Gary V, Regine Velasquez, SB19 among SUDI Nat'l Music Awards honorees

MANILA, Philippines, July 29 ------ Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez, SB19, and Ben&Ben are among the artists set to be honored at the SUDI National Music Awards later today as part of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' (NCCA) celebration of Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (LMP) 2026.

The awards ceremony, which recognizes outstanding contributions to Philippine music, will be held tonight, July 28, at the Metropolitan Theater (MET) as part of the week-long observance of Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino. The annual celebration is held pursuant to Proclamation No. 933, signed in 2014, declaring the last week of July as Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino.

Launched in 2020, the SUDI National Music Awards honor exemplary achievements across various musical genres and forms of production that have helped shape the country's music industry. While recipients are selected every year, the awards ceremony is staged every three years.

This year's ceremony will recognize 12 awardees from 2021 to 2024. Among the 2021 honorees are Ben&Ben, The New Cebu Arts Foundation Inc., and the MSU-IIT Integrated Performing Arts Guild. The 2022 recipients include violinist Alfonso "Coke" Bolipata, Gary Valenciano, Maria Alexandra Chua, Regine Velasquez, and SB19.

For 2023, the NCCA will honor Dr. Marie Jocelyn Marfil, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Singers, and composer Vincent De Jesus. The National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Foundation Inc. will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for its contribution to nurturing generations of Filipino musicians. Special performances by several awardees are expected during the ceremony.

Earlier on July 28, the NCCA will officially open Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino with "Musika at Himig Natin: Ang Konsiyerto" at the Metropolitan Theater. The opening concert will feature performances by the UST Singers, UST Symphony Orchestra, Mandaluyong Children's Choir, PHILBANDA, Charina Balmores, Isay Alvarez, Reuben Laurente, Bituin Escalante, Robert Seña, and Rachelle Gerodias, showcasing the diversity of Filipino music across generations and genres. Another highlight of this year's celebration is the debut of MusikaTalakayan sa LMP 2026, a two-day conference and concert series scheduled on July 30 and 31 at Centro de Turismo in Intramuros.

Carrying the theme "Musika at Industriya: Pamana, Kaalaman, at Malikhaing Ekonomiya," the conference will gather musicians, scholars, artists, educators, cultural workers, and music enthusiasts to discuss Philippine musical heritage, music education, documentation, and the role of the creative economy in sustaining the local music industry. Each conference day will conclude with "Pagtatanghal: Musika at Tinig sa Mas Malapit na Espasyo," an intimate concert highlighting the artistry and expressive depth of Filipino music.

The week-long celebration will culminate on August 1 at the MET Ballroom with the Bagong Musika at Himig Natin: NCCA Composition Prize World Premiere Series, featuring the world premiere performances of selected winning works from the NCCA Composition Prize.

The concert will showcase award-winning compositions for chamber music, handbell choir, solo organ, solo piano, solo rondalla, solo string, and solo wind, underscoring the creativity of contemporary Filipino composers while expanding the country's growing repertoire of original Philippine music.

Source: philstar.com