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Panoramas

Flute Music of the Philippines

Norman Menzales flute

Release Date: January 24, 2025
Catalog #: RR8113
Format: Digital
21st Century
Chamber
Flute
Piano
Violin

On PANORAMAS, flutist Norman Menzales reflects on his Filipino heritage through a series of chamber ensemble collaborations. The album includes Nicanor Abelardo’s Panoramas, which blends Filipino folk songs with post-Romantic styles, as well as Nilo Alcala’s DABDA, a moving meditation on the stages of grief. The collection also includes collaborations with Menzales’ contemporaries: AJ Villanueva’s Dala-dalangin (Bringing Prayers), for flute and soprano, illustrates anxious feelings about the future using the flute’s vivid timbral colors and extended techniques. Guitarist and composer Sungmin Shin offers a work inspired by various forms of love: love for a partner, love for a child, and love for one’s parents while the Sonata for flute and piano, CB. 29 (MMXXIII) by composer-pianist Joed Balsamo is a liberal treatment on the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic elements of the Philippine kumintang that pre-dates the kundiman. Through these performances and more, Menzales opens a musical and cross-cultural conversation.

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Track Listing & Credits

# Title Composer Performer
01 Panoramas: I. Dawn Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 3:35
02 Panoramas: II. Planting Rice Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 1:40
03 Panoramas: III. Afternoon Siesta - Lullaby Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 4:14
04 Panoramas: IV. Work in the Fields Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 1:44
05 Panoramas: V. Angelus Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 3:42
06 Panoramas: VI. Serenade Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 2:47
07 Panoramas: VII. Despedida Nicanor Abelardo Norman Menzales, flute; Antoine Lefebvre, violin; Jay Julio, viola; Haeyeun Jeun, celeste; Yolanda Tapia, piano 2:42
08 DABDA: I. Denial Nilo Alcala Norman Menzales, flute; Haeyeun Jeun, piano 1:45
09 DABDA: II. Anger Nilo Alcala Norman Menzales, flute; Haeyeun Jeun, piano 1:19
10 DABDA: III. Bargaining Nilo Alcala Norman Menzales, flute; Haeyeun Jeun, piano 2:07
11 DABDA: IV. Depression Nilo Alcala Norman Menzales, flute; Haeyeun Jeun, piano 2:19
12 DABDA: V. Acceptance Nilo Alcala Norman Menzales, flute; Haeyeun Jeun, piano 3:37
13 Dala-Dalangin (Prayers) for flute and soprano Alexander John Villanueva Norman Menzales, flute; Joanna Kim, soprano 6:09
14 Pinoy Reverie for flute and guitar Sungmin Shin Norman Menzales, flute; Sungmin Shin, guitar 10:20
15 Sonata, CB. 29 (MMXXIII) for flute and piano Joed Balsamo Norman Menzales, flute; Yolanda Tapia, piano 12:57

Recorded April 2024 at Slee Hall in Buffalo NY
Recording Session Producer Norman Menzales, Sungmin Shin
Recording Session Engineer Christopher Jacobs
Mastering Melanie Montgomery

Album Art by Max Salire

Executive Producer Bob Lord

A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
A&R Danielle Sullivan

VP of Production Jan Košulič
Audio Director Lucas Paquette

VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming
Publicity Aidan Curran
Digital Marketing Manager Brett Iannucci

Artist Information

Norman Menzales

Flutist

Norman Menzales is the Principal Flutist of Montana’s Great Falls Symphony, Colorado’s Fort Collins Symphony, and the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. An artist dedicated to sharing and spreading his passion for chamber music, Menzales performs as solo flutist of Montana’s premier woodwind quintet, the Chinook Winds. The group strives to bring live, classical music to rural communities throughout the United States and stresses the importance of music education in schools. 

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Antoine Lefebvre

violin

Canadian violinist Antoine Lefebvre was appointed Principal Second Violin of the BPO in September 2001 by Music Director JoAnn Falletta. Showing an early interest in music, he began his violin studies at age 5. At 13, he was admitted into a special Bachelor of Music program at the University of Montréal under the direction of J.F. Rivest and Vladimir Landsman. He completed his studies at McGill University, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Violin Performance with Yehonathan Berick, Richard Roberts, and André Roy. Beginning in 1993, Lefebvre spent five summers at the Meadowmount School of Music. During the summer of 1999, he worked at the Kent Blossom Chamber Music Festival where he received the Joseph Gingold Award. In 2000 & 2001, he performed in Breckenridge Colorado as the Principal Second Violin with the National Repertory Orchestra.

Lefebvre has won several competitions including those held at the National Music Festival and Czech and Slovak Music Festival. In 1998, he won second place for all categories in the International Stepping Stone of Canadian Music Competition. He was also honored in Ottawa by the Governor of Canada for winning first prize at the “National Youth TV Achievement Award of 1995.”

For many years, Lefebvre has been invited for concerts broadcasted by CBC Radio-Canada. He has appeared as soloist with many professional orchestras, such as the Montréal Contemporary Orchestra, Orchestre Métropolitan of Montréal, Mount Royal Symphony, and Laval Symphony. In Buffalo, Lefebvre has been featured by the BPO, Ars Nova, and Camerata di San Antonio. He lives with his wife Christine and their two sons, Paul-Alexandre and Samuel.

Jay Julio

viola

Originally from Uniondale NY, first-generation Filipino-American Jay Julio (b. 1997, they/them) is a multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and composer-arranger based in New York City. Julio is the Viola / Violin III chair on Hamilton (Angelica tour), Assistant Principal Violist of the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra, and substitute violist with orchestras such as the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the American Composers Orchestra, and the Dallas Symphony. Recent solo appearances include concerto performances with the Ocala Symphony, the Marquette Symphony, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

They have shared the stage with Broadway singers, pop stars, and classical music’s hottest young talents in performances from Washington DC to the Philippines, and can be heard on violin and viola on PARMA Recordings, Nonesuch, and Broadway Records. They appeared in the official collaborative music video for Major Lazer & Marcus Mumford’s single, Lay Your Head On Me, released as a fundraiser for COVID-19 research efforts, performed with Nigerian artist Burna Boy in his Hollywood Bowl debut, and have played behind Audra McDonald on Carnegie Hall’s Great Artists series.

Julio has performed the Music Academy of the West, Orpheus@Mannes, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, and the Cabrillo, Aspen, Pacific, Thy, Spoleto, and Lake Tahoe music festivals; they have also spent summers at the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program and the National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute as a Young Artist of Color. They have served as a Teaching Fellow at the Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program and as substitute viola & chamber music faculty at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division. They have coached the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, have been on faculty at the Stony Brook University Chamber Strings Camp, and hold teaching positions at the Interlochen Center for the Arts Viola Intensive and Midori and Friends.

A prizewinner in national competitions held by the National Federation of Music Clubs and the Music Teachers National Association and recipient of a 2019 Juilliard Career Grant, Julio is indebted to the Virtu Foundation and the American Viola Society for their past support through instrument and bow loans. They were recipient of a 2020 Music Academy of the West Fast Pitch Award for their music-meets-prison-analysis organization Sound Off: Music for Bail, which has since been awarded a 2021 Juilliard School Career Grant, a 2022 YoungArts Foundation Creative Microgrant, a 2022 + 2024 Puffin Foundation Grant, a 2023 Surdna Foundation Thriving Cultures Sponsorship, a 2023 New Music USA Organizational Fund Grant, a 2023 Copland Fund Grant, and 2024 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Manhattan Artsand Upper Manhattan Economic Zone Grants.

After taking their first viola lesson at age 14 at the Mannes Preparatory Division, Julio graduated from theInterlochen Arts Academy at 16 studying with Renee Skerik with their highest musical honor, the Young Artist Award, received their B.M. in Viola Performance from the Manhattan School of Music under Karen Ritscher on full scholarship, and received their M.M. at the Juilliard School on a full-tuition Susan W. Rose Fellowship under the tutelage of Heidi Castleman and Misha Amory. Other important mentors include Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti and Lina Bahn. For rhythm, Julio studies poetry.

They are a proud member of AFM Locals 77 and 802, the Justice Committee, and the IWW.

Haeyeun Jeun

Celeste, Piano

Pianist Haeyeun Jeun, a native of Korea, has gained recognition as an accomplished performer in both the United States, Japan, and Korea. Her impressive lists of achievements include silver medal at the 2013 Seattle International Piano Competition, second prize in the 12th Osaka International Piano Competition, first prizes in the Eastman-Hamamatsu, Piano Society of Korea, the Nanpa, and the Music Association of Korea competitions as well as many other awards and scholarships. In 2006, she was chosen by the piano faculty at Eastman to be the school’s representative at the 2007 Hamamatsu International Piano Academy in Hamamatsu, Japan. As a soloist, she made her orchestral debut at age nine with the Busan Philharmonic and Chanwon Philharmonic Orchestras.

She has performed with other prestigious orchestras including the Prime Phil Orchestra and Eastman new music ensemble orchestra and in numerous solo recitals and chamber music concerts in Japan, Korea and the United States. She recently performed the Concerto for Piano and Marimba by Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez with Cordancia Chamber Orchestra.

Jeun completed the Doctor of Musical Arts program in piano performance and literature as a scholarship student of Dr. Douglas Humpherys at the Eastman School of Music where she also earned the master of music degree. She received her undergraduate degree in piano performance at Seoul National University. She is currently on faculty at SUNY Fredonia and she is a member of the award-winning ensemble fivebyfive, a mixed-quintet dedicated to promoting new music and collaboration.

Yolanda Tapia

piano

Yolanda Tapia is a multifaceted musician, international pianist, educator, vocal coach, and Fulbright Scholar based in Toronto. She is actively engaged with institutions like the University of Toronto and Sistema Toronto. Past roles as a staff pianist and collaborative pianist include Western University and the Instituto Superior de Música in Veracruz. 

Tapia has embarked on national tours with organizations such as Prairie Debut and Debut Atlantic, alongside mezzo-soprano Camila Montefusco as part of the Obsidiana Duo. This fall, she is premiering two original works: Monarca for voice and piano, and Nómada Nocturna for solo piano.

Tapia’s accomplishments with Obsidiana Duo include winning First Prize at the Puerto Rico Collaborative Piano Competition, earning a fellowship with the Toronto Summer Music Festival, and participating in Evolution: Classical at the Banff Centre. This year, the duo was also awarded a Research and Creation grant from the Canada Council for the Arts and a Recording Project grant from the Ontario Arts Council.

Mexican-born, Tapia has performed as a soloist with the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra and CSU Symphony Orchestra, obtaining awards from Mexico’s Chamber Music National Competition, the CSU concerto competition, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and Kiwanis. She has delivered piano and collaborative piano masterclasses at the University of Veracruz, FIM Loja in Ecuador, Cambrian College, and presented lecture recitals at CollabFest2021, Latin American Chamber Players, Western University, and El Canto Online.

A well-rounded chamber musician, she currently performs in several ensembles, including Solidaridad Tango and the Ranallo-Tapia Duo with classical guitarist Lenny Ranallo. 

Previously, Tapia was part of a chamber music residency with the Lincoln Center Stage Piano Quartet on the Holland America Line. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Veracruz, a Master’s from Colorado State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Western Ontario. 

Passionate about reaching younger audiences, Tapia is committed to enriching classical music programming across Canada through diverse and innovative projects. Outside of performing, she enjoys live music across a wide range of genres — from heavy metal and punk to rock and jazz.

yolandatapia.com

Joanna Kim

soprano

In June 2022, Korean/American Soprano Dr. Joanna Hyunji Kim held her debut recital at Carnegie Hall, wrapping up with a “well-deserved standing ovation.” New York Concert Review praised her voice as “rich and powerful,” as well as her “impeccable musicianship, and sensitive but intense interpretation of her text.”

She has performed internationally with orchestra and concert piano, including in the United States, South Korea, and numerous European countries, such as Italy, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, and Graz, Austria.

Born in the United States but raised in South Korea, Kim adores both cultures and desires to advocate Korean art songs in the States. Her doctoral lecture recital on Korean diction and art song was nominated for the Lecture Recital Prize at Eastman School of Music in 2018. She presented lecture recitals with a similar topic at the Harvard Graduate Music Forum Conference in February 2020 and the Roberts Wesleyan College in 2023. She continues her advocacy in Korean Art Song through Carnegie debut recitals and various concerts — Arts Connexion’ Water Ceremony’ hosted by Rochester Oratorio Society. She also participates and performs in AAPI events and festivals in Upstate New York, such as Asian Village at New York State Fair.

Kim believes every culture is unique but also shares similarities, as people share emotions. Finding the core emotion of a song, interpreting the text through her lens, communicating with the audience, and being a bridge to many cultures is her utmost dedication when she prepares for a concert.

As a passionate teacher, Kim enjoys teaching vocal music to people of all ages, ethnicities, and musical levels. She currently teaches at the Eastman Community Music School as a Voice Instructor and at Syracuse Christian Academy as a general music teacher. In 2021, she founded Senoreh Inc., which focuses on building a platform for Christian musicians to perform, educate the next generation, and share their vision.

Kim holds a Bachelor of Music from Ewha Womans University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Under the study of Robert McIver, she earned a Master of Music with dual degrees in Voice Performance and Music Education at the Eastman School of Music. In 2020, Kim finished a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance and Literature at the Eastman under Jonathan Retzlaff’s guidance.

Sungmin Shin

guitar, composer

Korean-born American musician Sungmin Shin maintains a vigorous schedule seamlessly navigating the unpredictable musical landscape of the 21st century. Shin is an artist-teacher, arts leadership advocate, composer, consultant, engineer-producer, ensemble director, entrepreneur, improviser, multi-instrumentalist, music theorist, and scholar. Redefining what it means to be genre-bending, Sungmin balances his serious classical training with his deep roots in diverse musical cultures to seek new modes of expression through performance, improvisation, and composition.

He is frequently invited to adjudicate, compose, perform, speak, and teach at major international competitions, events, and festivals including the Guitar Foundation of America International Convention & Competition, Iserlohn International Guitar Festival (Germany), Rochester International Jazz Festival, and many more. Known for his artistic and professional collaborative work in music and with interdisciplinary projects, Shin is a member of the internationally acclaimed guitar ensemble Tantalus Quartet and 8-piece rock band Lauren & the Good Souls.

Shin is a devoted educator that believes high quality music education should be available and accessible to all students and shares his passion for music with students of all ages and levels. He is Associate Professor of Practice at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York where he directs the guitar program and guitar ensembles. He has presented concerts and masterclasses at top level university music programs including at the Eastman School of Music, Seoul National University of Education (South Korea), Shenandoah Conservatory, University of Louisville, University of South Carolina, and more. Former students of Shin are currently working as professional musicians in Western New York and beyond and have gained admission to top music schools such as Belmont, Berklee, Eastman, Northwestern, North Texas, and many more at the undergraduate and graduate levels with scholarships. Shin is the Director of the Penfield Guitar School and serves on the faculty of Guitar Workshop Plus in Toronto during the summers.

Shin plays and endorses D’Addario Strings.

sungguitar.com

Joed Balsamo

composer

Joed Balsamo (b. 1977) holds a Bachelor of Music major in Composition (Cum laude, With Distinction) and Piano (Cum laude) from St. Scholastica’s College and Master of Arts in Music (piano performance) from University of Santo Tomas where he studied with Alice Araneta-Lim, Mauricia Borromeo, and Najib Ismail for piano as well as Dr. Jonas Baes and National Artists for Music Lucio San Pedro and Dr. Ramon Santos for composition. In October 2020, he attended the counterpoint sessions with National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab.

After graduation, he hit the ground running in productions such as Sta. Rita de Cascia – A miniature musical (2000) as composer/pianist and the Miss Saigon Manila and Asian Tours (2001) as keyboard player in the orchestra where he eventually returned as rehearsal pianist for the 2024 Manila run at The Theatre at Solaire. After being in the industry for 24 years, his artistic and creative versatility have led more than 20 of his theater and dance productions to be staged by several theater and dance companies and more than half of those feature him as composer, musical director, arranger/orchestrator, and pianist. Most recent are the new staging of his children’s musical Sandosenang Sapatos for Tanghalang Pilipino and Ibarra The Musical (starring Piolo Pascual) which is a reworking of Kanser The Musical where Balsamo also conducted the Manila Symphony Orchestra in all the performances and as well as the new National Arts Month 2024 Festival Song Ani ng Sining, Bayang Malikhain, performed by Karylle and Yael Yuzon.

He is also active in the concert scene where his works and arrangements have been performed by acclaimed local and international orchestras, choirs and vocalists, and instrumentalists as well as perform as a pianist. Most recent for 2023 are the choral work Hablon Dawani at the Singapore Youth Festival in April, Isang Gabi ng Sarsuwela where he is the musical director and arranger of the sarsuwelas featured in the June concert, and the world premiere of his Sonata for Flute and Piano in July in Montana. He also gave a series of lecture-performances in University at Buffalo and Eastman School of Music on Philippine music with emphasis on works inspired by Jose Rizal under the auspices of Sentro Rizal which culminated in a concert at the Philippine Consulate in New York that was well-attended.

He has received accolades for his ballet Crisostomo Ibarra at the 2021 Classic Pure Vienna Composition Competition and Pinangarap ang minsan lang at the 2021 Timpalak Kundiman, as well as finalist at the 1st MIT Out Sound International Silent Film Festival for scoring the short film I need more than tofu and other vegetables that was held in Manila last November 2021. He is also a recipient of awards from Aliw and LEAF for his work as composer and musical director in Ibarra The Musical. Recently, he was the lone Asian finalist at the 2nd Luis Bacalov International Composition Competition that was held in Italy last May 2024.

Recently, Balsamo returned to being a freelance musician. He is in his 2nd year at the National Committee on Music at the National Commission for Culture and Arts where he sits in the Composition and Theory sector. He is also a member of Asian Composers League – Philippines, FILSCAP, Philippine Choral Directors Association, Asian Choral Association, and Piano Teachers Guild of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. as well as being one of the featured artists in the 2nd edition of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of Philippine Art.

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Nilo Alcala

composer

Nilo Alcala’s works have been hailed as “…highly revealing, if insightful…” (Inquirer.Net), “… marvelously ear-opening experience… (Musical America Worldwide), “…powerful… spectacularly engaging” (Lauri’s List), “…exuberant and at times hypnotic…”(Cultural Cocktail Hour), and “…scaled peaks of genius” (Asian Journal).

Alcala is carving a legacy for Philippine Arts internationally. A trailblazing artist, he is the first Philippine-born composer to receive the COPLAND HOUSE Residency Award, as well as to be commissioned by GRAMMY®-winner Los Angeles Master Chorale. He is also the first Filipino-American artist to be featured as Musical America Worldwide’s Artist of the Month and be awarded The American Prize in the Professional Division, Major Choral Works Category.

He has received two Ani Ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) awards from two Philippine Presidents and is featured in the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILIPPINE ART of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

His commissions include San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, Asia-Europe Foundation, Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival, Korean Ministry of Culture, C4 The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective, National Music Competition for Young Artists, Manila Symphony Orchestra, the Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra, and many other ensembles. Other notable performances include the World Youth Choir, Asia Pacific Youth Choir, San Francisco Girls Chorus, the U.P. Symphony Orchestra, the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Alcala’s choral works have been performed by numerous winning ensembles in prestigious competitions and festivals in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. He was member and composer-in-residence of the Philippine Madrigal Singers (UNESCO Artist for Peace).

An Asian Cultural Council grantee, Alcala is also a Billy Joel Fellow at Syracuse University where he earned an MMus in Composition and received the Irene L. Crooker Music Award. He holds a B.M. in Composition at the University of the Philippines, graduating Magna cum laude and recipient of Gawad Tsanselor sa Natatanging Mag-aaral (Chancellor’s Outstanding Student Award).

niloalcala.com

AJ Villanueva

composer

Alexander John “AJ” L. Villanueva (b. 1989) emerges as a Filipino composer and conductor embodying a passion for musical innovation and cross-cultural dialogue. Recently granted a composer residency by Ensemble Recherche in Freiburg, Germany (2021–2022; 2023–2024), Villanueva’s recognition underscores a commitment to pioneering musical expression.

His works have been performed by International groups and artists like Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble Hand Werk (Cologne, Germany), Ensemble Mosaik (Berlin, Germany), Ensemble Chambre d’Écoute (Stuttgart, Germany), Ensemble Studio C (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Hanoi New Music Ensemble (Hanoi, Vietnam), Ensemble Kyai Fatahillah (Indonesia), Coro Cantabile (Manila), Manila Chamber Singers (Manila), Metro Manila Concert Orchestra (Manila), and Ripieno Ensemble (Manila).

In 2024, he was appointed lecturer of composition in the School of Church Music in Singapore Bible College. He is also a Ph.D. candidate from the University of the Philippines College of Music where he researches on Filipino identity in new compositions.

composers21.com/compdocs/villanuevaaj

Nicanor Abelardo

composer

Nicanor Abelardo (1893–1934) was a groundbreaking Filipino composer, pianist, and educator born on February 7, 1893, in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. The son of a photographer and a church singer, Abelardo’s musical talents were evident from a young age. By age 5 he had mastered solfeggio and the bandurria, and by 6, he could play the William Tell Overture on guitar. At 8, he composed his first waltz, Ang Unang Buko.

Abelardo began his teaching career in music at 15 and worked as a pianist in Manila’s pubs and theaters before studying at the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music. There, he won first prize for the university hymn “U.P. Beloved” and later became head of the composition department. Further studies at the Chicago Musical College enhanced his expertise.

Abelardo was instrumental in elevating the kundiman to an art form and composed over 140 works, including notable pieces such as Nasaan Ka Irog?, Kundiman ng Luha, Mutya ng Pasig, and Bituing Marikit. Despite his untimely death at 41, Abelardo’s influence endures, commemorated by the main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the University of the Philippines College of Music, both named in his honor.

Notes

PANORAMAS is a project born from my experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and my journey to reconnect with my Filipino heritage. In May 2020, as the world was shut down, I faced the loss of my dog and, shortly after, my father. My final conversation with him was a reminder to stay connected to my roots and be proud of my Filipino identity. This moment led me to embark on a four-year project that has reignited my purpose as a musician. Through this album, I am grateful to contribute and breathe life to these works that celebrate various genres and styles of Philippine music.

— Norman Menzales

As I started my journey in researching and exploring classical music of the Philippines, Nicanor Abelardo was a name that repeatedly stood out. Abelardo, a trailblazing Filipino composer known for his Kundiman songs, displayed exceptional musical talent from an early age. Despite his personal struggles, his contributions to Philippine music are immortalized through national landmarks like the Cultural Center of the Philippines. During his one year at the Chicago Musical College, he was influenced by the musical innovations of the Second Viennese School and other post-romantic composers of Europe. Panoramas (1931/1932) combines these styles with Filipino folk songs to capture a day in a Filipino’s life.

— Norman Menzales

Growing up as first-generation Filipino-American, music has always been a part of my life. Ask all my Titas and Titos about it. They would tell you! Many Filipino parties include singing Karaoke and dancing to anything with a good beat. It seemed fortuitous that I had the pleasure of working with Nilo Alcala. Working on this recording gave me courage to reach out and meet living Philippine composers. Initially, I had hoped Nilo would write a work more celebratory in nature. Imagine my surprise when he wrote DABDA, a poignant exploration of the stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance — as introduced by the famous Swiss-American psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. This piece for flute and piano is Alcala’s musical response to his own experiences with loss. It is a reminder of my father, the reason I decided to create this album.

— Norman Menzales

Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, inclusivity has always been important to me and is reflected in the variety of musical styles in this album. Alexander John (AJ) Villanueva embodies a passion for musical innovation and cross-cultural dialogue. Dala-dalangin (Bringing Prayers) is a piece for flute and soprano written in 2013 with text written by Ara Foronda. It describes one’s anxiety and uncertainty over the future. The expressive nature of the soprano’s text and melody, combined with chimes and woodblock, allows the flute to interact and weave its timbral colors using extended techniques.

— Norman Menzales

Dala-dalangin (Bringing Prayers)
Tuwing humihinto sa pagninilay
Upang harapin ang bukang liwayway
Na maaaring puno ng kasiglaha’t paghuhumiyaw
Sa mga pagkakataong labis ang di kasiguraduhan
Para sa mga pagasang nanlulupaypay
Huwag matakot na magmuling umantabay
Isambit ng magmuli ang laging pinaglalamayan
Tuklapin muli ang sugat ng kasiguraduhan
Ibulong sa hanging umuulyaw
Ang mga kathaing pilit humahandusay
Sa kaguluhan ng isipang pinapamuhay
Gawing kasiguraduhan ang di kasiguraduhan

EN
Whenever stopping to meditate
To face the dawn
Which can be full of enthusiasm and excitement
In times of great uncertainty
For those who feel depressed
Don’t be afraid to hang around again
It’s always a bit of a reminiscence
Peel back the wound of certainty
Whisper in the howling wind
Those who are trying to lie down
In the chaos of the mind that lives
Turn uncertainty into certainty

Guitarist and composer Sungmin Shin and I first met at the Eastman School of Music as graduate students. Over the years, we have maintained our friendship and enjoy performing together when our schedules allow. As I considered collaborations for this album, I knew I wanted to have Sung write something after performing together in Great Falls, Montana. Pinoy Reverie reflects his experience in Montana combined with OPM (Original Pinoy Music) from three, stylistically different songs — Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal (sung by Celeste Legaspi), Anak (sung and written by Freddie Aguilar) and MaPa (sung by SB19) — celebrating love. All three works showcase love in several forms — love for a significant other, love for a child, and love for parents.

— Norman Menzales

The final piece is by Joed Balsamo, a well-known Filipino composer who serves on the committee for the Philippine National Commission for Culture and Arts. After multiple conversations and listening sessions of his works for various instruments, I was struck by his dramatic style of writing while incorporating Philippine folk elements. Our collaboration pushed me beyond the “normal” beauty of the flute sound and opened my mind to the future possibilities of flute music coming from the Philippines. Below are his thoughts on his Sonata, CB. 29 (MMXXIII) for flute and piano.

This sonata is partly inspired by Berlioz’s idée fixe where a single idea is treated into various transformations. For this work, I decided to build it around the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic elements of the Philippine kumintang that eventually evolved into the kundiman. Thus, the treatment of the sonata-allegro form is more liberal.

There is a treasure trove of works from the Philippines and I hope that this album will lead to an interest in our music. Hopefully, this album is just the beginning.

— Norman Menzales

First, thank you to my Dad, family, and culture for giving me the inspiration to do this album. This experience will always be a reminder of who I am as a Filipino and the odd yet satisfying directions life has taken me.

Thank you to all the musicians and composers for your time and effort in sharing your artistry. I will cherish all the joyful memories we had making this recording together.

Thank you to all the donors, supporters, and grants that made this financially possible, especially the Montana Arts Council, Paul R. Judy (Eastman School of Music), and the Zeller Foundation.

Thank you to the University at Buffalo Department of Music administrative staff for facilitating the recording sessions in the Lippes Concert Hall (Slee Hall) as well as rehearsal spaces in Baird Hall. Special thank yous to UB’s Director of Music Technology, Christopher Jacobs, for running and engineering the sessions smoothly and Piano Technician, Devin Zimmer, for keeping UB’s Bösendorfer Concert Grand 280VC in top shape, which was used on this recording.

And finally, thank YOU, the listener, for taking time to listen to this album. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

— Norman Menzales