PIGS INTEREST FILIPINO VIOLINIST

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 9

PIGS INTEREST FILIPINO VIOLINIST

A violinist with an intereat in pigs is Mr Gilopez Kaba* yao. a Filipino, who gave the Anal concert of his New Zealand tour in Christchurch on Thursday evening. “Before I leave New Zealand on Monday,” he said in an interview, “I hope to visit Leeston, where I believe you have a pig farm which is recognised by experts as a show place for the latest developments in breeding and care,” For three generations the members of his family had combined music and farming, he said. Between tours he spent his time on his family’s five farms, which were scattered round the islands of Negros and Panay. There was less to distract him from practise there. Eventually he hoped to settle down to farm managing. “We grow sugar, rice, and coconuts. The farms are mainly mechanised. but where the ground is too soft to bear heavy machines, we use caribou. My father, who is a doctor, breeds pigs as a sideline. I should like to start my own piggery, and I have taken every opportunity to see New Zealand pig farms.” ,Mr Kabayao also takes a keen interest in photography and science. "I was noping to go on the scenic flight to Mount Cook during the week-end, but unfortunately it is booked out,” he said. "To give myself a deeper understanding of music, I try to absorb as much knowledge as possible on other things, especially scientific. I am a very practical person, and I apply scientific methods to many aspects of my musical preparation. Classical School “I do not consider the classical school is the beginning and end of usic- My brother has organised a dance band from among the sugar workers. I act as coach, and we have a great deal of fun. The band is now getting professional engagements. “Music plays a large part in Filipino life," Mr Kabayao said. “Manilla alone has 12 conservatories. As the Spanish occupied the islands for about 400 years, our folk music is a mixture of native and European. It is very melodious, and sounds very Western.

‘However, in the south the .. people are Moslems, gongs are used, and the music is quite like that of Indonesia. 1 Up in the northern islands, • the people live in tribes. 1 They make music with bam- * boo flutes, which they play * by placing in their nostrils ’ and blowing. There is also 1 a great deal of ceremony ‘ attached to their dancing. It is rather like Maori cere- ’ menial dances. ’ “I am doing my best to J give an appreciation of clas- • steal music to my people. As 1 I think that the children are the music lovers of the > future I have started my proI gramme in the schools. I , hope, with the help of the j Government and other organs isations. to instal a record- » player in every school in the s Islands. I feel that record- ! players are the fastest way i to teach musical appreciation » to the children,” Mr Kabayao i said.