Musikang Pilipino: The Development of Western Music in the Philippines & Select Contemporary Flute Works

Abstract

The Philippines is a country with a unique history and culture that blends its own native traditions with outside influences. Prior to 1521, when Spanish explorers first made contact with the archipelago, the pre-colonial times saw many different indigenous Filipino people groups with their own unique practices. Western colonization enforced Western religions, arts, and music amongst the native Filipino peoples. After almost 400 years of foreign occupation, the traditional music and cultural practices were nearly wiped out in favor of Western culture. The efforts of the Filipino people, especially from the 1910s onwards, established a culture that embraces the diversity of the people by integrating Filipino traditions and Western influences. Modern composers honor the deep and rich history of the Philippines by uplifting different aspects of the current culture and ancient traditions as shown through the works of composers such as Conrado Del Rosario, Josefino Toledo, and Eduardo Parungao. In their works for flute, these composers combine indigenous Filipino music, current Filipino culture, and traditional Filipino dance with contemporary Western flute techniques to showcase the diverse Filipino cultural identity.