Three of the country’s top-calibre and most awarded songwriters cum hitmakers gathered to train aspiring young musicians from Tagum City, launching the local government’s goal to produce a multi-genre album which will showcase its youth’s musical ingenuities.

In the recently concluded Tagumpay Songwriting Bootcamp held at RMPC Beach Resort and Training Center at Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS), at least 50 teens were coached and trained by Joey Ayala, Maan Chua and Jude Gitamondoc for three days on July 02 to 04, in the many aspects of songwriting.

The government-led bootcamp, as spearheaded by the Local Youth Development Office (LYDO) under the leadership of Rev. Antonio S. Alastra, Jr., was aimed to hone the talent and inclination to music of Tagumenyo youth especially in songwriting. The bootcamp has also served as the springboard for the participants to be familiar with the music industry in the country.

Jude Gitamondoc, producer and co-composer of the hitsongs HAHAHAsula and Pero Atik Ra, shares to the campers the techniques of effective lyrics selection and the his group’s advocacy of pushing the Bisdak sound as one of the country’s mainstream music during the Tagumpay Songwriting Bootcamp held at RMPC Training Center in Samal City last July 02-04, 2017. Photos by Roy Banias/CIO Tagum

Mr. Gitamondoc, being the Executive Producer of Vispop and the man behind the hitsongs HAHAHAsula and Pero Atik Ra, talked about the advocacy of mainstreaming the Bisaya music aside from acquainting the participants with techniques in effective lyrics selection. He also piqued their interest in writing “Hugot” songs which is a current trend for millennials.

Meanwhile, Ms. Chua, a multi-awarded Davao-based composer and singer, discussed the aspect of groove and melody writing as a prelude to infusing Mindanao vibe in songs while giving points over the advantages of collaboration.

The country’s renowned Mr. Ayala, on the other hand, led the discourse about the strategies, creation, optimization, presentation and exploitation (SCOPE) of songwriting. He also led in critiquing the compositions of the participants written during the three-day workshop.

Mr. Ayala stresses a point during one of his sessions in the Songwriting Bootcamp organized by the Local Youth Develoment Office of Tagum City. The participants were acquainted with the effective structuring of their songs and application of melodies and tune. Photos by Roy Banias/CIO Tagum

Every night, through an open mic session, the participants were given the chance to present their compositions and receive feedbacks from the three mentors. The participants were also able to produce group compositions in varying song genres that tackle the many wonders of Tagum City.

According to LYDO, the outputs of the participants will be further polished with the help of the bootcamp mentors to become part of an album to be produced later this year. The participants will also present their songs in the city’s Christmas festival dubbed as Paskuhan sa Tagum as an additional avenue to exhibit and share their masterpieces.

A group performs before the rest of the participants their song composition about Tagum City. The Songwriting Bootcamp is aimed to hone the musical ingenuities of the youth of Tagum City especially in the aspect of songwriting. Photos by Roy Banias/CIO Tagum

LYPO said that they are planning to launch another cycle of the same bootcamp to cater another batch of young songwriters as way of bolstering Tagum City’s moniker as the Music Capital of the South. Roy Banias/CIO Tagum

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