Davao school’s blind musicians get ready for star turn in Germany

Play this video and be blown away by the blind musicians. VIDEO EDIT VIC BARENG

DAVAO CITY – Despite tensions in certain parts of Mindanao, beautiful music emanates from a most unusual place in Davao City. Some 10 kilometers south of downtown, and hidden from the bustling metropolis, an oasis for the unseeing thrives.

Darkness here is not an obstacle. At the Davao School for the Blind/Mindanao, 26 young students join a rarefied group of talented blind musicians.

It was a balmy Saturday afternoon when my sister, Dr. Margaret Antonio, an ophthalmologist, fulfilled her promise to take me to a practice session of a band she can’t stop talking about. I had to see and hear for myself.

As we walked toward the music room, we could hear the band animatedly playing “In the Mood,” Glenn Miller’s popular big band number of the ‘40s.

Peering through the railings of a half-open-air room, I could see a clutch of young people, many in flip-flops, thoroughly into their music.

On a small stage were the keyboard artist, the drummers and percussionists. Down on the floor in front of the stage were two young boys on flute; a group to the left played trombones, sax and trumpets, and on the other side of the room was a group of teenage girls on clarinet and sax.

All in sync, in harmony, and all 22 totally blind. Their bandmaster was not around. The band was playing on its own.

Hearing that there was a small audience around them, they played on with “Amor, Amor, Amor,” “Sweet Caroline” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” Wonder of wonders!

What’s most mindboggling is they all learned to play their instruments oido, by ear. Their bandmaster, Donald Gundaya, said he started the lessons “manually,” that is, singing the notes to his students. His only challenge, he intimated, is making sure he has the right pitch.

The Davao School and Rehabilitation Center for the Vissually Impaired. PHOTO BY ESTHER MISA CHAVEZ

Gundaya, a Davaoeno himself, is not blind, but he had polio. Notwithstanding this, his love of music, first as a trumpeter, got him into the Santa Ana National High School Marching Band.

“I realized that I had no future in a marching band, but I showed them that I could overcome my handicap.” Later on at the Rizal Memorial College Davao, he became assistant bandmaster, again, of a marching band.

He later joined a band in Manila that brought him to different countries such as Singapore, U.S., Canada, Dubai. He was good enough to be part of the backup band for popular singers such as Jed Madela, Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera.

Brave Heart

Gundaya said that he thought his disability would hamper his future but that his interest in music gave him “a life and a future.”

“I wanted to impart this life lesson to them,” he said. With such gung-ho attitude Gundaya did not think it an impossibility to teach blind children to play amazing band music.

He recognized that blindness could heighten the sense of hearing, rousing innate musical talent and ability to appreciate and imitate sounds by rote. Repetition, group mentorship, collaboration and support by school administrators gave Gundaya’s students a new perspective on life.

The foresight of erstwhile Executive Director Atty. Edward Estores of adding Music to the curriculum, led to the hiring of Gundaya two years ago.

Music to your ears

It all started with a few donated old instruments. Within a year, the group had learned dozens of musical pieces that awed a visiting member of a Japanese Rotary Club, which soon donated hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of new and used instruments.

Their efforts were not in vain. Come June 3 to 17, the Davao School for the Blind/ Mindanao’s music band will be flying off to Germany on the invitation of the Hildesheimer Blindenmission (HBM) of Germany, one of the founding principals of the school.

The motley group of musicians, whose ages range from 11 to 22, has made such an impact on the HB directors that they are proud enough to showcase these young musicians to the world.

The band’s repertoire ranges from old time classic boogie-woogie, to salsa, OPM and Christmas tunes, some three-dozen songs. The band will surely bring smiles and inspiration to the seeing audience.

As of this writing, fund raising projects are trying to get them their warm clothes, shoes and other necessities to prepare them for their journey of a lifetime.

Band members

The youngest member of the band is 11-year-old Lorraine Hiponia, vocalist, followed by Lawrence Alcoseba, 12, and Rollie Reyes, 13, both flutists.

The rest are in their mid-teens except for a few 20-year-olds: Rollie Reyes, flute; Rivi Jane Aranio, clarinet; Angelica Samling, clarinet; Reynalyn Buntia, clarinet; Flodellis Insedan, trumpet; Fernando Gines, trumpet; Oliver Secuya, trumpet;

Renan Dave Manumba is on French horn; Aldren Fuentes, alto sax, Judessa Damaciano, alto sax; Bea Angelica Malate, alto sax and vocalist; Edmund Montecillor, tenor sax, Kevin Jay Daduhada, trombone; and Kristian Kyle Braza, trombone; Jefferson Aldiano, lead rhythm and Richonard Sumicao, base guitar.

Anthony Abijay, the oldest at 20, is on conga and timbales; John Dave Bughad, drums and Anders Attic, base drum. Alferny Troy, at only 14, is on keyboard. New to the group are three violinists, Bea Himpit, Anthony Layao and Martin Cerro and Jaymark Mercado, trumpet.

Blind musicians’ band in practice session. PHOTO BY ESTHER MISA CHAVE

‘We aim to turn darkness into light’

It has been 30 years since the Davao School for the Blind, also known as the Davao School and Rehabilitation Center for the Visually Impaired, was established. Hildesheimer Blindenmission of Germany, the Christian Society for the Prevention of Blindness and Rehabilitation of the Blind, Inc. of Davao City, and local donors funded it from the get-go.

Currently, around 60 blind or visually impaired children from all over Mindanao, mostly from far-flung barrios, sitios and farms, have found their way to this neatly maintained educational compound. Surrounded by tall trees and greeneries, an ample fishpond with a bamboo resthouse on one corner, and a large grassy field, the children learn life skills. They live in a one-storey dormitory for the duration of the school semester and are grouped according to gender.

Aside from reading and writing in Braille, they learn to live independently, keeping their rooms neat, prepare and cook food, acquiring social skills to prepare them for the outside world.

This non-government institution’s mission is to remove obstacles in the lives of blind people by educating and providing services, opportunities and materials for them to reach their fullest potential in life.

Wilmo Capoy, school principal, proudly mentioned that last year, aside from the band performing at barrio fiestas, hospitals and fundraisers, one of their highlights was their judo team besting teams from top schools including Ateneo de Davao.

The institution, which has branches throughout the Philippines, has a clear mission: “We aim to turn darkness into light for thousands of our blind friends in every corner of the country.”

Deep cuts in funds

As a consequence of the worldwide economic downturn, international funding for the school has diminished substantially. School administrators are reaching out for private and government assistance since their students are among the most underserved in the country.

The school band, which is now gaining fame for its orchestral prowess, hopes to increase awareness of the plight of the school and the blind and the visually impaired it nurtures.

Davao School for the Blind, Mindanao is located in Km. 10, Bago Aplaya, 8023 Davao City, Philippines. Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Davao-School-and-Rehabilitation-Center-for-Visually-Impaired/478632640441

Donations can be coursed thru the Christian Society for the Prevention of Blindness and Rehabilitation of the Blind. United Coconut Planters Bank, San Pedro Branch, Davao City, Philippines. Account # 114100000555.