Manila, Philippines

While on a sabbatical from my teaching responsibilities at MidAmerica Nazarene University in 1994, it was my privilege to spend a semester teaching at a denominational graduate seminary in Manila. Although located in the Philippines, the seminary serves the entire Asia-Pacific region and consequently has students from many cultural backgrounds. My assignment was to teach two classes in church music, one class in ethnomusicology, and to organize a choir. When the Dean of the seminary first contacted me, he mentioned that most of the churches around Manila used American music in English and that he would like for me to help the Philippine students develop their own hymnody in an indigenous style and language. This immediately captured my interest.
In one of the church music classes I gave an assignment for them to write hymns with original text and music, the results were fascinating. I had given no guidelines or restrictions—only that the music should be in an indigenous style to which the people could relate. With only one exception, the hymns were in minor keys—a manifestation of the Spanish influence which has become such an important aspect of Filipino culture.

Here is a hymn by a student from the southern Philippines. Many of the songs composed by the students were sung in chapel and the response was very positive.

Philippine scenery and instruments.

During my time in the Philippines I was also able to take lessons at the University of the Philippines. These lessons were part of their Workshop on Traditional Philippine Musical Instruments and included a variety of bamboo and gong instruments, some of which are included in this video. I was able to purchase many of these instruments for use with my students at MNU.