETA’s longest running play Mga Kuwento ni Lola basyang and
Trumpets Playshop that retell children’s fairy tales.
Melodrama
 is a nonmusical plays that is intended to elicit tears and
emotional attachment to the characters.

 the main characters of these melodramas are often victims of

tragedies and suffer cruelty from the people around them but
in the end will rise truimphantly.

 these melodramas are regularly seen on television.