Sigma Alpha Iota

Pan Pipes Fall 2022

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20 Fall 2022 • sai-national.org Music Histy By Hannah C. Comia O ctober is Filipino-American History Month in the United States. First introduced by the Filipino American National Historical Society in 1992 and then recognized by the US Congress in 2009, the celebration of Fil-Am History in October is a commemoration of the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States. In October 1587, "Luzones Indios" arrived on a Spanish galleon in what is now Morro Bay, CA. (FANHS 2020) Now, according to findings published in 2021 by the Pew Research Center, Filipinos are the third largest group of Asian Americans, with a population of 4.2 million living in the US. As a first-generation Filipino- American, music has connected me to my heritage. Currently, I am working on kundiman, a type of traditional Filipino love song with Western compositional aesthetics. Two of its primary composers, Dr. Francisco Santiago and Nicanor Abelardo, studied in the US, learning the styles of classical music that influenced the genre. Kundiman, which has become part of the musical identity of the Philippines, has helped me navigate my own identity as a Filipino-American by bridging the gap between cultures. To celebrate this October, I have compiled a list of women musicians who have made an impact on Filipino-American history in the 20th and 21st century. I hope this can serve as a starting point to explore their work and the music of other Filipina and Filipino-American women musicians. Lea Salonga (b. 1971) Born in the capital city of Manila, Lea Salonga is a multiple-award-winning singer and actress, best known for her musical theater work. With a career spanning 40 years, Lea Salonga has been an influential Filipino woman in music. She began acting at the age of seven in e King and I, and was the first Asian to play Éponine in Les Miserables on Broadway. Since then, she has won the Oliver, the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, eatre World Award, and the Tony Award for her lead role in Miss Saigon. Salonga is also known for her singing voice as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II, for which the Walt Disney Company has named her a "Disney Legend." In addition to her theater work, she has released albums, including her 2017 album Bahaghari of traditional Filipino songs. It highlights the many different languages present in the Philippines and aims to preserve the nation's culture. Melissa Orquiza Johanna Melissa Disini Orquiza describes herself as a "musician and composer, obsessed with food, working primarily in film music and living in Los Angeles." e daughter of retired physicians who immigrated to the US during the doctor shortage in the 1970s, Orquiza decided to pursue music rather than the family business. With credits on over 100 feature films and 50 TV shows, her highlights include Frozen, Moana, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Encanto, Dune, and Spiderman: No Way Home. She is also invested in her LA community, serving as a sponsor for Education rough Music Los Angeles and supporting the Los Angeles Baroque and Filipino American Symphony Orchestra. In 2015, she was named one of the most influential Filipinas by the Foundation for Filipina Women's Network, for her speech "What Happened to the Filipino Composer?" Currently, Orquiza is working on a clarinet concerto and orchestral inspirations based on Filipino culture. Find out more about her at her website: https://www.rockinginthebachhouse.com Olivia Rodrigo (b. 2003) A household name, Olivia Rodrigo is a 19-year-old pop singer-songwriter and actress from California, born to her Wisconsin-native mother and Filipino-American father. Getting her start with the Disney channel, she worked on shows like Bizaardvark and High School Musical: e Musical: e Series. In 2021, she released her first single driver's license, which broke a wave of records, including making Rodrigo the youngest artist to debut at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100. Aer driver's license, she released her first album, Sour, which garnered widespread critical acclaim and won the grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. In a 2021 article with GQ magazine, she stated that she has "always wanted to be a songwriter that writes songs for other people, too." Ana Roxanne (b. 1987) Bay-area-native Ana Roxanne Recto is an ambient, electric-meditative, and dream pop artist. Inspired by secular music (singers like Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys) and spiritual traditions (like her Catholic upbringing), she creates music that tackles the complexities and dualities of life. Roxanne's Western education in jazz and classical music, as well as her interest in Eastern traditions, has shaped her music. In 2013, she traveled to India to learn traditional Hindustani singing; the training helped Recto draw connections to some of her contemporary influences. Additionally, as an intersex person, Recto uses her music to comment on identity and gender. Her 2020 album Because The Musical Influence of Filipino-American Women From top, Lea Salonga, From top, Lea Salonga, Melissa Orquiza, Melissa Orquiza, Olivia Rodrigo, Olivia Rodrigo, and Ana Roxanne. and Ana Roxanne.

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