Tag: arts

Aria’s 2014 Art Roundup

Last year was indeed a milestone year for my daughter. I could never been any happier with her biggest achievement–being behaved inside a closed theater venue!

My husband and I try to make every experience as enjoyable and educational as possible. She definitely enjoys traveling, something she got from her parents, definitely, who used to be part of active touring choral groups. She calls every trip outside a “field trip,” and since that’s the peg of every trip outside, we make them homeschooling opportunities.

We make sure to choose activities that will introduce her to the seven arts. Luckily, we live in a place surrounded by theaters, museums, and other places of arts. Likewise, this blog has taken me and my daughter to different events we both have enjoyed and learned from. She loves listening and making music, so no wonder we take her to concerts of various musical forms.

Here’s a roundup of art-related activities we have done the past year.

 

January

We took her to her first orchestral concert– that of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in an outdoor venue–Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium. That concert was a tie-up with the Far Easter University and I blogged about it here. We also chanced upon the Chang Kai Shek Youth Choir at the SM Aura for the Chinese New Year celebrations on the last day of this month.

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February

Aria got a taste of some jazz music through the Euro-Pinoy Jazz concerts at the Maestranza Park in Intramuros. We also asked our cousin, Joy of iBake to make a cake decorating activity for Aria, who loves doing art works. We also passed by a Marian exhibit at the Mall of Asia organized by Radyo Veritas. They do this at least twice a year.

Aria was THAT small exactly last year? I cannot believe my eyes!
Aria was THAT small exactly last year? I cannot believe my eyes! With my cousin Joy.

March

Not much activity this month, but we caught the PPO again at the CCP for the Children’s Concert.

 

April

We spent Easter Sunday at Movie Stars Cafe (click here to know how to get a 10% discount when you visit!) and Beauty and the Beast was showing! Good thing because this prepared her for the musical which she was able to watch last January. This month was also a milestone for her–her first full orchestral concert inside the CCP Main Theater! She also watched Mommy conduct her Children’s Choir for the Madz et al concert.

 

One of our staunch supporters, Mons Bobby, who happily posed with us after the concert. Thank you, Mons, for supporting these kids as much as we do!

May

We supported Daddy and Leana, my niece, who performed in a concert of Ryan Cayabyab’s songs. She also watched Mommy and her choir again in San Sebastian Basilica for the Musica Sacra Festival.

She was on that phase of not wanting to have her photos taken, but she's past that now.
She was on that phase of not wanting to have her photos taken, but she’s past that now.

 

June

Aria was brought by Daddy for the culminating concert of the Madz’ 50th Anniversary. We caught the PPO as wellat the CCP and chanced upon a cool exhibit in the gallery outside the Little Theater.

 

July

Some friends from the classical music world, Ervin Lumauag, Krystl Buesa, and Alejandro Consolacion had a recital-concert at the Rizal Park. No rain stopped this concert of theirs. Then we also watched the concert of the famed Time Ensemble at the PICC Meeting Room. An intimate concert featuring varied repertoire. I was surprised Aria sat and listened well to each song, she was even dancing along the front act performers, the Voce Fich.

 

August

We went to two kids’ expositions, or expos– first was the Smartkids Asia expo where my blog won an award. Another is the Toy Expo of Toy Kingdom. Both events were held at the SMX Convention Center. Seeing new toys and stuff for kids is just a delight for the family.

 

Best Blog award went to Touringkitty!
Best Blog award went to Touringkitty!

September

I had the privilege of performing as woodsprite in the UP-produced Rusalka, an opera by Antonin Dvorak. According to my family, Aria was cheering from her seat every time I appear on stage. Thank God for daughters! Aria also attended the Manila International Book Fair, where we also sang for a book launch. Once again, there was a Marian exhibit called Mary and the Popes at SM Mall of Asia. We also visited Exploreum at MOA for the first time.

A blurry photo of the woodsprite, Aria, and Rusalka.
A blurry photo of the woodsprite, Aria, and Rusalka.

 

October

October was a busy month for Mommy, so Aria had the chance to tag along Mommy everywhere! First was in a choral conducting recital in a church in faraway Quezon City. She was well behaved throughout the recital! Proud of my little girl. Also, I took her to the culminating activity of the CCP Hands-on Choral Workshop, where members and alumni of the Philippine Madrigal Singers served as conductors. Through this blog, I also got to bring her to Kids Workshop in Greenhills, San Juan City, a great place for kids to play, learn, and have fun. They intersperse storytelling and art activities while kids play in their big play area.

 

November

November was jampacked with activities for this blog. We watched the fashion show and launch of P.S. from Aeropostale. We also watched the Dancing Lights at Ayala Triangle and the concert of the PPO and the Ateneo Chamber Singers at Salcedo Park, both in Makati.

CIMG0142
Trying out the catwalk herself, before the show. Her DJ cousins at the back.

 

December

This month was a month of firsts for my little one. It was her first time to perform in public officially. First in the Christmas Party in Mathemagis, a Singapore Maths program she is enrolled in. Apparently, she volunteered herself to sing for the party. Then she also sang and danced as Youth animator at our church on Christmas Day. Went back to Movie Stars Cafe for their Frozen show. We were also fortunate to watch Cinderella by Ballet Philippines and the Madz’ Christmas concert.

 

With my Frozen fanatic.
With my Frozen fanatic.

February is National Arts Month. It is also the Month of Hearts. It is never too early or too late to introduce arts to everyone. As the Cultural Center of the Philippines puts it, “O ‘di ba, mas maganda kung may arts sa buhay mo?” (Isn’t is more beautiful if you have arts in your life?).

Art in the Heart Touringkitty
Art is in our hearts! Art by Touringkitty, made using Canva (www.canva.com).

 

Happy heARTS Month!

 

~ Touringkitty

 

 

CCP PASINAYA: A One-day Arts Fiesta

CCP Pasinaya goes ASEAN!
CCP Pasinaya goes ASEAN!

For the past eleven years, the Cultural Center of the Philippines opened its doors for one whole day in this annual festival of arts.

I have been in all sides of this festival — first as performer with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, as a production staff for two festivals when I was working for the center, and now as spectator and supporter of this wonderful activity.

For arts enthusiasts, we can only wish this would not just be one day. With so many things to watch and so many activities happening simultaneously, one cannot watch everything in one day! For families, this has been a great bonding activity for them to celebrate the arts. For the performers, I am sure they are as excited as us to present their craft. And for its production, my friends in the field of cultural work, they have tirelessly prepared for this. Logistically impossible as it may seem, they have successfully carried out this gargantuan task of bringing together this once-a-year remarkable event.

Some information are made available here. Tune in the CCP’s website, Facebook, and Twitter for more details in the coming days.

Pasinaya: CCP Open House Festival. Biggest multi-arts festival in the country. Pay what you can, see all you can. Dance, theater, music, literature, film, visual arts.

Performances, workshops, arts market, museum visits, food booths, arts and crafts market, photo competition, discounted tickets to selected CCP shows for the whole year, international and local performers. Makes the CCP the happiest place on earth on that day.

February 15. 7am to 7pm. SAVE THE DATE! Pre-register online by visiting this link: http://pasinaya.culturalcenter.gov.ph/.

Details will soon be out at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Facebook page, Twitter @ccp_gov and CCP website, www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

‪#‎Pasinaya2015‬ ‪#‎PasinayaGoesASEAN‬

PRESS RELEASE: 2nd CCP and ASEAN Arts Market

ccp arts market
CCP Arts Market is your one-stop shop for networking in the arts.

Come and catch a multi-cultural flare of Performing Arts at this one-day arts market. 

Get to know and interact with the top performing groups in the Philippines and neighboring ASEAN countries – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia and Lao PDR at the 2nd CCP and ASEAN Arts Market which will be held on February 14, 2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The event will offer opportunities for networking, showcasing of performance samplers and business matching of performances and other programs of arts organizations and agencies in the Philippines.

Show programmers, organizers and arts enthusiasts are welcome to attend.

Hurry and reserve your slots. For further inquiries, please call 8321125 loc. 1710 or  email culturalmanagementdivision (at) gmail (dot) com.