Music teachers from public schools in Region three, help bring back folk songs from their region amid COVID-19 lockdown.
How music teachers from Central Luzon spent their lockdown time
In Central Luzon, a group of 30 music teachers from various public schools in the region, maximizing their time during community lockdown to revive and relive folk songs of their region.
The idea was inspired by a music book compiled in 1983, titled “Folk Songs of Central Luzon”. The book was a compilation of various folk songs from every town and province in Region three.
Music teachers revived the songs by putting it into music videos with chord and vocal guides. The DepEd division in Region three is eyeing to use these music videos as tutorial videos for students taking up musical classes in Central Luzon public schools.
Folk songs are popularized by ordinary townsfolk where it is being passed from one generation to another. Some of these folk songs have already been forgotten, especially by the new generations. DepEd wants its students to develop a connection with their history through folk songs that originated from their respective provinces.
Associating with your cultral history gives you a unique identity from everyon eelse.
Folk songs of Central Luzon
Coming from the original book of 1983, 30 music teachers took 74 folk songs from the collection and put into a modern context. Not all teachers and students have a skill in music, but with the music video renditions made by the effortful music teachers, viewers will have a greater experience in appreciating Central Luzon’s folk songs.
The City of Zambales has the most number of recorded folk songs in the 1983 book with 37 variations, followed by 19 from Pampanga, 15 from Nueva Ecija, 11 from Bulacan, and single digits for other remaining provinces.
Songs of unknown authorship handed down through the generations. I keep returning to these old, classic songs, often bringing them back to find new meaning and fresh interpretations.
Featured image by Pinoy Collection
