INT'L MUSIC CHAMPIONSHIP. Bacoor City's very own City of Bacoor Youth Composite Band belts out its best performance as they compete for the finals in the marching show band category at the SM Moa Arena on Sunday (June 24, 2018). Host city Bacoor, dubbed as the "Marching Band Capital of the Philippines", brings the first ever International Music Championship to the Philippines from June 22 to 24, in partnership with Winter Guard International (WGI) and and Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC). (Photo by Gladys S. Pino/PNA)
BACOOR CITY, Cavite – Participating Philippine marching bands took home their fair share of victory in both the Winter Guard International (WGI) and Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC) Divisions as the 3-day international musical band competition hosted by this city officially closed Sunday.
City mayor Lani Mercado Revilla, during the awarding rites, expressed awe and appreciation for the talent and skills of all the 11 international and 23 local participating groups.
The 3-day bands competition held in three venues in the cities of Manila, Bacoor and Pasay, has achieved its purpose to serve as inspiration for local marching bands to level up their performances, added Revilla.
In the WGI Divisions, the 4th Raiders Color Guard from Paraǹaque National High School was adjudged 1st in the Color Guard (Scholastic Open) category, with international groups St John’s Institutional Naval Cadets and Cinderella Corps placing 2nd and 3rd respectively.
More local bands that landed 2nd or 3rd in the WGI Divisions include Sandugo Guardline and Sinag Color Guard-SICOGU (3rd and 2nd in Color Guard – Independent Open), the Dragons of the Cabiao Youth Concert Band 88 (2nd place, Winds independent Open), Paraǹaque Elementary School Central and Gonzales Ascutia National High School (3rd and 2nd place in Percussion Scholastic Open), while Baclaran Elementary School Unit 1 and Lahing Kayumanggi Perscussion Ensemble (by mDLC) placed 3rd and 2nd respectively in the Percussion (Independent Open).
International bands Taipei Yuehfu Drum and Bugle Corps, Marching Band Listya Dwijaswara and Jember Marching Band landed romped off with first places in the Color Guard (Independent Open), Winds (Independent Open) and Percussion (Scholastic Open), and Percussion (Independent Open), respectively while Marching Band Projo taman Sari placed 3rd in the winds (independent open) category.
In the AMBC divisions, special awards for the street parade (open class) were given to local bands the Dragons of the Cabiao Youth Concert Band 88 (best majorette), San Lorenzo Ruiz Band 2003 Inc (best color guard), Citizens Brigade Band of Dasmariñas (best uniform), while international groups St. John’s institution Naval Cadet Band (SJINCB) and Sarabun Brass Theater by Sarawittaya were awarded the best band major and best music, respectively.
Local bands also dominated the special awards for marching show band (open class) category where the Dragons of the Cabiao Youth Concert Band won the ‘Best Majorette’ award and Banda San Jose with the "Best Visual" award.
Bacoor’s very own Youth Composite Band also brought home the bacon for the best color guard, best winds, best percussion and best music special awards.
For the brassline (open class) battle, Band ’96 Cabiao placed 2nd runner-up, with Citizen’s Brigade Band of Dasmariñas landing 1st runner-up and international group Sarabun Brass Theater by Sarawittaya emerging as champion.
International group Big Shell Drumline emerged as champion in the drumline battle (open class), with local drumline groups FEU, Sandugo and KERDLC landing 1st, 2nd and 3rd runner up, respectively.
In the street parade (open class), Band 96 Cabiao, Citizens Brigade Band of Dasmariǹas , Banda San Jose landed 3rd, 2nd and 1st runner up, with Sarabun Brass Theater by Sarawittaya as champion.
For the marching show band (open class), Citizens Brigade Band of Dasmariñas emerged as champion, with the City of Bacoor Youth Composite Band as 1st runner up, Band 96 Cabiao as 2nd runner up and Banda San Jose as 3rd runner up.
Special awards, given to over-all high score earners include the Mayor Joseph Estrada Trophy (over-all high score in the WGI Local ) won by Sinag Color Guards – SICOGU; Congressman Strike Revilla Trophy (over-all high score in WGI International) and given to Taipei Yuehfu Drum and Bugle Corps and Jember Marching Band, and lastly the Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla Trophy (overall high score marching show band and street parade) to Citizen’s Brigade Band of Dasmariǹas.
Host city Bacoor, dubbed as the ‘Marching band capital of the Philippines,’ has partnered with Winter Guard International (WGI), a non-profit organization considered as the world’s premier organization producing indoor color guard, percussion, and winds competition; and Asian Marching Band Confederation (AMBC), the ‘marching arts power of Asia,’ a non-profit organization established to assist in the development of Music and Marching Band Arts in the region, to bring the competition to the Philippines in the hope to cultivate a new level of cultural awareness and an appreciation for the arts of our young Filipinos.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, as special guest during the closing event, congratulated the City Government of Bacoor for successfully mounting the first of such an international event in the country. (PNA)
