WHEN Ryan Cayabyab writes a song, everyone listens.
That is not an exaggeration, so it’s actually no surprise he was conferred the National Artist medal recently. If you want to know what he has achieved, just Google his name and a long long long long list of achievements will come out. From receiving this award to writing that popular song and that, Ryan Cayabyab has done it all when it comes to music. In fact, more than a National Artist, he is a National Treasure.
That is why I am so happy I can burst into one of his songs upon learning that Ryan will be given a thank you concert tonight, January 18, at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theater, BGC Arts Center. Titled Ryan, Ryan: Musikwentuhan, this is a one-night-only concert in which a slew of excellent musical performers will offer their personal tributes to the maestro’s genius and character through renditions of Ryan’s music that span various genres. The performing artists include Pilita Corrales, Celeste Legaspi, Mitch Valdes, The Company with Beth Martin, Cocoy Laurel, Rony Fortich, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, the UP Singing Ambassadors, the Festival Choir, Ben&Ben, Audie Gemora, Acapellago, Ariel Rivera, Martin Nievera and Regine Velasquez. A little birdie even told me that there will be surprise performances, as well as stories from his good friends in the industry with whom he has worked since he started.
“We wanted an intimate coming together of friends in music who are just brimming with happiness that Ryan is now National Artist for Music,” says Moy Ortiz, founding member of the popular vocal group The Company who is part of the core group that organized this tribute.
“After the success of the six-day Pinoy Playlist Music Festival at the BGC Arts Center last October, where Mr. C was our imprimatur, a little over a month later, he became National Artist for Music. It was already December but we all wanted to do this more than anything, so we started planning,” says Noel Ferrer, talent manager, writer and producer, and also a core team member in this tribute concert.
The Bonifacio Art Foundation Inc. (BAFI), a nonprofit organization that runs the BGC Arts Center, is honored to produce this tribute with its copresenter, the Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC), with special thanks to NutriAsia.
BAFI’s flagship project was the first ever successful Pinoy Playlist Music Festival (PPMF), which was curated by Ryan Cayabyab, Moy Ortiz and Noel Ferrer. The experience of PPMF 2018 was supremely inspiring that the foundation committed to making it an annual event led by the three curators. The proceeds from Ryan Ryan: Musikwentuhan will go help PPMF 2019 become another Pinoy musical watershed event of the year.
“We really wanted this tribute to have the feel of Ryan Ryan Musikahan—cozy and intimate with great music. So we came up with Ryan, Ryan Musikwentuhan because we also want stories intertwined with Ryan’s music as performed by the participating artists,” added Moy.
BGC Art Center’s Head of Content Maria Isabel Garcia summarizes the link running through the mission of the BGC Arts Center, the role of artists and this tribute:
“BAFI through the BGC Arts Center is in awe of Filipino artists—their creativity, mettle and imagination. The power they unleash all find their way in our lives in ways that do not move stock markets or bank accounts. Instead, they take sublime paths. They reshape our souls so that we can bend and ride the seasons of our lives. That is a running debt we owe our artists. Without them, we will decay long before it is time. That is why ‘Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika’ is a currency of the Filipino soul. That is why Maestro Ryan Cayabyab is a national treasure. That is why we are extremely honored to produce this tribute for him.”
Try to score some tickets (although I heard they are already sold-out but no harm in trying, ’di ba?) at all TicketWorld outlets and www.ticketworld.com.ph.