Search

Traveling with Sweeney

Walking the Walk in New York City How to Help Japans Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors

Guest Post, Special Feature Add comments

Symphony in SamarMar292011

TweetTweet

13

Father Rosales

I was touched by this story about a special trip to Samar, a province in the Philippines, byJunfil Olarte. A former Aeronautical Engineering Technician in Singapore, Junfils passion forwriting as an international travel writer began in early 2003. His interests are travel, culture,history, lifestyle, languages, food and wine. Junfil believes the spirit of international travel isone of the best medicines for the many pressures in life.

A Trip to Samarby Junfil Olarte

A soft breezy sunrise rouses me as my ship nears thecoast and moors at the docks of Maguino-o, off the city ofCalbayog, Western Samar in the Central Philippines. I feellike a sixteenth-century explorer reincarnated. There youare, I whisper upon sighting the shores of Samar,believing I could reach the location only through historybooks. It is one of the very destinations I often read about

and even longed to visit since I was seven or eight.

Maguino-o seaport really looks like an isolated place. You canhardly notice the houses nearby. The scene still brings youback to the early years (undeveloped in other words), withmeagerly built homes yet pacific, having fresh air andunblemished environment. Perhaps, unlike many travelwriters in the country, such a place catches my attentionmost. Especially, that it does not see even a glimpse offoreign visitors.

Come, quickly, Joel gives me a nod, that bus will take us 30minutes to Calbayog. Really feel like Ferdinand Magellanreincarnated, I respond. He grins. And we both laugh,leaving the seaport of Maguino-o having done a few snapshots.

Franciscan Father Marlowe Rosales receives us warmlywhen we get in at the Friarys refectory, situated rightbeside the secondary school premises of Christ the KingCollege (a popular OFM run school in Calbayog City). Withus in the dining room is Father Marcelo Tubac, theschools OIC President, whom I also ask for someinformation about the area, along with Father Rosales whohas arranged my media visit in the city.

I say that this city in Samar is not touristy: narrow streetsas weve meandered through it, having only one or two(yet tiny) department stores with small number of

celebrated refreshment centres. Seeing foreign travellers roaming around here is sporadic. However, it does

How to Create a TravelLife You Love!

Best of North AmericaSampler

Best of EuropeSampler

Recent Posts

Follow Us!

Based in the SanFrancisco Bay Area,Catherine Sweeneyprovides inspirationand information for thesophisticated traveler.

Seize every travel opportunity -- I do! I'm atravel enthusiast with a lifelong passion forgoing places. A weekend getaway, a last-minute trip to Europe, a cross-country roadtrip or a local jaunt -- theyre all on my radar.And its all made extra special when Imenjoying the finer things in life with myhusband and co-blogger, Mr. TWS. Getinspired as I share my photos and storieshighlighting the best of destinations, food,wine, history, culture and the arts.

Back in Time A Fun Journey IntoHistorical Mexico

Traveling with Another Sweeney: A TWAAir Hostess

Atlantic Cruises: Stylish Travel to theWorlds Most Amazing Destinations

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Emilia-Romagna

Discovering Gaudi in Barcelona

Home About TWS Contact Attractions Destinations

Samar Museum

have something very important. The splendour of the citys natural attractions, its colourful culture and arts,historical features and the ancient relics in its museum are simply remarkable, which interest me to even travel22 hours by sea from my port of origin in Northwestern Mindanao Southern Philippines, with stopover in Cebu,sailing through the island straits of Leyte.

We do have natural spots here, Father Marlowe tells me,but still fairly developed. These are beaches andwaterfalls; a hot spring that provides therapeutic waters;and a number of caves in its forests (part of SamarIslands vast labyrinth of caves) that hardly ever visited bydomestic and foreign tourists. I can assist you going tothese attractions if you choose to stay long, FatherMarlowe convinces me. But tomorrow, he continues,were going to drive eleven kilometres from this city for theorchestra concert.

The following day finds us driving through a narrow roadoff the city to witness the said orchestra concert in Migara.

This remote destination situates itself at the upper vicinity of Calbayog, about eleven kilometres away from thecity proper. Perhaps the most interesting thing Ive learnt from this journey is how one colourful musical legacy(which goes back years before the Second World War) has been brought back by a Franciscan Priest to lifeafter it ceases in 1975.

Jose Cinco Gomez, in fact, was the famous composer in Samar, who had his Colegio de San Vicente de PaulOrchestra organised in 1930 (renamed the Cecilian Orchestra two years later). The arrival of AmericanFranciscans in 1951 had reopened Christ the King College (CKC), where Mr. Gomez became a member of theschools personnel and set up the Kings Royal Orchestra. This became the CKC Astro Notes as dedicatedto American space travellers who first landed on the moon in the late 1960s.

Jose Gomezs organised orchestra five decades ago hadenjoyed performing its original pieces in Calbayog and itsneighbouring towns and even played classical symphonyfrom European Legends as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven.However, Samars piece of music died right after the dayJose Gomez passed away in 1975. And no one since thenhas ever taken his place to revive such rare legacy he left.

It really wasnt easy at first when I first arrived here in September 2006, recalls Father Rosales, sitting in frontof the car whilst on our way to Migara. School students had only bare knowledge on such musical instruments,he explains, and I needed much time to do a research-study on each of those instruments to teach them.

Father Marlowe then embarked on a great task of reviving Calbayogs symphony, which had been dormant forthree decades, and bringing music to young students of Christ the King College. He obtained his Bachelor ofMusic in Conducting and Bachelor of Music in Music Education in the University of Santo Tomas Manila in1998-2001, and began teaching students at CKC such orchestral instruments, including piano, and the readingof its musical notes which is the most difficult and crucial of all. I say its tough, really, explains the 38-year-oldpriest. I even thought trumpet was just a mere instrument where you simply blow on it in order to createharmonic tunes, Father Marlowe smiles. In the case of strings, he adds, Id had assistance from alreadylearnt students to help others for fast learning.

The Orchestra received considerable help and funding fromnatives of Calbayog who are already living in the UnitedStates. Other than that, Father Rosales would even attendmeetings of CKCs Parents-Teachers Association,requesting donations for the much required additionalinstruments, but received only a few responses. With this inmind, he did file a personal loan at the school in order topurchase some of those needed musical gadgets.

5 Reasons I Went Back: BudapestHighlights

At Home in Verucchio

The Subtle Beauty of Cisternino

A Toast to Life in Cesena, Italy

A Secret Revealed: Puglia, Ti Amo

Second Date on the Napa Valley WineTrain

Chinatown: The Pretty and the Gritty

Two Colorful Toronto Neighborhoods

On Location at the Napa Valley FilmFestival

Featured Museum: All About Shoes inToronto

Click here to visit y Travel Blog.

Hotels

Traveling With Sweeney

1,605 people like Traveling With Sweeney.

LikeLike

Junfil Olarte and two orchestra members

The long months of difficult endeavours had turned into one great honour when Father Marlowe Rosales set upthe CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra in 2007, signifying the renaissance of the islands long lost legacy. Thesymphony group then did its first performance at the Monastery of Saint Clare on March 9, 2008, followed byconcerts at different venues in several towns of the province, and even spent successful performances atPhilippine Capital sites as Manilas Century Park Hotel, Mall of Asia, and Forbes Park.

CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra members are composed of highschool learners as young as 13 to 16. Many tried, but not allwere selected, to become participants of the Orchestras firstchorale set. Persistent interest and discipline on the part ofaspirants came to be the basis of the final selection. CarlBordeos, CKCs Public Relations who happens to be thebands Concert Coordinator, says the Orchestra is filledinitially with students from secondary level, but it has now hadsome college members: members who pursued their collegestudies at the same school and chose to remain in theOrchestra.

CKC Orchestra is the only orchestra existing in Samar provinces (or perhaps, in the entire Philippine Islands interms of young school artists) that has successfully established itself and even obtained noteworthy publicityfrom famous Philippine media as ABS-CBNs Umagang Kay Ganda and GMAs Mel & Joey in 2009 and2010, respectively. Because of this rare and great achievement (same as the Franciscan Father CantiusKobak), the City Government Council passed an Official Resolution on October 11, 2010 declaring FatherMarlowe Rosales (a native from Ozamiz City, Southern Philippines) as an Adopted Son of Calbayog.

As we arrive in Migara, Father Marlowes colourful story about the symphony revival reminds me of how theFranciscan Friars, from past to present, have bequeathed a wealth of priceless heritage to the people of Samar.This concert is part of the schools outreach program, so that less fortunate people, especially poor children,can watch the Orchestra at no cost, he explains as we move toward the concert grounds.

CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra will perform concerts in the Philippine Capital on the following dates:

April 1, 2011-Camp Crame, Quezon CityApril 2, 2011- Resorts World ManilaApril 3, 2011 Paco Park Manila

Christ the King College

Calbayog City website

Photos courtesy of : Joel F. Te Roa, SFO/Carl Bordeos,CKC PR

The article was originally published in its entirety onDaves Travel Corner.

StumbleUpon StumbleUponYou may also like -

Vancouver Views Mystery, History and On Broadway

Comfortable Hotels Around the World

Posted by Catherine Sweeney at 11:52 am Tagged with: Phillipines

Name

E-mail

URI

4 Responses to Symphony in Samar

1. Grace says:March 30, 2011 at 12:32 am

So glad you featured this on your blog! Ive never been to Samar myself and I am from the Philippines. I was not awarethey had an orchestra.

Grace recently posted..Around the world in a day at the LA Times Travel &amp Adventure Show

Reply

2. robin says:March 30, 2011 at 2:38 am

Another great story! The orchestra sounds like a real labour of love and the post reads like one.

robin recently posted..Tiempo

Reply

3. Jozef @ Where Now says:March 31, 2011 at 9:42 am

Great story there really is nothing like listening to a live orchestra!

Jozef @ Where Now recently posted..The Pantanal Day 2

Reply

4. Laurel says:March 31, 2011 at 10:15 am

What an inspirational story and kudos to the CKC Jose Gomez Orchestra for persevering during difficult times.

Laurel recently posted..Why Im Afraid to Have Surgery in Germany

Reply

Leave a Reply

(required)

(required)

Your Comment

0

CuriOdyssey

6363 1313 55

The Best Place to be TodayLonely PlanetNew $12.64Best $12.28

LOVE TRAVEL PLANJENN GRAINGERNew

How to Travel the World on$50 a Day...Matt KepnesNew $10.98Best $5.97

Privacy Information

I Was HereKate PocrassNew $13.56Best $4.99

Travel ResolutionsLonely PlanetNew

An Innocent AbroadJohn Berendt, Dave...New $12.50Best $7.68

Privacy Information

2013 Traveling with Sweeney Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha

Walking the Walk in New York City How to Help Japans Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

Submit Comment