Winners in the music scene

It wasn't Jungee Marcelo's night. Neither was it Carol Banawa's who could have used the victory to earn points to forward her career. Jungee's song Make It Through bested other entries in the contest that chose the Philippine bet at the Asia Song Festival composition that was held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last Saturday, March 25. The young Carol, who is establishing a career as a proficient belter, was his chosen interpreter. Unfortunately for both, this became one of the few song contests wherein the local entry failed to bring home the trophies.

But although the Philippines failed to win a prize, the recent International Finals Night of the Asia Song Festival 2000 was still a huge victory for Filipinos because it was a manifestation of how our neighbors in the region hold the Pinoys in great esteem as musicians. Take note that this was the fifth year of the Festival and the second time that it was held in the Philippines and we figured prominently in the earlier ones with stellar performances by Danny Tan and Dodgie Simon who won the Grand Prize with Jaya in Hong Kong three years ago. And if I remember right, Lani Misalucha was also a stunner last year. But best of all, it once more fostered regional understanding, cooperation and brotherhood through song among Asian artists.

The First Prize winner was Indonesia's Biarlah Kusimpan Dalam Hati (I Let It Keep Inside My Heart) a love song written by Dwiki Dharmawan. It was interpreted by Rita Effendy. The Second Placer was Malaysia's Butterfly, a composition by Tan Kok Liang sang by Fish Leong and Tong Xin. The Third Prize went to the patriotic Sanan Zuudleh Nutag (My Precious Homeland) from Mongolia. This was composed by 19-year-old Ganbold Batzaya with lyrics by Sanjir Gonochir. It was interpreted by the teen-aged Otogonkhuu Solongo.

This year's Best Performer Award went to Duong Minh Anh, a 25-year-old teacher from the Military Arts and Culture College in Vietnam. Her song was Poetry River, wherein one dreams about a tranquil river of poetry on earth in the future. It was written by Nguyen An Thuyen and Nguyen Quang Vinh, two of Vietnam's best known composers. China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand also sent in delegates to compete in the contest.

The Asia Song Festival 2000 was a project of the Katha Music Awards Inc., and Minoru Endoh Music Foundation. It was staged with the cooperation of ABS-CBN and the Nippon Foundation. The ASF was a brainchild of Endoh, who is one of the biggest names in Japanese music. He is known all over Asia for his song Spring in Northern Country. He thought of the contest because he wanted to give Asian composers a crack at the world market. He also aims to establish a confederation of Asian composers and to found a Hall of Fame for the great ones in the region. Expect many Filipinos to be part of this one.

Still on winners. British pop star Phil Collins was all teary eyed when he received his first Oscar trophy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture. The award was for the moving You'll Be in My Heart that he wrote and sang for the Disney flick Tarzan. Collins has already created many memorable songs for motion pictures in the past like Separate Lives from White Nights and Against All Odds from the movie of the same title. He also did a revival of Groovy Kind of Love for Buster which he also starred in. The Tarzan soundtrack though, for which he wrote several original songs, is proving to be the greatest of them all.

Collins won over Randy Newman's When Somebody Loved Me from Toy Story 2, Aimee Mann's Save Me from Magnolia, Music from My Heart by Diane Warren and Blame Canada from another animated feature, South Park, Longer and Better.

Here in the Philippines, Wency Cornejo bagged his first movie trophy at the recent Star Awards. The former leader of Afterimage won the Movie Theme Song of the Year Award for his composition Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas from the controversial film Warat, Wency sang the theme as a duet with Rachel Alejandro for the soundtrack album, which he also produced. Wency is best known for the hits Habang May Buhay and Next in Line.