Adjusting to the new online setup has been a struggle for everyone, having to abruptly and quickly learn their way around unfamiliar territory. Undoubtedly, those in the performing industry are among the many who have been trying to adapt, and the Philippine Suzuki Youth Orchestra (PSYO) is no exception.

What started out as maestro Herrick Ortiz’s “longtime dream” for a community orchestra soon became this string orchestra composed of roughly 25 members. The group was formally organized in mid-2019 and has been playing under his baton ever since.

The age demographic of the players is varied, having members as young as 11, up to college students and even graduates. When asked what this age range brought to the table, concertmaster Sophia Bantilan, 17, said that it helps in developing social skills with people of all ages, especially in the context of chamber music. “We’re all on an equal level, no matter how early you started learning your instrument,” she says.

Online orchestra

For the last eight months, PSYO has been holding rehearsals over Zoom.

“It’s quite challenging, but I guess it’s better than nothing,” says Ortiz. He and Bantilan agree that the online setting makes rehearsals virtually impossible.

Prior to the quarantine, the musicians would come together every week to practice, and that there was no need to think about moving to an online platform. He admits difficulty in keeping the members motivated to practice their pieces, especially as most of the active members are students. However, he still pushes them to practice and constantly hone their musical skills.

During the early stages of the lockdown, PSYO produced an online recital series titled “QuaranTunes.” The recitals ran for two months, with a new installment every Saturday.

Each recital even had its own themes, such as pieces from the classical and 21st-century eras. They even covered more contemporary themes, such as Broadway and OPM. The musicians agreed that it was refreshing to tackle different areas of music from their usual repertoire and that they were able to bond while working together over the course of eight weeks.

Ortiz says that this project really pushed the members to practice and that he saw notable improvements in both their performances and video editing. “Nagkaroon ng positive impact,” he says with a smile.

As the musicians are now in their respective online learning environments, they’ve put a hold on their weekly rehearsals and “QuaranTunes” series, but are working asynchronously to release some Christmas carols in time for the holiday season.

Ortiz says that music nourishes the soul and satisfies one’s hunger for creativity. As musicians, they yearn for creativity, and it is in bleak times such as now that they need to look for alternatives to keep their passion for their craft burning.

As for Bantilan, she believes that talent, music-related or not, needs to be shared with others. “When I first started learning music, it was a very lonely experience,” she says, “it was just me and the instrument. Over quarantine, I learned that art isn’t an individual process. If anything, art is more beautiful when it’s done with other people, for other people.” —CONTRIBUTED INQ

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