Every year, we conduct a FILSCAP Songwriting Camp for our members to allow them to develop and enhance their songwriting skills with guidance and assistance from well-known composer-mentors and arrangers. Last August 21 - 23, 2019, we launched our fourth one at Hacienda Isabela, Indang Cavite.
Compared to previous years, which accompanied ten campers per mentor, this year’s teams composed of five campers each. This gave the five mentors — Jimmy Antiporda, Ito Rapadas, Barbie Almalbis, Top Suzara, and Quest — more time to guide each camper throughout the songwriting process. Each group was also assigned an arranger — Marlon Barnuevo, Roy del Valle, Paulo Zarate, Ivan Lee Espinosa, and Gino Cruz — who worked on each of the campers’ instrumentals for their respective demos.
The campers were given the task to write a song with two surprise words: one word would be the title of the song, the other would be a key word that they would need to include within the song’s lyrics. Unlike what most would expect, the surprise words helped them to focus on what kind of song they would write. The end products were performed on the final day, where everyone in the camp enjoyed listening to everyone’s outputs.
Is it challenging to be a camper? Watch their experiences below!
CAMP BANDILA
MENTOR
Jimmy Antiporda
ARRANGER
Marlon Barnuevo
CAMPERS
Benedict Sy, Noli Austria, Jo.e, Chris Sta. Romana, Max Javelino
CAMP ASSISTANT
Rodel Buban
CAMP TULOY
MENTOR
Ito Rapadas
ARRANGER
Roy Del Valle
CAMPERS
Gala Sanchez, Tiara Shaye, Terence Bon, Pau Ortiz, Hazel Faith
CAMP ASSISTANT
Roel Rostata
CAMP TIGRE
MENTOR
Barbie Almalbis
ARRANGER
Paulo Zarate
CAMPERS
Jec Panotes, Athena Antiporda, Juan Miguel Severo, Chud Festejo, Julie Samonte
CAMP ASSISTANT
Virtus Lenon
CAMP THIS TIME
MENTOR
Top Suzara
ARRANGER
Ivan Lee Espinosa
CAMPERS
Jopper Ril, Khitz Contemplacion, Jeremy Alex Salva, Allie Viray, CJ Bundang
CAMP ASSISTANT
Enzo Villegas
CAMP SIGE LANG
MENTOR
Quest
ARRANGER
Gino Cruz
CAMPERS
Blessie Azul, Richard Uds Udaundo, Annalyn Aquino, Jan Carlo Aningat, Issa Rodriguez
CAMP ASSISTANT
Jam Ruiz
Aside from the mentors, the camp also had a few key speakers present. Trina Belamide shared her tips on how to approach songwriting in "Components of a Winning Lyric.” Jungee Marcelo also shared his tips on writing out pop melodies. Mike Villegas also taught the campers how to analyze music with the Harmonized Major Scale as a guide.
Lastly, our FILSCAP president, Rico Blanco, gave a talk about “Songwriter’s Attitude.” He personally visited the five camps to share some songwriting advice to the campers.
