Udlot-Udlot 2020 : what to expect - UP Center for Ethnomusicology

Update (as of 22 June 2020)

All videos are in, and we invite you to be part of UDLOT-UDLOT 2020 by joining us in witnessing its first virtual performance! To cap off the month of June, UP Center for Ethnomusicology’s foundation month, Dr. Jose Maceda’s Udlot-Udlot is set to premiere on our Facebook page on 30 June 2020. Watch the teaser video here:

https://www.facebook.com/upethno/posts/3305040199507062

Introduction

In line with the upcoming Udlot-Udlot virtual performance, we prepared this primer for people to get to know more about the music. Due to the quarantine, not all sources are available at this time, but at the end of the section, we have compiled an inconclusive list of resources that you may access when libraries and archives resume service. Library materials and higher resolution archival photographs, audio, and other media may be requested in advance at upethno_archive.upd@up.edu.ph

Just so you know,

Maceda, José (b. January 31, 1917, Manila – d. May 5, 2004, Quezon City) is a Philippine composer of interdisciplinary works that have been performed throughout the world; he was also active as an ethnomusicologist.

UPCE 7418 Smiling Dr. Jose Maceda kneeling on his notebook on the ground; putting the gangsa’s handle on his belt

He taught as Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of The Philippines from 1952–90, where he was named a University Professor in 1988 and as professor emeritus until 2004. He served as Executive Director of its Center for Ethnomusicology from 1997–2004.

He is awarded the National Artist Award for Music in 1997.

For an extensive list of his works and accomplishments, you may visit Who is Jose Maceda?

What is Udlot-Udlot?

Udlot-udlot is the eighth composition of Dr. Jose Maceda which he composed in 1975. It is music for bamboo instruments and voices which lasts for up to 40 minutes.

The score

The score for the 40-minute music of Udlot-Udlot is written back-to-back on a single sheet of paper. Instead of having the music written in Western notation, it instead contains tabulations of numbers and symbols which are instructions for each of the groups of performers. The whole ‘score’ is displayed for each cluster of performers, while large numbers may be printed so that page-turners may assist in the counting.

Dr. Jose Maceda’s music notation for Udlot-udlot, page 1 of 2

The performers are grouped into three clusters called “tuloy-tuloy” (drone), “haluan” (mixed sounds), and “tinig” (voice). The composition is flexible with the number of performers, so the whole performance may be played from thirty, up to thousands of performers, so long as the ratio of groups is maintained. If there are only 30 performers, the “tuloy-tuloy” group will have 6 members, the “haluan” group will have 12 (further divided into 2 sub-groups: “gansal” and “pares”), and the “tinig” group will have also 12. If there are 1,000 performers, “tuloy-“tuloy” group will have 200 members, “haluan” will have 400 (further divided into 2 sub-groups: “gansal” and “pares”), and “tinig” will also have 400.

The instruments

Maceda, Jose, and Marietta G. Belleza. 1977. “Udlot-udlot : isang bagong musika na maituturo sa high school.” *Musika Jornal* 1: 27–41.

The instruments for the “tuloy-tuloy” group is only one, which is “kalutang” – a pair of percussion sticks. The instrument is made of wood that is 10″-15″ in length and 1″-2″ in diameter. The instrument is played by hitting one stick on top of the other. It produces a flat non-resonant wood percussion sound.

The instruments for the “haluan” group are three: “balingbing,” “tongatong,” and “ongiyong.” A “pitu” may be used in place of the “ongiyong.”

The “balingbing” is a buzzer made of bamboo that has a slit in the middle. It is played by hitting the instrument on the palm of the other hand. The instrument makes a buzzing sound.

The “tongatong” is a stamping tube that is made of bamboo. One end of the bamboo tube is closed, while the other is open. It is played by hitting the closed end on a flat surface – often, the floor. The instrument produces a resonant percussion sound.

The “ongiyong” is a type of flute from the Kalinga. If the “ongiyong” is not available, a “pitu” may be purchased or made. It is made of 3″ to 8″ long piece of bamboo that is closed on one end and has a slanted opening on the other. the instrument is played by placing the lower lip on the slanted opening of the instrument and blowing to produce a single pitch of whistling sound.

Alternatively, when no instruments are available, improvised instruments and simple home implements may be used.

Past performances

The music was premiered on October 16, 1975 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and on November 28, 1975 in the University of the Philippines where 850 highschool students from the UP Integrated School performed. The original formation of the performers planned by Roberto Chabet was adapted for the 1975 CCP and UP Premiers.

The piece was taught by Dr. Maceda himself to the performers in a weekly schedule over one semester. He was assisted by Professor Marietta G. Belleza. In 1977, a complete instruction on how to perform the music was written by the latter.

UPCE 6575 Dr. Jose Maceda conducting before the singer-participants

UPCE 6583 Dr. Jose Maceda in the middle of the 2 groups of participants in the lobby

UPCE 6584 Dr. Jose Maceda facing the group of participants in the lobby

Following the 1975 premier, other documented performances are in Bangkok in 1978; in Jakarta in 1989; in Kyoto in 1991; in Berlin in 1996; and in Fukuoka and Quezon City in 1997; San Francisco, 2003; Suita, Japan, 2010; Berlin, 2018 (workshop); and New York, 2019 (workshop).

UPCE 1067 Udlot-Udlot in Bangkok. Dr. Jose Maceda, girls in uniform standing and each holding a bamboo buzzer at his back.

UPCE 1175 Dr. Jose Maceda standing in the middle, girls in unifrom on line holding 2 sticks.

Jose Maceda leading an audience in San Francisco in his ritual-music composition “Udlot-Udlot”. Yerba Buena Gardens, October 2000.

Ten minutes from Jose Maceda “Udlot-Udlot” performed at Senri Expo Park, Japan. Date 22 Oct. 2010 Film by Naoki Homma

The latest version was the performance in the Municipal School of Music and Dance, Spain, 2019 – organized in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Madrid, as well as with the Spanish Embassy in Manila and the UP Center for Ethnomusicology. The music was performed by more than a hundred people at the Palacio de Cristal at Retiro Park in Madrid on 21 September 2019

The musical director invited the performers to sing, hum and move around while beating their bamboo musical instruments

In a nutshell

“Udlot-Udlot is a music for many people using simple and ancient musical instruments in the Philippines and Asia. The more performers there are, the better the sound; so thousands of students from any school would be needed for a satisfactory rendition[…] Any section is easy to play, so even students from grade four to seven can participate[…] Udlot-Udlot serves as an introduction to many new musical elements that can be taught in schools [where] [t]he musical instruments can be made by each student[…]”

Maceda, Jose, and Marietta G. Belleza. 1977. “Udlot-udlot : isang bagong musika na maituturo sa high school.” Musika Jornal 1: 27–41.

Now that you know all of that, it’s time for you to:

Join the new Udlot-Udlot 2020!

To commemorate the life of JOSE M. MACEDA, National Artist for Music, we offer a performance of UDLOT-UDLOT.

Conceived as ceremonial music, Maceda composed this piece in 1975, challenging dominant notions of “music” by exploring how drone, color and melody come together as independent elements in performance.

What to expect for this 2020 version

This 2020 version of Udlot-Udlot is a 10-minute excerpt which will make use of current technology to circumvent our circumstances brought about by the COVID-19. Instead of performing this music with the prescribed musical instruments and playing them in an open-air space, participants will make-use of improvised instruments and/or household implements to produce similar sounds. Interested performers are required to have video-recording devices as simple as phone-cameras and microphones (a headset will do). The ‘score’ is encoded digitally with an automatic counter with visual and sound cues that is easy to follow. Performers will record themselves playing their instruments while following the cues for the duration of 10 minutes.

The submitted videos of the performers will be edited into one collage video which will be published at a later date.

Grab your phones; grab your sticks, whistles, and “sandok” or other household items and be part of this historic event!

Instructions for performers

If you would like to join the performance, please send a message to udlotudlot2020@gmail.com by 11 May 2020. This is an abbreviated performance with a duration of 10 minutes (40 cells). We are still looking for 60 performers to do various parts of the piece. The score can be accessed at http://www.astermux.com/udlot2/udlotudlot.html. For offline access, please go to https://github.com/AnnePerez/udlot2. Download the whole folder as a zip file. Unzip the folder and click on the udlotudlot.html file. Details on how to do the performance and information on submission can be found in the link.

https://www.facebook.com/upethno/posts/3182289785115438?cft[0]=AZXN6QLSpVaUnGUJomDkhIBPl3txxNWdEr8Aq3Qga-sUOWH1Yh6cFHtnXUHgDOMEYC1d4-M1qHEZFmJtGH8_5IijEl51kIXOvqHda8qQUVquYRnNb8rvPU_lOyE4SItpQGI33_H8dM67KSomINpDDWp25GV7qxaExq0SfFZdsEjeTA&tn=%2CO%2CP-R

Works cited

MACEDA100: JOSE MACEDA CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM. 2017. “Who Is Jose Maceda?” Social Media. Facebook. September 8, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/notes/maceda100-jose-maceda-centennial-international-symposium/who-is-jose-monserrat-maceda/112838529411450.

Maceda, Jose. 1975. “Udlot-Udlot.” Score. UPCE-S-023. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-S-023a.

Maceda, Jose, and Marietta G. Belleza. 1977. “Udlot-udlot : isang bagong musika na maituturo sa high school.” Musika Jornal 1: 27–41.

“MUSEO REINA SOFIA of Spain Shines the Spotlight on Philippine National Artist Jose Maceda with Performance of UDLOT-UDLOT at Reiro Park | Philippine Embassy Madrid.” n.d. Accessed May 8, 2020. https://www.philembassymadrid.com/udlot.

Images and videos used

2010 Udlot-Udlot Senri Expo Park 1. n.d. Accessed May 8, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkZy5DAgSY.

Maceda, Jose. 1975. “1975 Northern-Southern Phil (S1-S54) Maceda’s Compositions (S1-S10) Northern Phils (S1-S34) Maceda’s Compositions S 001.” Photo. UPCE-P-10001. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-10001.

Maceda, Jose. 1975. “Udlot-Udlot at UP 1975 Ud 039.” Photo. Quezon City. UPCE-P-6575. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-6575.

Maceda, Jose. 1975. “Udlot-Udlot at UP 1975 Ud 047.” Photo. Quezon City. UPCE-P-6583. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-6583.

Maceda, Jose. 1975. “Udlot-Udlot at UP 1975 Ud 048.” Photo. Quezon City. UPCE-P-6584. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-6584.

Maceda, Jose. 1978. “Bangkok, 1978 Udlot2 Pictures Bangkok August Ud 5.” Photo. Thailand. UPCE-P-1175. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-1175.

Maceda, Jose. 1978. “Bangkok, 1978 Udlot2 Bangkok March Gl 16.” Photo. Thailand. UPCE-P-1067. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-1067.

Maceda, Jose. 1983. “Bontok 1983 S97-S166 (SPAFA) S 157.” Photo. Bontok. UPCE-P-7418. UP Center for Ethnomusicology, University of the Philppines Diliman. http://upethnom.com/jmcollection/index.php/items/details/UPCE-P-7418.

Udlot Udlot. n.d. Accessed May 8, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3gvVrEG03U.