NESCAFE SOUNDSKOOL: Searching for the Next Generation of Music Stars

Two student bands from Tacloban and one from Cebu passed Nescafe Soundskool’s regional eliminations with flying colors.

Three student bands from the Visayas now have the chance to become the next generation of music stars as they’re about to take on the biggest musical event yet of their lives.

The Nescafe Soundskool Visayas Regional Eliminations held last October 4 at the SM City Cebu parking lot chose three bands which will be pitted against other student bands around the country in the finals round.

The three bands are Sounville from the Holy Infant College in Tacloban, Baronets from the University of Cebu and Skalivur from Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban.

During the eliminations, the 14 qualifiers were asked to play two songs: one is a cover song of their choice and the other an original composition. They were judged based on their songwriting skills, voice quality, performance, musicality and Nescafe experience (feel good music, sensibility and marketability of the song).

The judges were DJ Glenn Suave of MOR LS 97.1 Radio, Darwin Hernandez of Soupstar Entertainment, Jinno Mina and Vic Valencia of Sony BMG Records and Eileen Bangcoro of Nestle Philippines, Inc. The eliminations round was graced by one of the youngest and most talented bands in the country, Callalily, and Nescafe Soundskool Champion 2007 Lazy Susan.

The bands that passed the regional eliminations (Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao) will undergo a mentorship program in Boracay on November 6 – 13 and will compete against each other on the finals night on November 15 at the Ultra. The members of the country’s top bands like Sugarfree, Sandwich, 6 Cyclemind, Kamikazee and Callalily will serve as their mentors. Also, they will be treated to several concerts in Boracay which will further expose them to the music scene. All 13 finalists will also be entitled to make-over sessions, radio guestings and pictorials.

“Nescafe Soundskool’s primary purpose is to offer a venue to showcase talents like music. We’re giving the youth a chance to have their music heard,” Nescafe Marketing and Promotions Manager, Eileen Rose Bangcoro, said.

Endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Nescafe Soundskool serves as a channel for training the most talented, yet still to be discovered, young musicians in the country. It seeks to highlight the best of the country’s young musicians in a contest that not only gives them the opportunity to showcase their skills and music but to learn from the country’s most respected music industry figures.

“This project is now on its fourth year. This year, we’re inviting more schools and we’re tapping bigger mentor bands since the selling proposition of this project is the mentorship program. We’ll be focusing more on the training as the students value the discussions and workshops,” Bangcoro said.

With last year’s champion—Lazy Susan of the Asian Development Foundation College in Tacloban—coming from the Visayas, great pressure is placed on the shoulders on this year’s regional bets. 

“The Visayas bands are competent enough, thus I am confident that they will make it to the finals,” Bangcoro said.

The first band given this chance is Skalivur from Eastern Visayas State University from Tacloban. The members are Dan Margallo on vocals, Jude Dumas on saxophone, Zion Plimaco on bass, Steve Bano on drums and Rogelio Palacio, Jr. on percussion.

For the band, it was their stage presence and unity as band which made them pass. But making it to the regional eliminations isn’t actually a first time for Skalivur, since they have also passed last year, but under a different band name.

“Maganda ‘yung experience sa Boracay. Marami ka talagang matutunan pero feeling namin may kulang pa. Parang mas may i-improve pa kami. Kaya nag-try ulit kami this year. Nakapasok naman,” Margallo said.

The second band is a Cebuano bet. From the University of Cebu, Baronets is composed of Jerlyn Mae Astor on lead guitar, Charma Kurais on keyboards, Elizalde Astor on drums, Jimky Pagusara on vocals and Rea Diaz on bass.

“Ang nakapa-set apart namo siguro kay among skills plus ang pakulo. Dili man enough na motukar ra mi. Dapat naa pud performance, mao to naa mi head bang ug layat-layat gikan sa mga chairs,” Astor said.

For two years, the band has been playing only in school-related and now, they get to play in a bigger venue. Because they didn’t exactly think that they would pass the eliminations, the Baronets are just excited on what awaits them in this program.

Playing for five years now, the Sounville of the Holy Infant College in Tacloban is composed of Adrienne Jadloc on vocals, Twinky Jadloc on drums/vocals, Mark Cojuanco on bass, Gino Cerilla on guitar and Weslie Estur on guitar/back vocals. This is actually the first time they passed in a regional elimination.

“Kinuha namin yung Sounville from Sound Ville. Para siyang Sound Village. Magkaiba-iba kami pero para kaming isang small community na nag-gather. Kinuha lang namin yung ‘d’ para maging Sounville,” Twinky Jadloc explained.

They believe it is the personality of their band which made them stand out. However they know they have a lot to improve in terms of skills and the “tightness of their music.”

These three bands, indeed, have much to look forward to in this great musical experience. Last year’s winner, Lazy Susan—composed of Philip Pagaduan on vocals and guitars, Diancarlo Mendoza on guitars, Jonathan Costelo on bass and vocals and Feddy Orpeza on drums—could very well attest to that.

 “It was cool! Right now, we’re enjoying what we have. Dami naming natutunan sa Boracay. Yung pagiging komportable sa stage, pag-handle ng mga equipment, yung musicality namin at marami pang iba. Ito yung isa sa mga bagay na hindi namin inakala na mangyari sa amin,” Pagaduan said.

With these three bands getting a shot at stardom, Lazy Susan gives them this advice: “Lahat ng gagawin niyo, isapuso niyo lang. Just love what you do.”