20 songs compete in pop music fest

Twenty-seven youth representatives from four cities and 11 municipalities in Cebu who joined the songwriting workshop for the 2nd Children’s Popular Music Festival were able to produce 20 new Cebuano songs.

The participants came from the cities of Talisay, Mandaue, Naga and Danao and the municipalities of San Fernando, Tabogon, Samboan, Consolacion, Compostela, Oslob, Catmon, Ronda, Carmen, Sogod and Malabuyoc.

Roger Serna, one of the members of the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children, said the music festival is a project of the PCWC headed by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and fellow chairwoman Provincial Board member Agnes Magpale.

The songwriting workshop was held at the Intosan Resort in Danao City last June 28 and 29, a week after its original schedule was moved due to typhoon Frank.

“The 20 songs were about the role of the youth as the hope of society, the importance of facing challenges and responsibilities, the need for guidance, the youth’s hopes and aspirations, their experiences, the drive to succeed, being the solution to problems besetting society and the youth’s role in waste management,” Serna said.

According to Serna, the resource persons were Jay Unchuan who spoke on how to interpret an original composition and how to choose an interpreter, award-winning songwriter-composer Jude Gitamondoc who taught on the process of composing and Sam Costanilla who gave a lecture on the right way to speak and write the Cebuano language.

They were assisted by Gani and Gloria Villarojo of Soundtraxx Production Studio which was tapped by the PCWC to facilitate the implementation of the project which will culminate with the grand finals this October, which is also Children’s Month.

Prizes at stake are P15,000 and trophy for the grand prize; P10,000 and trophy for the second prize, P7,500 and trophy for the third prize, P2,000 for the best interpreter, seven consolation prizes of P2,000 each for the non-winning compositions and plaques of appreciation for the 10 finalists.

The finalist songs will be judged according to musicality (40%), lyrics (40%), originality (10%) and overall impact (10%).

As in the 1st Children’s Popular Music Festival held five years ago, this year’s songwriting festival is expected to produce potential stars in the field of entertainment both in and out of the province.— Garry B. Lao/BRP