Urnong - a cycle of folksongs from the Philippines’ Bicol Region
Performance 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Christopher Amado Arceo
Copresented by Christopher Amado Arceo
Exhibition Number 402
Abstract
Urnong is a cycle of three folksongs from the Bicol region in the Philippines. Bicol is located at the southeastern part of Luzon, and inhabited by the fifth largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. The people and the language are referred to as Bicolano. This region is known chiefly for the following: its coconut and chili based spicy cuisine, the almost perfect-cone shaped volcano named Mayon, and for being one of the most typhoon-ravaged areas in the country, averaging at least fifteen per year. These songs preserve the stories of the people that have often been diminished by poverty and calamity. They give us a snapshot of their simple life, values and culture especially those in the coastal areas where fishing influences daily living . The cycle was arranged by Eudenice Palaruan a Filipino composer, conductor, and music educator who obtained his music studies from the Berliner Kirchenmusikschule in Germany. He is currently the choral director of the Singapore Symphony Chorus, and is concurrently an associate professor at the Singapore Bible College. I. Nonoy inkod sa bato II. An Lab-asiro III. Ano Daw Idtong sa Gogon
Importance
The heritage is being threatened by the Filipino diaspora as they look for greater opportunities in other countries. We are grateful for the efforts of composers who have not only compiled these songs, but have given them another perspective through their own arrangements, which allow them to remain alive, relevant, and meaningful. Music that is written needs to be heard. Through this performance, I wish to bring to life the richness of my heritage and the stories of my ancestors, to a community that has molded me to become a vocal artist who tells stories through song.
DEI Statement
The Philippine Statistics Authority published data in 2023 stating that the Bicol region has one of the highest incidences of poverty in the Philippines. Annual per capita food threshold stands at $400 (USD) and access to education, transportation and basic services remains inadequate. According to the United Nations Development Program, between October and November 2020, eight consecutive typhoons entered the Bicol Region, “bringing it down to its knees.” These challenges subject the population to a very high level of inequality, threatening its culture marked by a strong sense of spirituality and familial bond. The Philippines’ National Commission for Culture and the Arts states that folksongs reflect traits such as kindness, a determination to conquer evil forces, resourcefulness and courage.