House of Gongs will launch the inaugural Uni at Ugat Music Camp, a unique 3-day music camp dedicated to Filipinx/o/a artists and community members from July 19-21, 2024, at Naturebridge Camp in Sausalito, California.
The camp aims to inspire participants to integrate Filipino gongs and Indigenous instrumentation into their music. Filipinx refers to a person of Philippine origin or descent, especially one living in the United States (used to indicate gender-neutrality in place of Filipino or Filipina ).
Derived from the Maguindanao and Tagalog terms meaning “Sounds and Roots,” Uni at Ugat Music Camp offers a rare opportunity for 17 selected mentees to learn from 18 mentors, including Master artists from the Philippines and renowned Filipinx/o/a music industry experts from Broadway, Hollywood, and major music production outfits. Participants will gain hands-on experience with Indigenous instruments and music production techniques, fostering a deep connection with their culture.
“One issue that inspired our organization to incorporate art as a tool to transform and express culture is witnessing first-hand the challenges that Filipinx/o/a in the US face in regards to their cultural identity and mental well-being,” said Lydia Querian, co-founder of House of Gongs. “Our music camp aims to change that narrative by creating a space for them to access lost rooted art forms, embrace them, and use them in their own creative experiences.”
Throughout the camp, mentees will engage in workshops on Filipino Indigenous and traditional music, instrumentation, chants, and music production. Each day will culminate in an end-of-day jam session, providing a collaborative and immersive environment for creativity.
The selected final produced works will be recorded, published on streaming platforms, and showcased at Gongster’s Paradise 2025, North America’s only kulintang festival.
Master Artists from the Philippines include Farid Guinomla (Laya) – Maguindanaoan Music;
Sata Abdullah (Ilod) – Maguindanaoan Music; Joel Ganlal – T’boli Music; Jenny Bawer – Kalinga Music / Chanting; Datu Waway Saway – Talaandig Chanting, Music; Balugto Necosia – Talaandig Music, Percussion, and Instrument Making.
Industry Mentors include Angelo “Lasi” Macaraeg – Multi-Instrumentalist and Music Producer, Balikbayans/Bolo; Nathan Matthew David – Hollywood Film Score Producer; Alex Punzalan – R&B Music Composer/Producer, Musical Producer; Ruby Ibarra – Spoken Word Artist; and, Maluhia Castillo – Filipinx-Hawaiian Multi-Instrumentalist and Cultural Leader.
Assisting Mentors are Hannah Rebadulla – Cultural Practitioner; Conrad Benedicto – Kulintang Practitioner, Kulintang Dialect; Patricia Ong – Cultural Practitioner, Dance Artist; Jinji Sayson – Kulintang Practitioner, Percussionist; and, Gean Almendras – Music Instructor, Academe, Multi-instrumentalist.
House of Gongs
Founded by cultural artists Lydia Querian (aka ellekarayan) and Ron Querian (aka kulintronica), House of Gongs is a grassroots movement dedicated to cultivating a Filipino diasporic community that honors tradition and fosters innovation in music and arts. By encouraging artists to integrate Indigenous knowledge into their creative expressions, House of Gongs aims to bridge cultural gaps and support personal growth.
House of Gongs’ core program, Gongster’s Paradise, is a biennial festival that showcases the evolution of Kulintang music from traditional forms to modern interpretations. The organization operates in California and Hawaii and is fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco.
Learn more by visiting their website www.houseofgongs.com, IG/FB: @houseofgongs, or email them at thehouseofgongs@gmail.com.
