In praise of the Kabayaos
April 10, 2006 | 12:00am
Renowned Filipino violinist Gilopez Kabayao, his gifted wife Corazon, and children Sicilienne, Farida, and Gilberto create a distinctive expression of life. They are a full-blown concerto of art and insight.
A long time ago, when I was a young dancer, our company went on a national tour, and we were invited to dinner by Gilopez and Corazon in Iloilo. Sitting at the table with them, I remember thinking I must have made it as an artist because the famous Kabayaos were giving me their precious time. Decades later, I see the whole family up close and personal. I went back to Iloilo to view the "Sayaw Diwa," their vision of promoting Philippine music and dance. Chatting with them was a wonderful experience. I should have taken down notes but refrained, preferring to absorb the wonder of the Kabayaos as if listening to music and wallowing in its melodious impressions.
It’s amazing how elegantly Gilopez has grown with age. Still handsome, he is the picture of true nobility with manner and stance as gentle as the lilting melodies of his violin. His international eminence spanning six decades, plus all the awards and recognition, has only added to a refined courteousness borne of native Ilonggos. Stories of his violin training from his maternal grandfather Gil Lopez and his father Dr. Dorotheo Kabayao, his childhood, and adulthood made it all too clear why he is the only acknowledged Filipino violin virtuoso of international standing for so many decades.
Gilopez spoke as of his achievements – concerts in prominent theaters, master classes in well-known conservatories, conducting and performing with celebrated orchestras, and playing virtuoso pieces with that masterfully splendid touch on his violin – are just as important as his pure, unsophisticated dream of campaigning for the arts today and encouraging the youth to engage in and appreciate it.
He set in motion a musical outreach program that brought famous maestros to cockpits, schoolhouses, movie houses and open-air quadrangles all over the nation. Seeds of his musical wisdom are scattered among the youth and nurtured with the same passion that fed his talent as a young boy. Only last year, two of his students, brothers Jim and Daniel Tagala, competed in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) and won first place in the violin and cello categories. It is quite unusual for two members from a family to win first place in one year. The competition chose Gilopez’s transcription of "Bahay Kubo in Seven Variations" as the contest piece for the category C violin competition, a challenging task for the competitors.
But, let me go back to the unique vitality of Gilopez and Corazon. Theirs is a partnership that transcends music, stretching out to distant horizons of life itself. Their alliance began musically, yes, as a solemn largo that moved to a legato hitting a crescendo and has been maestoso and grazioso ever since. She started out as his shy, demure pianist and the relationship blossomed into a lifetime romance. The sparkle is still evident whenever they gaze at each other – so much love and respect – and they have wrapped their children in this same love.
Corazon Pineda Kabayao graduated magna cum laude with a degree of Bachelor in Music from the UST Conservatory of Music. Talent and brainpower are manifested in words she speaks so eloquently. Her distinguished career as a soloist and accompanying artist to eminent performers – her husband first and foremost – led her to her present role of tackling a wider range of input to Philippine society. Combining her artistry with business acumen, she got going as musical arranger and manager of the Kabayao family concerts, tours and recordings. She then moved on to become the schemer for the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation, an organization that pursues innovative thrusts in music, theater and dance in Iloilo and other cities. Corazon is now a committed cultural worker who has been instrumental in producing festivals, opera, concerts, and workshops under the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation.
It is no wonder that all three Kabayao children have to the arts and culture, management, and even sports. Mentors can take a tip from Gilopez who divulged his secret: he let the children play the violin and enjoy it. As their curious fingers toyed with the instrument, he allowed natural enthusiasm to surge… and perfection followed. The family is as close-knit as can be, with love and respect abounding. In an artistic clique like theirs, competition often warrants division, but a gathering of the Kabayaos is full of banter, warmth, and sensitivity. Most children bolt from their elders’ objectives like rockets, but this brood has magnetized to the same passion and kindled it from within.
The family has performed in various concerts all over the world earning impressive reviews. As violinists, the children are described as fiery young artists with natural flair, rich potential, undeniable stage presence, and most likely to inherit their father’s royal scepter.
Eldest child Sicilienne struck me as a resolute and solid achiever. She joined the NAMCYA at the age of 10, winning two categories and afterwards gracing the Young Winners’ Concert in Hong Kong as the featured solo violinist. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communication from UP Visayas, Iloilo and she taught Humanities at the Central Philippine University. Presently, she is tackling administrative duties that take off strain from her mother. Sicilienne has truly become heir to the genius of her parents and should continue to harvest good works in Iloilo and nationwide.
Second child Farida won the NAMCYA violin category A when she was 12. She not only plays the violin and piano, but also sings and acts admirably. She earned recognition in her portrayal of Anne Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, Jo March in Little Women, and Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, to name a few. Farida, presently the one basking in the limelight, surprised me as the quieter sibling. While most actors continue to perform offstage, Farida prefers to endear people with unruffled calm and quiet. The combination of great talent and composure is rare indeed and, like Sicilienne, she most certainly acquired this from her parents.
Youngest and only son Gilberto is the artist cum sports disciple. He started violin and piano lessons at the age of three, and made his theatrical debut at six in Audie Gemora and Freddie Santos’ production of Joseph The Dreamer in Iloilo City. He has won medals in chess tournaments, badminton, track and field, swimming, and basketball events. It is he who delights the family with hilarious asides and one-liners. How thrilled they were when he managed to come home for a short vacation and perform with them in Sayaw Diwa. He studies at the De La Salle University College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB) pursuing a degree in Business Administration. Although he lives in the city, Gilberto has not lost his dedication to music. It’s also remarkable how this teenage boy shows deep affection for his family.
It has become rare for the Kabayaos to gather for a concert, so I snatched my children for the special event at the CCP last November. The concert, "In Praise of Him," revealed how God has essentially been the miracle of their whole life, their music, and their works. They hand back every applause to the Creator. Their performance also reminded me of our dialogues in Iloilo. The Kabayao intimacy seeps out with every pluck and twang of their instruments, making music a conversation, a sharing, an embrace. No one grabs the limelight; everyone shines in individual passages of honesty and affection. And like the young audiences they have captured nationwide, my children were so awed by the sonatas, folk songs and kundimans that they bought CDs and begged me to accompany them for autographs.
This is one of the biggest contributions of the Kabayaos to the country. When the youth see Sicilienne, Farida, and Gilberto play, they relate, connect and interact with classical and Filipino music. Live bands lure our children to social razzmatazz, while the Kabayaos bring them back to the essence of being Filipino. They feed our children with a mystical cuisine, that delectable food for the soul that thrives in our rich Filipino heritage.
In private, as I said, one is just as mesmerized. The gentle Gilopez begins a story like a solo passage in a concerto. The articulate Corazon adds her accompaniment and their anecdotes develop into fascinating songs. They are skilled storytellers and their narrative tackles the gamut of their musical life and history. But more passionately, it’s their crusade that becomes the focal point of their storytelling.
The Gilopez Kabayao Foundation was set up with generous assistance from various private and government organizations. Their project, Sayaw Diwa, was completed with the help of the Program for Asian Projects (PAP) of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF), plus support from the Department of Education-Region VI, the offices of the Governor and Mayor of Iloilo, Sangguniang Bayan, Tourism, Central Philippine University, and CPU College of Nursing.
Sayaw Diwa exemplifies the Kabayaos thrust to provide inspiration and encourage creativity in the arts.
The two-day workshop, held at the Iloilo Sports Complex last October, took in a number of individuals from the Visayas region. Atty. Victoriano Tirol, regional director of the Department of Education-Region VI, lent a big hand by writing a memo to PE and music teachers, and almost 500 came marching in. The culminating activity featured them in the works of Julius Sollesta, Joan Libo-on, Sol Fernandez, and Romel Flogen interpreting Filipino music in different movement styles.
Amazingly, the program was completed in two days and showed the talent and enthusiasm of all those involved. Filipino creativity was at its best, and I pray that the program develops into a larger festival in the future.
Gilopez and Corazon keep music thriving through lectures and recitals in schools all over the Philippines. They expose a new generation of Filipinos to classical music, our beloved folk songs and kundimans that are hardly heard or sung in schools anymore. Written comments from the young audiences show sheer excitement in their discovery of music.
Words like "a brand new twist," "like praying to God," "therapeutic," "our school should include this in our curriculum," "encouraged me to be more interested in classical music," "because your presentation included lectures, we benefited a lot," "soothes the aching heart," and "your music made me alive this day," one can tell that deep chords are touched in young ravenous minds. I hope more schools and institutions take advantage of this wonderful bid by the Kabayaos to share music with the young and old. For lectures and performances, they can be reached at corkabayao@yahoo.com.
Another theater offering of the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation was "Anatomiya ng Korupsyon" by Malou Jacob, shown in Iloilo City last November. It is a venture that differs from the Foundation’s My Fair Lady and The Miracle Worker, in that the play deals with corruption, a topic that is relevant today. The Foundation sponsored 1,200 students from seven national high schools in Iloilo City to watch the play, and they were not only provided the rare experience of theater but were also made aware of social realities.
It is the Kabayao idealism – rare nowadays – that propels them to not only provide musical and theatrical shows to a wide array of audiences but also inculcate a deep awareness of current social and political issues.
The hardworking Corazon further reveals, "We had to involve schools, civic groups, the city and provincial government, and business enterprises for every possible support we could get from them."
With the shining reviews the productions received, the Foundation succeeded in putting Ilonggo and Filipino talent in general in the forefront.
A wonderful gift to our loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions would be a Kabayao CD. Several of their recordings are available at the CCP Gift Shop and Tower Records and Odyssey outlets – "Harana Filipina," "Together," "Classic Touch," and "Strings of Praise" – are some of the recordings of the Kabayao CD series that evoke the family’s great talent.
And, speaking of anniversaries, Gilopez and Corazon just celebrated their 32nd wedding year last Feb. 16. We should all celebrate the saga of two formidable Filipino artists who continue to share their art. Let me end by saying happy anniversary to two of the most extraordinary people I have ever met in my life. May they and their children continue to create unique expressions of love and life in stunning concertos of art and insight.
A long time ago, when I was a young dancer, our company went on a national tour, and we were invited to dinner by Gilopez and Corazon in Iloilo. Sitting at the table with them, I remember thinking I must have made it as an artist because the famous Kabayaos were giving me their precious time. Decades later, I see the whole family up close and personal. I went back to Iloilo to view the "Sayaw Diwa," their vision of promoting Philippine music and dance. Chatting with them was a wonderful experience. I should have taken down notes but refrained, preferring to absorb the wonder of the Kabayaos as if listening to music and wallowing in its melodious impressions.
It’s amazing how elegantly Gilopez has grown with age. Still handsome, he is the picture of true nobility with manner and stance as gentle as the lilting melodies of his violin. His international eminence spanning six decades, plus all the awards and recognition, has only added to a refined courteousness borne of native Ilonggos. Stories of his violin training from his maternal grandfather Gil Lopez and his father Dr. Dorotheo Kabayao, his childhood, and adulthood made it all too clear why he is the only acknowledged Filipino violin virtuoso of international standing for so many decades.
Gilopez spoke as of his achievements – concerts in prominent theaters, master classes in well-known conservatories, conducting and performing with celebrated orchestras, and playing virtuoso pieces with that masterfully splendid touch on his violin – are just as important as his pure, unsophisticated dream of campaigning for the arts today and encouraging the youth to engage in and appreciate it.
He set in motion a musical outreach program that brought famous maestros to cockpits, schoolhouses, movie houses and open-air quadrangles all over the nation. Seeds of his musical wisdom are scattered among the youth and nurtured with the same passion that fed his talent as a young boy. Only last year, two of his students, brothers Jim and Daniel Tagala, competed in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) and won first place in the violin and cello categories. It is quite unusual for two members from a family to win first place in one year. The competition chose Gilopez’s transcription of "Bahay Kubo in Seven Variations" as the contest piece for the category C violin competition, a challenging task for the competitors.
But, let me go back to the unique vitality of Gilopez and Corazon. Theirs is a partnership that transcends music, stretching out to distant horizons of life itself. Their alliance began musically, yes, as a solemn largo that moved to a legato hitting a crescendo and has been maestoso and grazioso ever since. She started out as his shy, demure pianist and the relationship blossomed into a lifetime romance. The sparkle is still evident whenever they gaze at each other – so much love and respect – and they have wrapped their children in this same love.
Corazon Pineda Kabayao graduated magna cum laude with a degree of Bachelor in Music from the UST Conservatory of Music. Talent and brainpower are manifested in words she speaks so eloquently. Her distinguished career as a soloist and accompanying artist to eminent performers – her husband first and foremost – led her to her present role of tackling a wider range of input to Philippine society. Combining her artistry with business acumen, she got going as musical arranger and manager of the Kabayao family concerts, tours and recordings. She then moved on to become the schemer for the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation, an organization that pursues innovative thrusts in music, theater and dance in Iloilo and other cities. Corazon is now a committed cultural worker who has been instrumental in producing festivals, opera, concerts, and workshops under the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation.
It is no wonder that all three Kabayao children have to the arts and culture, management, and even sports. Mentors can take a tip from Gilopez who divulged his secret: he let the children play the violin and enjoy it. As their curious fingers toyed with the instrument, he allowed natural enthusiasm to surge… and perfection followed. The family is as close-knit as can be, with love and respect abounding. In an artistic clique like theirs, competition often warrants division, but a gathering of the Kabayaos is full of banter, warmth, and sensitivity. Most children bolt from their elders’ objectives like rockets, but this brood has magnetized to the same passion and kindled it from within.
The family has performed in various concerts all over the world earning impressive reviews. As violinists, the children are described as fiery young artists with natural flair, rich potential, undeniable stage presence, and most likely to inherit their father’s royal scepter.
Eldest child Sicilienne struck me as a resolute and solid achiever. She joined the NAMCYA at the age of 10, winning two categories and afterwards gracing the Young Winners’ Concert in Hong Kong as the featured solo violinist. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communication from UP Visayas, Iloilo and she taught Humanities at the Central Philippine University. Presently, she is tackling administrative duties that take off strain from her mother. Sicilienne has truly become heir to the genius of her parents and should continue to harvest good works in Iloilo and nationwide.
Second child Farida won the NAMCYA violin category A when she was 12. She not only plays the violin and piano, but also sings and acts admirably. She earned recognition in her portrayal of Anne Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, Jo March in Little Women, and Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, to name a few. Farida, presently the one basking in the limelight, surprised me as the quieter sibling. While most actors continue to perform offstage, Farida prefers to endear people with unruffled calm and quiet. The combination of great talent and composure is rare indeed and, like Sicilienne, she most certainly acquired this from her parents.
Youngest and only son Gilberto is the artist cum sports disciple. He started violin and piano lessons at the age of three, and made his theatrical debut at six in Audie Gemora and Freddie Santos’ production of Joseph The Dreamer in Iloilo City. He has won medals in chess tournaments, badminton, track and field, swimming, and basketball events. It is he who delights the family with hilarious asides and one-liners. How thrilled they were when he managed to come home for a short vacation and perform with them in Sayaw Diwa. He studies at the De La Salle University College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB) pursuing a degree in Business Administration. Although he lives in the city, Gilberto has not lost his dedication to music. It’s also remarkable how this teenage boy shows deep affection for his family.
It has become rare for the Kabayaos to gather for a concert, so I snatched my children for the special event at the CCP last November. The concert, "In Praise of Him," revealed how God has essentially been the miracle of their whole life, their music, and their works. They hand back every applause to the Creator. Their performance also reminded me of our dialogues in Iloilo. The Kabayao intimacy seeps out with every pluck and twang of their instruments, making music a conversation, a sharing, an embrace. No one grabs the limelight; everyone shines in individual passages of honesty and affection. And like the young audiences they have captured nationwide, my children were so awed by the sonatas, folk songs and kundimans that they bought CDs and begged me to accompany them for autographs.
This is one of the biggest contributions of the Kabayaos to the country. When the youth see Sicilienne, Farida, and Gilberto play, they relate, connect and interact with classical and Filipino music. Live bands lure our children to social razzmatazz, while the Kabayaos bring them back to the essence of being Filipino. They feed our children with a mystical cuisine, that delectable food for the soul that thrives in our rich Filipino heritage.
In private, as I said, one is just as mesmerized. The gentle Gilopez begins a story like a solo passage in a concerto. The articulate Corazon adds her accompaniment and their anecdotes develop into fascinating songs. They are skilled storytellers and their narrative tackles the gamut of their musical life and history. But more passionately, it’s their crusade that becomes the focal point of their storytelling.
The Gilopez Kabayao Foundation was set up with generous assistance from various private and government organizations. Their project, Sayaw Diwa, was completed with the help of the Program for Asian Projects (PAP) of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF), plus support from the Department of Education-Region VI, the offices of the Governor and Mayor of Iloilo, Sangguniang Bayan, Tourism, Central Philippine University, and CPU College of Nursing.
Sayaw Diwa exemplifies the Kabayaos thrust to provide inspiration and encourage creativity in the arts.
The two-day workshop, held at the Iloilo Sports Complex last October, took in a number of individuals from the Visayas region. Atty. Victoriano Tirol, regional director of the Department of Education-Region VI, lent a big hand by writing a memo to PE and music teachers, and almost 500 came marching in. The culminating activity featured them in the works of Julius Sollesta, Joan Libo-on, Sol Fernandez, and Romel Flogen interpreting Filipino music in different movement styles.
Amazingly, the program was completed in two days and showed the talent and enthusiasm of all those involved. Filipino creativity was at its best, and I pray that the program develops into a larger festival in the future.
Gilopez and Corazon keep music thriving through lectures and recitals in schools all over the Philippines. They expose a new generation of Filipinos to classical music, our beloved folk songs and kundimans that are hardly heard or sung in schools anymore. Written comments from the young audiences show sheer excitement in their discovery of music.
Words like "a brand new twist," "like praying to God," "therapeutic," "our school should include this in our curriculum," "encouraged me to be more interested in classical music," "because your presentation included lectures, we benefited a lot," "soothes the aching heart," and "your music made me alive this day," one can tell that deep chords are touched in young ravenous minds. I hope more schools and institutions take advantage of this wonderful bid by the Kabayaos to share music with the young and old. For lectures and performances, they can be reached at corkabayao@yahoo.com.
Another theater offering of the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation was "Anatomiya ng Korupsyon" by Malou Jacob, shown in Iloilo City last November. It is a venture that differs from the Foundation’s My Fair Lady and The Miracle Worker, in that the play deals with corruption, a topic that is relevant today. The Foundation sponsored 1,200 students from seven national high schools in Iloilo City to watch the play, and they were not only provided the rare experience of theater but were also made aware of social realities.
It is the Kabayao idealism – rare nowadays – that propels them to not only provide musical and theatrical shows to a wide array of audiences but also inculcate a deep awareness of current social and political issues.
The hardworking Corazon further reveals, "We had to involve schools, civic groups, the city and provincial government, and business enterprises for every possible support we could get from them."
With the shining reviews the productions received, the Foundation succeeded in putting Ilonggo and Filipino talent in general in the forefront.
A wonderful gift to our loved ones for birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions would be a Kabayao CD. Several of their recordings are available at the CCP Gift Shop and Tower Records and Odyssey outlets – "Harana Filipina," "Together," "Classic Touch," and "Strings of Praise" – are some of the recordings of the Kabayao CD series that evoke the family’s great talent.
And, speaking of anniversaries, Gilopez and Corazon just celebrated their 32nd wedding year last Feb. 16. We should all celebrate the saga of two formidable Filipino artists who continue to share their art. Let me end by saying happy anniversary to two of the most extraordinary people I have ever met in my life. May they and their children continue to create unique expressions of love and life in stunning concertos of art and insight.
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