INT'L MUSICAL TILT. Sarawitthaya Marching Band of Bangkok, Thailand shows off its skills, talents and rhythmic performance while joining the Street Parade with 32 other competing bands along Gen. Evangelista Street in Bacoor City proper, during the Bacoor International Musical Band Championship 2018 in celebration of the 6th Cityhood Anniversary on Saturday (June 23, 2018). (Photo by Dennis Abrina/PNA)
BACOOR CITY, Cavite - City folks and tourists were agog as they witnessed the parade of competing contingents in the first-ever Bacoor City International Musical Band Championships 2018 along Gen. Evangelista Street here on Saturday.
The parade of 33 international and local marching bands was a fiesta-like musical revelry stretching from Evangelista Street in Barangay Mabolo to Barangay Maliksi as they showcase their unique band rhythmic sounds and style to the thrilled crowd.
As early as 8 a.m., around 11 international entries from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong displayed their entries such as Big Shell Drumline, Sarabun Brass Theater by Sarawittaya, Taipei Yuehfu Drum and Bugle Corps;
St. John’s Institution Naval Cadet, Marching Band Listya Dwijaswara, Jember Marching Band, Marching Band Projo Taman Sari, MB Citra Derap Yogyakarta State University, Cinderella Tulungagung, Vanguard Pegasus Marching Band and the Dream Drumline.
Also crowd drawers during the event were 23 local marching band entries, which also take pride in representing the Philippines, like the City of Bacoor Youth Composite Band, Citizen’s Brigade Band of Dasmariñas, The Dragons of the Cabiao Youth Concert Band 88, Band 96 Cabiao, Banda Dos 2 Kabataan, Banda San Jose of Las Pinas City, FEU Drumline, Sandugo Drumline;
KERDLC Drumline, The Elite Drummers of Banda Kabyaw Inc. of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, Sandugo Guardline, Sinag Color Guards-SICOGU, United Central Color Guards, 4th Raiders Color Guards, Francisco Barzaga Memorial School Color Guards, Moonwalk Elementary School Color Guards;
Lahing Kayumanggi Percussion Ensemble, Gonzales Ascutia National High School, Crisanto Guysayco Memorial Elementary School, Parcen Elementary School Central, Sinag Percussionm, Gentri Warriors Drum and Lyre Corps and Baclaran Elementary School Unit 1.
The historic marching band competition was hosted by Bacoor City, also dubbed as “the marching band capital of the Philippines,” which has partnered with Winter Guard International (WGI) and the Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC) to bring the first ever “International Musical Band Championships 2018” here.
The kick-off rites were held at the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park in Manila on Friday and competing bands will show off their talents, skills and artistry for the three-day competition from June 22 to 24.
“The local government of Bacoor is more than proud to host the first ever WGI Philippines as it promises a new level of cultural awareness and an appreciation for the arts for our young Filipinos,” Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla said.
She expects the first marching band tilt in the country to put the Philippines on the map as a champion of the marching band arts.
Offering all three WGI tilt categories of color guard, percussion ensembles and wind groups, plus AMBC’s, Marching Show Band, Street Parade competitions, Drumline Battle and Brassline Battle, the competition boasts of an extraordinary line up of local and international marching bands with back to back performances showcasing the best of Bacoor and the rest of the Philippines.
“We promise to create an unforgettable spectacle for the Philippine marching band community as we bring them closer to their contemporaries from all over the world,” Revilla added.
The Bacoor International Music champioship is part of the observance of the 6th Cityhood Celebration of the historic city of Bacoor. (Dennis Abrina/PNA)
