2020 was one heck of a year. For the Philippines, it wasn't just the Covid-19 pandemic. The year started for us with the eruption of the Taal volcano, an active volcano just a mere 70 kilometers from where we keep the harps and teach. That week in January, ash fell across the city and in the neighboring provinces. Then, the pandemic and the lockdowns hit in March which as we know turned the whole world upside-down.
We started the year on a high note with the wedding of one of our dear friends in Baguio City, up up up in the mountains north of the country. We drove one of our harps all the way through the foggy zigzaging roads and had a memorable time making music with the harp.
Valentines in February was busy as ever: shuttling to two different performance venues on the same day, the first at Okada Manila and the second at I'M Hotel in Makati. Later that month, we were also invited to perform at SM BF Paranaque's Valentines special.
Another highlight of the Love month was an event done by GCF North where we played a number of love songs. The event featured Miss Universe first runner-up Miriam Quiambao and her author husband Ardy Roberto as speakers.
One major event that was cancelled in February due to the start of travel restrictions was The French Harp, a lecture and concert in partnership with Allianz Francois featuring Jakez Francois, CEO of Camac Harps France. Although postponed would be a more apt word, for we look forward to pushing through with this event once the pandemic is over. Click here to be notified of our announcements.
The lockdowns hit the Philippines on the 16th of March, instantly upending a lot of industries. Music and the arts were heavily affected with events and performances cancelled worldwide. Schools shut down as well, leaving teachers without jobs and kids with not much to do.
On the last night before the lockdown, we had the privilege of playing the harp in the wedding of one of our long-time employees in a coffee shop we used to co-manage(that's another story). Since the coffee shop is just across the street from the HarpRoom, he used to carry our harps whenever there would be performances there. His wedding was simple but incredibly meaningful. Out of the blue, we sang I Can Only Imagine, a song that talks about Heaven and spending eternity there. A few months later, he was suddenly rushed to the hospital and sadly passed away, making the song we sang even more laden with meaning.
With the lockdown preventing face-to-face teaching, we were forced to be creative and find ways to keep teaching our students. This we did by moving all lessons online. It was tricky at first due to both teacher and students not being used to making music in a Zoom/Skype/Google Meet/Facebook call(and we tried everything). But after some time, we were able to get the hang of it and the progress of the students who continued to have consistent lessons reached a steady pace, almost as if we were face-to-face. On downtimes, we focused on improving the HarpRoom with numerous carpentry and maintenance works. We even built a hydroponics system so we could grow our own vegetables. You know, in case things turned for the worst and the civilization ended or zombies came. Thanks, doomsday-themed movie nights.
What should a locked-down harpist do when playing to the walls has lost its charm? Aha, we play for the camera! Before the pandemic we organized numerous performances, concerts, and Harpreciation recitals. Why couldn't we do it now? We decided to have an online recital for our students aptly titled, Harpreciation Online. Pretty soon, there was a second and a third version of that event. Yes, we got a bit bored but we used it to get productive. Boo Netflix.
The country's only classical music station has been a friend since HarpRoom started, them being our go to station when promoting our concerts and events. We were blessed to work with them again early in the year with a harp recording, and we were privileged to take part in their online anniversary soiree last May.
By the middle of the year, the economic effects of the lockdown were starting to show. So many businesses closed, and so many people lost their jobs. During weekends, we would drive around the city just to break the monotony. We began to see more and more people taking the streets in search for alms and food. We then started to pack small food packs to distribute on weekends. After a few weeks of this, we had the idea to make a fundraising concert so we could buy more food to give to people affected by the lockdowns. This online concert, Harp, Hymns, and Hope was able to spread some awareness of the plight of the less fortunate.
Read more about Project: Joyride here.
The last four months of the year - the Brrrr months(Septembrrr, Octobrrr, Novembrrr, and Decembrrrrrrrrrr) ;-) - were almost as busy as the previous no-Covid years. We did another Harp, Hymns and Hope concert in September for Project: Joyride.
The Odyssey harp, a brand-new design by Camac Harps France, was launched in September as well. Featuring high-portability, removable legs, and wonderful sound in all 27 strings.
In October, we were privileged to be invited to an online event hosted by the House of Representatives entitled, "Every Home, a House of Praise" with guest speaker Rev. Peter Tan-Chi. By November, Teacher Joann was featured in an online interview by Revelation City Church. And when December came, a host of wonderful events took place.
December is usually our biggest year with gifts procured, produced, wrapped, transported, and given. Recitals planned, organized, fuzzed about, stressed with, and performed. Food given, taken, and eaten(with this process repeating several times). 2020's December was kinda different though. Ok, it was very different. In fact, we never had a December quite like this year's December. But regardless of the differences, one thing was the same: We still remembered and celebrated Jesus' birth more than the presents, and music was still very much part of the occasion.
A word that means to continue or to move forward. The brilliant composer and arranger Ily Matthew Maniano, an old friend from bygone years, asked us to collaborate for a piece that he was working on. When the piece came out, it was a one-of-a-kind, ethereal music that reminded of songs of angels and immediately put one's mind and spirit in a peaceful state. Joann Cerdenia provided the harp music and the singing was done by Sonos, a choir composed of singers from all over the globe. The piece was premiered at the online program Voices: A Festival of Song by Singapore's Esplanade Theaters on the Bay.
The first magazine in Southeast Asia featured HarpRoom in its first publication. Despite the small size of the Philippine harp community, we have been able to forge connections and friendships in our region and around the world. We especially feel a close kinship with the harpists of Singapore led by Katryna Tan.
Every December, we've held an end-of-the-year recital for our students which we've lovingly called, A Harp Christmas Caroling. This year, with live events not possible due to the pandemic, we were forced to get even more creative. Instead of having a recital, we opted to go for a competition instead: the first harp competition in the Philippines. We invited professional harpists from around the world to serve as judges: Fabiana Trani from Germany, Sylvia Podrecca from Italy, Katryna Tan from Singapore. All participants got special prizes, with the top three awarded to Nina Pascual, Micah Luy & Eliza Gregorio. They received gift certificates and goodies from Harp Room.
Before the year ended, some friends came together for Project: Joyride by organizing a virtual rendition of Handel's Messiah. These group of talented musicians from Independent Philippine Art Ventures, Inc. lent their skills, time, and energy to produce a magnificent performance in order to raise funds for food packs for distribution and to bring awareness to the plight of the least fortunate in our society. International soprano and voice coach Evelyn Mandac was the musical director . What started as a simple initiative from our kitchen has now had the help of voices and hands of more people. What a way to celebrate Christmas and end the year!
One of the things 2020 was touted as when it began was clear vision, in reference to 20/20 vision. As the year unfolded, we wondered at how so many unfortunate events can be crammed into a single year for all the people in the world. And yet if we looked closer, 2020 also showed us that life is extremely short, that material possessions can vanish quickly, that family and true friends are a real treasure, that breathing freely is indeed more valuable than gold, and that human connection is a precious thing. It seems that the process of having clear 20/20 vision was not what we expected it to be.
One thing that was prevalent though throughout 2020 was that the music kept playing despite the hardships. From singing in balconies to the seemingly endless online concerts and virtual choirs, to the students that kept on practicing and the teachers that kept on teaching: The music continued to play. And, by God's amazing grace, it will continue to do so this 2021.
Harp on.
2020 was one heck of a year. For the Philippines, it wasn't just the Covid-19 pandemic. The year started for us with the eruption of the Taal volcano, an active volcano just a mere 70 kilometers from where we keep the harps and teach. That week in January, ash fell across the city and in the neighboring provinces. Then, the pandemic and the lockdowns hit in March which as we know turned the whole world upside-down.
But before all that...
We started the year on a high note with the wedding of one of our dear friends in Baguio City, up up up in the mountains north of the country. We drove one of our harps all the way through the foggy zigzaging roads and had a memorable time making music with the harp.
Valentines in February was busy as ever: shuttling to two different performance venues on the same day, the first at Okada Manila and the second at I'M Hotel in Makati. Later that month, we were also invited to perform at SM BF Paranaque's Valentines special. Another highlight of the Love month was an event done by GCF North where we played a number of love songs. The event featured Miss Universe first runner-up Miriam Quiambao and her author husband Ardy Roberto as speakers. One major event that was cancelled in Feruary due to the start of travel restrictions was The French Harp, a lecture and concert in partnership with Allianz Francois featuring Jakez Francois, CEO of Camac Harps France. Although postponed would be a more apt word, for we look forward to pushing through with this event once the pandemic is over. Click here to be notified of our announcements.
And then, March.
The lockdowns hit the Philippines on the 16th of March, instantly upending a lot of industries. Music and the arts were heavily affected with events and performances cancelled worldwide. Schools shut down as well, leaving teachers without jobs and kids with not much to do.
On the last night before the lockdown, we had the privilege of playing the harp in the wedding of one of our long-time employees in a coffee shop we used to co-manage(that's another story). Since the coffee shop is just across the street from the HarpRoom, he used to carry our harps whenever there would be performances there. His wedding was simple but incredibly meaningful. Out of the blue, we sang I Can Only Imagine, a song that talks about Heaven and spending eternity there. A few months later, he was suddenly rushed to the hospital and sadly passed away, making the song we sang even more laden with meaning.
Realigning the strings of life.
With the lockdown preventing face-to-face teaching, we were forced to be creative and find ways to keep teaching our students. This we did by moving all lessons online. It was tricky at first due to both teacher and students not being used to making music in a Zoom/Skype/Google Meet/Facebook call(and we tried everything). But after some time, we were able to get the hang of it and the progress of the students who continued to have consistent lessons reached a steady pace, almost as if we were face-to-face. On downtimes, we focused on improving the HarpRoom with numerous carpentry and maintenance works. We even built a hydroponics system so we could grow our own vegetables. You know, in case things turned for the worst and the civilization ended or zombies came. Thanks, doomsday-themed movie nights.
Then we got bored.
What should a locked-down harpist do when playing to the walls has lost its charm? Aha, we play for the camera! Before the pandemic we organized numerous performances, concerts, and Harpreciation recitals. Why couldn't we do it now? We decided to have an online recital for our students aptly titled, Harpreciation Online. Pretty soon, there was a second and a third version of that event. Yes, we got a bit bored but we used it to get productive. Boo Netflix.
Partnering with DZFE.
The country's only classical music station has been a friend since HarpRoom started, them being our go to station when promoting our concerts and events. We were blessed to work with them again early in the year with a harp recording, and we were privileged to take part in their online anniversary soiree last May.
Project: Joyride.
By the middle of the year, the economic effects of the lockdown were starting to show. So many businesses closed, and so many people lost their jobs. During weekends, we would drive around the city just to break the monotony. We began to see more and more people taking the streets in search for alms and food. We then started to pack small food packs to distribute on weekends. After a few weeks of this, we had the idea to make a fundraising concert so we could buy more food to give to people affected by the lockdowns. This online concert, Harp, Hymns, and Hope was able to spread some awareness of the plight of the less fortunate.
Brrrr.... months.
The last four months of the year - the Brrrr months(Septembrrr, Octobrrr, Novembrrr, and Decembrrrrrrrrrr) ;-) - were almost as busy as the previous no-Covid years. We did another Harp, Hymns and Hope concert in September for Project: Joyride. In October, we were privileged to be invited to an online event hosted by the House of Representatives entitled, "Every Home, a House of Praise" with guest speaker Rev. Peter Tan-Chi. By November, Teacher Joann was featured in an online interview by Revelation City Church. And when December came, a host of wonderful events took place.
In the cold breeze of Decembrrrr...
December is usually our biggest year with gifts procured, produced, wrapped, transported, and given. Recitals planned, organized, fuzzed about, stressed with, and performed. Food given, taken, and eaten(with this process repeating several times). 2020's December was kinda different though. Ok, it was very different. In fact, we never had a December quite like this year's December. But regardless of the differences, one thing was the same: We still remembered and celebrated Jesus' birth more than the presents, and music was still very much part of the occasion.
Padayon
A word that means to move forward. The brilliant composer and arranger Ily Matthew Maniano, an old friend from bygone years, asked us to collaborate for a piece that he was working on. When the piece came out, it was a one-of-a-kind, ethereal music that reminded of songs of angels and immediately put one's mind and spirit in a peaceful state. Joann Cerdenia provided the harp music and the singing was done by Sonos, a choir composed of singers from all over the globe. The piece was premiered at the Madz et Al and at Esplanade.
PDLT - the official magazine of the Harp Association of Singapore
The first magazine in Southeast Asia featured HarpRoom in its first publication. Despite the small size of the Philippine harp community, we have been able to forge connections and friendships in our region and around the world. We especially feel a close kinship with the harpists of Singapore led by Katryna Tan.
A Harp Christmas: Caroling Competition
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