Just Play It
When the Cultural Center of the Philippines gave the composer, conductor, performer and music professor Ryan Cayabyab an award for the arts, he gave the following acceptance speech:
Things I Learned Till Yesterday as a Composer of Music
1) Nothing will happen if you’ll just stare out of the window waiting for inspiration. Most of the time it doesn’t come.
2) If you have started something, finish it.
3) If somebody notices your work, you just need to do two things. First, if it's praised, smile. Second, if it’s criticized, laugh. Don’t lose your self-control. Be grateful that it was noticed at all.
4) Keep on creating. Just stop when you’re dead. Of course.
5) Don’t belittle your work. Sometimes it has a power of its own over which you have no control.
6) On the other hand, don’t be boastful. There are many others who are better than you. If not today, then maybe tomorrow.
7) You do not own your works. You were just the instrument used to express the circumstances of your history and environment.
8) Give thanks to the people who showed you the way.
9) Give thanks to the country you grew up in.
10) Give thanks to God that you’re alive and that you’re a servant of the arts.
And one more thing: If it’s possible, stop yakking and just play it.
(Thanks to Luisa Mueller for passing this on to me. The above is freely translated from the original Tagalog by Maria-Fe Ortner.)
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Ang mga Natutunan Ko Hanggang Kahapon Bilang Isang Manunulat ng Musika
(Talumpati ni Ryan Cayabyab sa kanyang pagtanggap sa gantimpalang ipinagkaloob ng Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas)
1) Walang mangyayari kung nakatitig ka lang sa labas ng bintana habang naghihintay ng inspirasyon. Malimit na ito ay hindi dumarating.
2) Kapag mayroon ka nang naumpisahan, tapusin mo.
3) Kapag may pumansin sa nilikha mo dalawang bagay lang ang gagawin mo: una, kung ito ay pinuri, ngumiti ka; pangalawa, pag ito'y binatikos, humalakhak ka.Huwag mong pakawalan
ang iyong bait. Mabuti nga't napansin ang likha mo.
4) Lumikha ka lang ng lumikha. Tumigil ka lang pag patay ka na. Siyempre.
5) Huwag mong liliitin ang mga nilikha mo. Minsan ito ay may kapangyarihan na hindi mo matalos.
6) Sa kabilang dako naman, huwag ka nang magmalaki. Maraming mas magaling kaysa sa iyo, kung hindi ngayon, sa mga darating pang panahon.
7) Hindi sa iyo ang mga nilikha mo. Ginamit ka lang na isang daan upang maisalarawan mo ang kalagayan ng iyong kapanahunan at kapaligiran.
8) Magpasalamat ka sa mga taong nagpakita sa iyo ng daan.
9) Magpasalamat ka sa bayan mo na iyong kinalakhan.
10) Magpasalamat ka sa Diyos dahil ikaw ay humihinga at ikaw ay isang alagad ng sining!
May pahabol pang isa: Hangga't maaari, huwag ka nang dumakdak ng dumakdak, tugtugin mo na lang.
Things I Learned Till Yesterday as a Composer of Music
1) Nothing will happen if you’ll just stare out of the window waiting for inspiration. Most of the time it doesn’t come.
2) If you have started something, finish it.
3) If somebody notices your work, you just need to do two things. First, if it's praised, smile. Second, if it’s criticized, laugh. Don’t lose your self-control. Be grateful that it was noticed at all.
4) Keep on creating. Just stop when you’re dead. Of course.
5) Don’t belittle your work. Sometimes it has a power of its own over which you have no control.
6) On the other hand, don’t be boastful. There are many others who are better than you. If not today, then maybe tomorrow.
7) You do not own your works. You were just the instrument used to express the circumstances of your history and environment.
8) Give thanks to the people who showed you the way.
9) Give thanks to the country you grew up in.
10) Give thanks to God that you’re alive and that you’re a servant of the arts.
And one more thing: If it’s possible, stop yakking and just play it.
(Thanks to Luisa Mueller for passing this on to me. The above is freely translated from the original Tagalog by Maria-Fe Ortner.)
-------------------------------------------
Ang mga Natutunan Ko Hanggang Kahapon Bilang Isang Manunulat ng Musika
(Talumpati ni Ryan Cayabyab sa kanyang pagtanggap sa gantimpalang ipinagkaloob ng Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas)
1) Walang mangyayari kung nakatitig ka lang sa labas ng bintana habang naghihintay ng inspirasyon. Malimit na ito ay hindi dumarating.
2) Kapag mayroon ka nang naumpisahan, tapusin mo.
3) Kapag may pumansin sa nilikha mo dalawang bagay lang ang gagawin mo: una, kung ito ay pinuri, ngumiti ka; pangalawa, pag ito'y binatikos, humalakhak ka.Huwag mong pakawalan
ang iyong bait. Mabuti nga't napansin ang likha mo.
4) Lumikha ka lang ng lumikha. Tumigil ka lang pag patay ka na. Siyempre.
5) Huwag mong liliitin ang mga nilikha mo. Minsan ito ay may kapangyarihan na hindi mo matalos.
6) Sa kabilang dako naman, huwag ka nang magmalaki. Maraming mas magaling kaysa sa iyo, kung hindi ngayon, sa mga darating pang panahon.
7) Hindi sa iyo ang mga nilikha mo. Ginamit ka lang na isang daan upang maisalarawan mo ang kalagayan ng iyong kapanahunan at kapaligiran.
8) Magpasalamat ka sa mga taong nagpakita sa iyo ng daan.
9) Magpasalamat ka sa bayan mo na iyong kinalakhan.
10) Magpasalamat ka sa Diyos dahil ikaw ay humihinga at ikaw ay isang alagad ng sining!
May pahabol pang isa: Hangga't maaari, huwag ka nang dumakdak ng dumakdak, tugtugin mo na lang.
posted by Maria-Fe Parco Ortner at 10:33 AM
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