By Anna Regidor, images by Leonardo A. Reyes

(FEB. 5)—UP Diliman Month is off to a good a start with the staging of Meredith Monk’s A Celebration Service and a grand parade around the academic oval as the center pieces of the monthly flag retreat and flag raising ceremonies, respectively.

A celebration service. Ushering in the festivities at the flag retreat on Jan. 30, the College of Music (CM) performed A Celebration Service, a “spiritually inspired performance piece” from internationally acclaimed American composer Meredith Monk on Jan. 30 at the Quezon Hall lobby.

Performed for the first time on Philippine soil, Celebration, according to the program, “uses Monk’s musical compositions, movement, and texts from the world’s great religions to celebrate the larger community of mankind and the power of the human spirit.”

It featured performances by the UP Madrigal Singers, the UP Junior Music Educator’s Guild and the UP Dance Company with the special participation of Prof. Ramon Acoymo and Daisy Valenciano.

Meredtih Monk is a composer, singer, director/choreographer and creator of new opera, music-theater works, films and installations. She is a pioneer in what is now called “extended vocal technique” and “interdisciplinary performance.”

CM Fullbright Visiting Specialist Tom Bogdan directed the piece while Allison Easter restaged the dances. The original English text was translated into Filipino by poet and Gawad Plaridel awardee Jose Maria Flores Lacaba Jr.

Grand Parade. The refreshing morning breeze that swept through Quezon Hall on the first Monday of February signaled the start of a good month as students, faculty and members of the UPD administration gathered together for a parade around the Academic Oval.

At around 7 a.m. various UPD varsity teams walked from the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) to Quezon Hall carrying banners, led by CHK Dean Ronualdo U. Dizer.

They were met there by University officials and administrative staff, led by Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Benito M. Pacheco, Vice Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Neil Martial R. Santillan, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Nestor T. Castro and University Registrar Evangeline Amor.

Students from the International Center, waving their country’s respective flags and wearing traditional garb, also joined the parade.

The International Center is celebrating the International Center Festival from IC week in February with several activities lined up. The calendar can be viewed at the IC facebook account.

Upon returning to Quezon Hall, the participants were treated to the harvest song “Sambutani,” performed by Astarte Abraham and “Lolaby,” a dance performance by Sarah Samaniego of the UP Dance Company.

Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) Director Prof. Jose Danilo Silvestre then took the stage and talked about the various activities lined up for UP Diliman Month, which has the theme Dangal ng Lunan at Tayog ng Haraya (Pride of Place, Boldness of Vision).

At the end of the event, UP Naming Mahal was interpreted through dance by Ma. Alexa Andrea Torte, Jhoy Anne Maverick Chavez and Julio Laforteza of the UP Dance Company. The piece was choreographed by Ma. Elena Laniog.