Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival, the annual contemporary international music festival, the longest standing and most sustainable of its kind in the Philippines, welcomes 2017 with a strengthened and more solidified purpose. Malasimbo is produced by Volume Unit Entertainment (VUE) and hosted by D’Aboville Foundation. Coming off with a 5,000-audience turnout last year, Malasimbo stages its seventh edition back at the picturesque Malasimbo Amphitheatre in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. The festival will run from March 10 to 12, 2017, featuring a packed lineup of events and artists.
The best in local and international music
Offering an authentic experience with Mother Nature as the backdrop since 2011, Malasimbo has witnessed some of the biggest gatherings of the world’s musical greats. It has assembled artists from different genres—from jazz, soul, roots, and reggae, to dance music contemporaries, such as Roy Ayers, Jimmy Cliff, Joss Stone, José González, Ky-mani Marley, Fred Wesley, Omar, Osunlade, Mad Professor, Goldie, DJ Krush, Quincy Jones presents Jacob Collier, and many more. The festival has also been a record label platform aimed at discovering and developing local soul jazz and electronic music.
Malasimbo’s live performances will feature Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and Quincy Jones’ protégé Alfredo Rodriguez, Australian soul jazz performer Jordan Rakei, and the outstanding Canadian electronic music artist Tennyson as the biggest acts. Some of the local artists and ensembles set to perform include Apartel, Jeck Pilpil & Peacepipe, Brass Pas Pas Pas Pas, Similar Objects, crwn, Curtismith, RH Xanders, sKarm, Moophs, and Microphone Mechanics. The event will feature silent disco, where music is transmitted via headphones. Participants can choose among three competing DJs and dance to their music of their choice. International and local DJs include Lefto, Kristian Hernandez, Br3aking Silence, The Diegos, Mark Zero, Manolet Dario, and many more. Malasimbo will hold a preview of the Silent Disco at the 10 Days of Art Celebration of Art Fair Philippines” on February 18, at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City. Four DJs will compete at the event, with the winner set to perform at Malasimbo.
The finest in visual arts
A big part of the Malasimbo Magic is brought by the art installations around the venue, and the colorful lighting at night that will transform the venue into a tropical wonderland. Malasimbo has staged the artworks of 60 contemporary Filipino and international artists in the past six years, adorning the foothills with a trademark look. Every year, new artists join the Malasimbo resident artists by bringing in fresh works. The works vary in materials, shapes and sizes but all resonate with the festival’s creative energy and love for nature. Malasimbo 2017 will proudly continue to host the iconic works of Agnes Arellano, Wawi Navarroza, Ling Quisumbing Ramilo, and Olivia d’Aboville, which have been part of the Malasimbo landscape for several years. Resident artists Alwin Reamillo, Denis Lagdameo, Leeroy New, Russ Ligtas, Agus Loedin, Troy Silvestre, Hiyas Bagabaldo, Dondi and Grace Katigbak, Henri Lamy, Jinggoy Buensuceso, Raphael David and Hohana will be back with new installations. Watch out for new additions to the sculpture garden by Lena Cobangbang, Cristina Escario, Keith Ann Garcia, and group Venus Mar, Expi Perez, and Raha Rodriguez.
Heightened efforts to promote tourism and culture Malasimbo continues to highlight its cause of boosting tourism in the Mindoro area. Philippine tourism has witnessed tremendous growth since 2012 and is the new sunshine industry. It is a key priority to the national government, which has since developed effective tourism marketing and branding, namely through the “More Fun in the Philippines” campaign. Malasimbo has partnered with the Department of Tourism since its debut in 2011. It is endorsed by the DOT as a catalyst for the advancement of the country’s culture and arts, and was chosen to be one of the 15 key events that are featured in the DOT’s “Visit the Philippines Year 2015” national campaign.
Every ticket sold Malasimbo and d’aboville Foundation will plant a mangrove seedling. Apart from promoting and caring for Mindoro’s natural sights, Malasimbo holds a conscientious regard for eco-cultural tourism promotion and development in Mindoro. The d’Aboville Foundation will continue its community program in honor of the island’s indigenous Mangyans, such as workshops on Mangyan language and their handcrafted beaded jewelry, fabrics, and baskets. Workshops will be led by prominent leaders in environmental protection and sustainability including past Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection, Neric Acosta and Founder and Executive Director of Liter of Light, Illac Diaz. Malasimbo and the d’Aboville Foundation are currently raising funds for the Liter of Light workshop, which will be a solar lamp build-and-donate activity geared to help light a Mangyan home. For P1,000, you can purchase a lamp kit online and through bank deposit.
For more information, please log on to dabovillefoundation.org/2017/02/02/build-and-donate-with-liter-of-light-at-the-malasimbo-festival/.
