The Kundiman Project

From Grandmother to Grandchild

My Lola (grandmother in Tagalog), Eugenia, was an opera singer in the Philippines, who sadly passed away months before I was born.

When my Uncle from the Philippines came to visit us, he brought along my Grandmother's Kundiman and Philippine art song repertoire. The music was a treasure trove of sheet music from the 1940's and 1950's, her name scribbled on the top with yellowing tape and tattered pages. I quickly youtubed the songs and performed "Mutya ng Pasig" by Nicanor Abelardo and "Pakiusap" by Francisco Santiago at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

I would like to honor my Lola and learn more about the Philippine culture by learning and performing the repertoire for a concert in Vienna, Austria. I would also like to record these pieces to leave behind for generations to come.

However, taking on this project is quite an undertaking. Weekly rehearsals with a pianist, the rental fee of an appropriate venue, professional recording equipment, a recording studio, and editing for youtube are quite expensive. Your support would help cover these costs.

I hope you'll consider supporting this project, bringing awareness, and promoting Philippine culture.