On Saturday, May 3, I will be performing for a production number for the Aliwan Festival 2008, a festival in the Philippines in celebration of our own culture. t will be televised in national television. But instead of the usual violin, I will be performing using the hegalong once again.
Although I regularly use the hegalong when I perform with my band, Makiling, I seldom use it whenever I perform without my band. The hegalong has been my dream instrument when I was still in high school and listening to a lot of Joey Ayala. Back then, I was only learning how to play the guitar and still rebellious with continuing violin lessons. The hegalong was the only instrument I really wanted to play.
Then during one of my birthdays, my father surprised me as he arrived home from South Cotabato (Southern Philippines) carrying a real, authentic hegalong. It was a birthday gift for me. I learned to play it on my own, listening only to the field recordings that my father took while he was visiting the ethnic groups of Cotabato.
Later on, I developed my own playing style. Then our band was formed with the hegalong as the lead instrument. Feeling the need for a more amplified sound, I had my hegalong customized with built in microphones and pick-ups for better use in live performances. And the rest is history.
1 Comment Received
May 4th, 2008 @9:04 pm
hahah. sabi ko na nga ba, you’re the guy from Makiling Ensemble. Great! I loved your performances when I was still in College at UPDiliman.
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