Podcast on Joey Ayala out
THE FILIPINAS Heritage Library and the OPM Archive will release MUNI-MUNI STORIES: A Podcast on Filipino Music Episode 3: Joey Ayala | Karaniwang Tao on Oct. 23, 6 p.m., on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In this episode, the podcast host talks with Joey Ayala about his beginnings, the importance of music spaces, his song-writing process, and the need to tell stories through writing. Also discussed is the importance of cross-collaborations, the anatomy of some of his songs: “Walang Hanggang Paalam,” “1896” and “Karaniwang Tao”; while weaving his perspectives regarding the role of artists and their legacies. Muni-Muni Stories is a project of the Filipinas Heritage Library, together with the OPM Archive which serves as a love letter to the heritage of Filipino music. It is an offshoot of the curated playlists of the library, Muni-Muni Muna and Muni-Muni Muli, which were introduced during the initial months of the quarantine. The first season of Muni-Muni Stories features 12 episodes, each to be aired monthly from September to March 2021. Other artists on the roster include Raimund Marasigan, The CompanY, and Bayang Barrios. Currently available is Episode 1 with Celeste Legaspi, who talked about her song “Saranggola ni Pepe” and Episode 2 with Pia Magalona and Saab Magalona-Bacarro who provide insights into the life and legacy of the late Francis M. For updates regarding the episode upload schedules, visit Filipinas Heritage Library and the OPM Archive on Facebook.
Freestyle, Robert Seña to headline free online concert
POP and R&B band Freestyle and indie alternative band She’s Only Sixteen’s frontman and rhythm guitarist Robert Seña will headline the nostalgia-themed UNITE 2020, an online concert that is free and open to the public. Launched by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde to welcome its students, the night promises to bring memories of previous UNITE events and provides an opportunity for other spectators to experience and witness the creativity, talent, and unity of the community. It will likewise showcase a series of special throwback performances by homegrown talents and indie musical acts Kyla and Jam, The Strays, Why July, Nobody’s Home, Tala and Matt Murillo. The affair will feature numbers from the internationally acclaimed Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company and hit mixes by DJ Mohit and DJ Rammy. UNITE 2020 will go live on Oct. 30, 6 p.m., on the official Facebook page of the Benildean Student Trainers at: https://www.facebook.com/StudentTrainers/.
Mitch & Mel Online ‘Ohayo’
JOIN the inimitable commedienne Mitch Valdes and musical director Mel Villena in a half hour of stories and music delivered into your homes via Zoom on Oct. 24, 6 p.m. (Philippine time) and 7 p.m. (UTC-7). “Ohayo” is the title of the first episode with Valdes sharing stories of growing up in Japan and the culture shock of re-entry to life in the Philippines. This is the first of many episodes providing an antidote for our times. Get access (P600 advanced, P750 on the day of the show) via TicketWorld.
Rush Hour Concerts: The Best of OPM with MSO
IN the midst of the pandemic, the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) continues with its popular Rush Hour series of concerts, this time online. On Oct. 30, 6-7 p.m., via Zoom, the MSO will perform symphonic renditions of the Best of OPM (Original Pilipino Music) from the 1970s to the 1990s, from the hits of Ryan Cayabyab up to the Eraserheads. Rush Hour Online is supported by Avida for their 30th Anniversary Celebration. Started in 2013, the Rush Hour series was initiated by the MSO to reintroduce themselves to the public by performing at the Ayala Museum during rush hour. It also aimed to provide the community a brief but enriching respite and sanctuary from the traffic and throngs of commuters that define their daily lives. Proceeds from the online event will support Ayala Foundation’s student scholars online access allowance for one school year. Get access (regular tickets are P1,200, while discounted tickets for seniors, PWD, and students is P850) via TicketWorld.
Food Lore: ‘Island of Dreams’ bags 2 awards
ERIK Matti’s Food Lore: “Island of Dreams” and Angeli Bayani brought home the Best Single Drama/Telemovie/Anthology Episode — Philippines and Best Actress in a Leading Role — Philippines respectively during the announcement of the 2020 national winners by the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA) in a livecast in Singapore. “Island of Dreams,” was the pilot episode of the HBO Asia anthology Food Lore. Matti also won Best Director of a Scripted TV Program and Food Lore bagged the Best Asian Drama for Regional/International Market category in the ContentAsia Awards last August. Other episodes of Food Lore that were recognized in the AAA awards are “He Serves Fish, She Eats Flower” for Best Cinematography (Vietnam), “Life in a Box” for Best Direction (Japan) and “Maria’s Secret Recipe” for Best Single Drama/Telemovie/Anthology Episode (Indonesia). Food Lore can be streamed exclusively on HBO GO. HBO GO is available via SKYCable and Cignal or at https://www.hbogoasia.com/.
Richard Juan teaches Cantonese
THIS year, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has launched its “100 Reasons to Miss Hong Kong” campaign, allowing Filipinos to reminisce about the things they have come to love about the city — from food and shopping, to outdoor activities and its nightlife. To get people ready for their next trip to Hong Kong once travel is allowed again, Filipino-Chinese TV personality Richard Juan — who was born in the Philippines but grew up in Hong Kong — will be teaching some essential Cantonese phrases in a two-episode series, Missing Hong Kong with Richard Juan. He will be joined by reality star Baninay Bautista and Deni Rose Afinidad-Bernardo, the Senior Editor for Lifestyle and Entertainment for Philstar.com. The show will air on Juan’s Facebook page on Oct. 23 and Nov. 6.
K-pop dance tutorials online
K-POP dance party at home is set to be as easy as one to three as the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) teams up with K-Pop Dancing Diva Dasuri Choi to bring the party into the Filipino homes starting Oct. 16 until November. The KCC will be giving free energetic and thematic dance tutorials courtesy of Dasuri featuring six popular K-Pop groups. Divided into five themes namely: Boy Crush, Femme Fatale, Energy Pop, Legendary Idols and K-Pop Rookies, the K-Dance Party! will feature the songs of idol groups’ BTS, Hwasa, Oh My Girl, Seventeen, Super Junior, and Itzy. After mastering the dance tutorials, K-Pop fans can also win K-Pop albums and other exclusive K-Pop merch and KCC goodies, when they join the K-Dance Party! Cover Dance Challenge. By uploading their creative dance covers of their chosen songs on SNS, six winners — one each theme — will be chosen by KCC. Submission of entries for K-Dance Party! Cover Dance Challenge will be from Nov. 1 to 13. K-Dance Party! Cover Dance Challenge is part of KCC’s ongoing Korea At Home Campaign, which aims to bring a holistic Korean culture experience into the Filipino homes during his pandemic. Catch K-Dance Party! exclusively on KCC Philippines’ YouTube Channel every Friday and Sunday at 5 p.m. Follow Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines on Facebook and @kccphil on Instagram and Twitter for more updates about the K-Dance Party! Cover Dance Challenge and other KCC events and activities.
