ToFarm: From filmfest to songwriting tilt

MANILA, Philippines - “We hope to discover musical wonders that will highlight the diligence, the hard work, the perseverance, the resilience, the tenacity and the optimism of our farmers,” said ToFarm chief advocate Dr. Milagros How in her speech, talking about the compositions her team will harvest in the first ToFarm Songwriting Competition.

The tilt is open to amateur and professional composers and the deadline for submission of entries is on Nov. 18. Coming from the successful first-ever ToFarm Film Festival, the songwriting contest is another exciting event to understand the agricultural sector — and to appreciate the bountiful harvests it provides to the public.           

“For ToFarm Film Festival, we harness the power of the cinematic arts to present the lives of our dear farmers and kababayan in the agricultural sector. Now we are utilizing another field of art — music,” she added. “Music is a universal language. We, Pinoys, are musical people. Our songs contain and express our ambitions, dreams, emotions, frustrations, struggles and successes.”

With that, 2016 has been “filled with so much adventure and excitement for both Universal Harvester, Inc. and ToFarm,” said Dr. How. To borrow some lines from the woman behind it, ToFarm — as a platform to recognize outstanding farmers of the Philippines — has indeed evolved into different layers of activities that advocate agricultural revolution.

The ToFarm listening committee, composed of NAMCYA trustee Luchi Roque, Ballet Philippines resident music director Jed Balsamo, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra former music director Olivier Ochanine and Chino Toledo, will tap the nine finalists among the entries.

The submissions can explore varied genres (folk, acoustic, rock, jazz, R&B, country, pop, inspiration, fusion) with accompaniment of maximum of one instrument to maximum of four. Although the theme is about “Planting Seeds of Change,” the lyrics, written in English or any of the Philippine languages (with translations), can speak about agriculture and farmers or stories related to them like nature and the rural life. The submitted works will be screened by the committee based on the quality of composition, lyrics, originality and fidelity to the theme.

“In the elimination (round), the entry will get a pass or fail mark,” said Roque. “There is no ranking.”

So the committee members veer away from quantifying the scores of entries. After all, they know what is good music and which one has the potential to be a hit.

“It’s total performance for a performer’s competition,” explained Roque, who is not part of the judging panel comes the awards night. “In this case, you look at the composition, the quality of the composition. If the judges are musicians, (they are) aware of progression, the cadences, the phrasing. The judges will all be musicians, classical musicians.”

If given the chance to choose the winning piece, Roque said she will consider its relevance, the harmony and if the phrasing of the music matches the phrasing of the text.

As for originality, Jed said theError! Hyperlink reference not valid.

Since the songs and the music are written with Filipino farmers in mind, the entries will pay tribute to that Original Pilipino Music (OPM) or simply Filipino music, which, according to Roque, is unique when it comes to expression — our music comes from the heart. “You don’t compose just to submit (a song to) your teacher. You compose something from your heart,” she said. “It is prevalent in most Asian countries… That’s why the performance is more of a community project than audience and performer.” Like in the serenata band or a kulintang performance, she shared, the community is part of the performance and it is a group project.  

The official finalists will be announced on Dec. 5 and will be used in any of ToFarm and Harvester Universal, Inc. events and corporate social responsibility activities. They might also be part of an album compilation. Thus, the songs will be available for public consumption.

“Prepared to be surprised,” said Roque.

“Please spread the word around about this competition where wannabes can be discovered,” added Dr. How.  

(The finalists will each receive a certificate and P40,000. Trophies will be given to the winners. The grand prize winner and the runners-up [first and second] will get P300,000, P200,000 and P100,000, respectively. P75,000 is awarded to the People’s Choice. The finals night is on Feb. 6, 2017. The following requirements must be submitted: Duly accomplished and signed application form which may be downloaded from www.tofarm.org; copy of a valid ID with specimen signature of the applicant [include co-applicants, if collaboration]; song entry in mp3 format; and lyric sheet [English/Pilipino line-by-line translation, if applicable]. Submissions must be sent to 1st ToFarm Songwriting Competition, ToFarm Secretariat 10th Floor, Harvester Corporate Center, 158 P. Tuazon Blvd. cor. 7th Ave., Cubao, Quezon City 1109 or e-mail at [email protected]. The organizers will also assign arrangers and performing artists to winning song entries.)