22/05/2025
🎶 A City in Harmony: Capiz Hosts NAMCYA’s First-Ever National Music Camp
Roxas City, Capiz — The usually calm corners of the Archdiocese of Capiz are alive with melody as the very first NAMCYA Music Camp breaks ground in Roxas City, setting the tone for a cultural crescendo in the heart of the Philippines.
More than a gathering, this event is a movement — a spirited push to revive and strengthen the presence of music in communities through education, collaboration, and performance. Hosted by the Archdiocese of Capiz in partnership with the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Foundation, Inc. (NAMCYA) ,the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Okada Manila, Roxas City LGU, Ang Panublion Museum, SM City Roxas, and Sancta Maria Mater et Regina Seminariumand , the camp runs a dynamic program of workshops, rehearsals, and performances aimed squarely at empowering the next generation of Filipino musicians.
✨ Day 1: Music, Mission, and a Message of Unity
📍 Venue: Chapel of Sancta Maria Mater et Regina Seminarium, Roxas City
The event opened with solemnity and pride. The Capiz State University Main Campus Choral set the tone with a graceful doxology and a rousing rendition of the Philippine National Anthem. Attendees — a vibrant mix of music directors, choir members, young musicians, teachers, and parish leaders — filled the chapel with eager anticipation.
🎤 Fr. Hero Frias, Director of the Archdiocesan Commission on Music Ministry (ACMM), welcomed the participants with a powerful reminder:
“This camp aligns with our mission to let music — especially liturgical music — breathe through culture.”
🏛️ Vice Mayor Inday Teresa H. Almalbis, representing Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, delivered a heartfelt message:
“Music is the soul and luxury of Roxas City. It is both a gift and a dream.”
🎓 Meet the Masters: The Music Mentors of NAMCYA 2025
🎼 Choir Workshop:
Led by Dr. Arwin Tan, this session is tuning voices and building harmony, with both theory and choral practice at its core.
🎻 Strings Workshop:
Under the careful baton of Ms. Anna Janine Samaniego, participants explore classical and contemporary string techniques, from bowing to ensemble synergy.
🎶 Rondalla Workshop:
Ms. Mariefrance Ballester leads with passion, guiding students through the plucking traditions of Visayan folk music and beyond.
🎹 Music Education Session:
Dr. Jocelyn Guadalupe digs deep into pedagogy, helping teachers and enthusiasts sharpen their understanding of how music shapes mind with some vocal performance of some local songs.
✍️ Composition Session:
With Mr. Jude Edgard Balsamo, aspiring composers find their voice, blending structure and emotion into original works that sing with intention.
🗓️ The Pulse of the Camp: Energy, Practice, Purpose
After the opening program and welcome remarks, Fr. Hero laid down house rules — grounding the event in discipline and respect.
Then, the real magic began. Participants broke into their sessions, guided by their expert mentors. Day 1 was packed with orientation, fundamental refreshers, group and individual practices, and a teacher’s forum — all tailored to awaken and hone musical talent.
🎤 Why It Matters: Capiz as a Cultural Soundstage
Hosting this national camp is no small feat. Capiz isn’t just providing the venue — it’s offering a home for music to grow. This initiative doesn’t just teach scales and notes; it builds community, sparks collaboration, and gives youth access to a world where music isn’t just background — it’s the main event.
As the NAMCYA Music Camp unfolds, it promises to leave echoes — in hearts, halls, and hymnals — long after the last note is played.
