The 35th Bamboo Organ Festival

This is my first post after a while… Haha… I missed blogging and taking photos… Might have the whole story on a separate post.

Anyway, I went to the 35th Bamboo Organ Festival in St. Joseph’s Church in Las Pinas City to take photos of the Bamboo Organ… Nah, just kidding.

Sunday, February 18, 2010. It’s organist Jarek Malanowicz of the Czech Republic  and our very own Robert de Pano on trumpet, playing music of the Baroque Era. The first part of the show was held on the Bamboo Organ Church. Some songs have Malanowicz playing solo, and some songs are organ-trumpet duets (which is an essential combination in Baroque music), with de Pano on trumpets. This shows not just the rich sound the Bamboo Organ but also its versatility.

The second set was held in the Bamboo Organ Auditorium. But it’s not the Bamboo Organ anymore. Mr. Malanowicz played on an ordinary pipe organ made by Diego Cera Organ Builders. And throughout the set, he played solo. And not just solo, he reserved his powerful pieces here.

Here are some of the photos I took with my cellphone:

The St. Joseph’s Church, where the Bamboo Organ is placed.

The world-famous Bamboo Organ

The back of the church, converted into a stage. Chorale groups and soloists might have performed on this stage during the other dates of the festival. (Mr. de Pano played beside Dillinger in the Bamboo Organ)

The altar area.

The front view of the pipe organ in the auditorium.

The pipe organ in the auditorium

My ticket for the festival

Simbang Gabi 2009

It’s Christmas time again, and for Filipino Catholics like me, it’s not complete without the Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi. It is a 9-day novena mass,  and according to beliefs, if you complete the simbang gabi, you can have one wish granted.

By the way, I am the organist of Laziosi Minstrels, a church choir in St. Peregrine Parish in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. I am also playing organ, and at times, conductor, in the Integrated Choir (composed of all choirs in our parish). And the first day of the Simbang Gabi is always assigned to the Integrated Choir.

The facade of our Parish. Christmas lights donated by Mayor Aldrin San Pedro, and has been with the parish for 3 years already.

Putting up the altar decoration for this year. One of the highlights of our Christmas celebration is the altar decoration.

Checking the lights if it’s working.

The Integrated Choir rehearsals. We’re practicing “Kampana ng Simbahan” as our entrance hymn.

Final words from this year’s conductor, Ernesto “Kuya Sanch” Sanchez.

The Christmas decor complete with Christmas trees. (as of this posting, the parish is setting up Christmas lights. Gonna post it as soon as it’s finished.)

The Christmas decor from the choir loft’s venue.

This is the Integrated Choir, singing “One Bread, One Body.” It’s my choirmate Romnick David conducting, and me playing the organ.

The altar at morning

From another angle.

Laziosi Minstrels’ members. It’s me on the leftmost side. (Photo courtesy of Bong Gomez)

My Last Day at PUP – Part II

This is the part two of my PUP “Photoshoot”, with the more artistic and some sentimental shots.

I conceptualized this during my thesis days. I don’t know if it’s artistic or not

From another angle.

My last lunch at PUP: Chicken ala King and sago’t gulaman.

The Philippine flag.

The PNR Sta. Mesa station. It was my high school classmate Keith who introduced me to the train. In this station, I had two heartbreaks… I’ll mention one in the next post.

The old platform. A lot has changed here. Aside from the eviction of the informal settlers here, the station itself had a renovation of sort for the rehabilitation of the PNR. And their new units doesn’t use this platform anymore.

This is the new platform I’m talking about.

My last DMU ride as a PUPian, and maybe the next one won’t come unless the PNR finishes rehab works on Alabang.

My Last Day at PUP – Part 1

It’s been 8 1/2 years since I first entered Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), my first four years at the PUP Laboratory High School (PUPLHS) and the last 4 1/2 years as an Information Technology student. I learned a lot about life in PUP, some of them the hard way. I also had fun and good memories about PUP.

But all good things comes to an end. December 11, 2009 is my graduation day. Well, I’m happy that after that grueling thesis experience, I’m going to graduate, but on a sad note, I’m gonna miss PUP.

These shots were taken December 10, 2009.

The PUP Interfaith Chapel. As the banner said, we had our baccalaureate mass here. I played the keyboard for the communion and the recessional hymns for the very last time.

The cashier. No long queues this time.

The Admissions and Registration Office (ARO).

The Villa Kubeta. Three 1/2 years ago, this was a canteen. But due to the construction of the PUP Linear Park, the PUP Administration decided to convert it to a Villa Kubeta.

The Charlie del Rosario Building, named after Charlie del Rosario, the first ever Desaparecido during the Marcos era. It is also known as “Unyon,” from its former name, “Unyon ng Mag-aaral Building.” This is where the Office of Student Services, where I was an on-the-job trainee during high school.

One of my favorite places in PUP, the Linear Park.

This is at Laboratory High School. I used to sit here a lot, even in my college times.

A restroom in LHS. It also served as the President’s office of the SAPROMA (Samahang Propagandistang Mag-aaral), a pseudo-activist group which I conceptualized and formed during my high school days… For what reason? Just for fun!

The Ninoy Aquino Learning Resources Center, PUP’s main library. It is the largest library in Asia in terms of structure.

The PUP Lagoon. Even with the Linear Park around, many PUPians prefer to hang-out here, especially lovers at evenings.

This spot, located in between the North and the West wings of the main building, is where many activist demonstrations were held. It is also known as Popeye’s, a former canteen in the vicinity.

4th Floor East Wing of the Main Building: The IT Department classrooms

The flagpole, with the obelisk at the background.

This walkway was constructed during PUP’s centenary.

The Obelisk. The Apolinario Mabini bust is not the original.

The PUP Main Building.

The PUP Gym, the venue of our graduation.

The “catwalk”, a nickname of sorts for this pathway. As you can see, a lot of posts, from leftist propagandas, theatrical and performance promotions, and even birthday greetings, are posted here.

The entrance to  PUP.

The oval. I used to run a lot here in high school.

The grandstand. Some PE classes are conducted here. It is also one of my favorite tambayan, especially at night, where you can see a clear view of the sky.