TWO ARTLETS made their mark in this year’s Tunog Tomasino after their band Csig won second place on Friday, Nov. 28.
They are set to take the Paskuhan stage on Dec. 19, joining this year’s grand concert lineup alongside fellow Tunog Tomasino winners Golf and Sunsets, and Opmium.
By performing protest-driven OPM classics such as, “Upuan,” “Tatsulok,” “Kapangyarihan,” and “Walang Natira,” Csig showcased the social awareness often associated with AB students and affirmed their belief that music carries messages meant to be questioned and confronted.
“Music is more than just the melodies you hear and love — it’s the messages that each artist wants to get across to the audience.” Angelo Arda, a Philosophy junior and Csig’s vocalist, told The Flame.
“Sinabi ko nga, intindihin nila ang mensahe na hinanda namin. Kung galit sila, sumabay sila sa pagkanta. Kung hindi sila galit, mag-isip sila kung bakit hindi,” he added.
(As I said, we want them to understand the message we prepared. If they feel anger, they should sing along. If they are not angry, they should think why they are not.)
Along with Arda, Csig is composed of junior Faculty of Pharmacy students Precious Gene Serna, Rhianna Callista Panganiban, Elias Miguel Rufino and Johannez April Matitu; Jericho Castillo from the Conservatory of Music; and Devyn Gomez from the Faculty of Arts and Letters.
Arda described the experience of performing with the group as surreal.
“It’s been a dream of mine since before I got into UST, and honestly, it felt like time was running out and I wouldn’t be able to make it to Paskuhan,” said Arda.
The top spot went to Golf and Sunsets, a five-member group composed of Simeon Morales from the College of Information and Computing Sciences, Aaron Perez from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Noe De Asis from the Faculty of Engineering and Justin Balan from the Conservatory of Music.
“The blessings that came to Golf and Sunsets were really sudden. We’ve also put in so much hard work and made many sacrifices, so to see it all pay off and get the result we hoped for makes us incredibly happy,” Perez, the group’s vocalist, said.
The band had to audition twice due to scheduling conflicts, but their passion for music — and the support of the Thomasian community — helped them push through.
“It was our first time auditioning… our passion for music really pushed us, along with the efforts of our bandmates, and the pressure that comes with time being third-year students heading into a busy fourth year”, Perez added.
For Golf and Sunsets, performing at Paskuhan was a long-awaited milestone and their experience reflects how the university’s support and perseverance can nurture the next generation of campus artists.
“Paskuhan is truly a major event, and it has always been an unspoken wish of our band. This is a dream come true… For Thomasian artists out there, it really boils down to how well an institution can support its student performers,” said Perez.
Opmium composed of Noah Sebastian dela Cruz, Lanz Jeremy Santos, Chelsey Mikylla David and Sebastian Gabriel Holgado from the Faculty of Engineering, and Riccy Claire Belmonte from the AMV College of Accountancy bagged third place.
Six student bands from across the University joined this year’s Tunog Tomasino, a pre-Paskuhan event that showcased original compositions and reimagined performances.
The annual event serves as a platform for UST students to explore their musical talents and share socially relevant messages through music. — F
