The University of the Philippines Rondalla is an official performing group of the Music Education Department of the U.P. College of Music. The group was founded and organized in August 2009 by Prof. Elaine Espejo-Cajucom, a faculty member and instructor of the Rondalla classes in the Music Education Department. The group, composed of selected students belonging to the Music Education, the Strings, and the Winds and Percussion Department, play purely rondalla instruments, namely, the Bandurria, Octavina, Laud, Guitar and the Bass.
The U.P. Rondalla first performed at the U.P. Department of History’s Centennial Kick-off program. Following the group’s aim to further promote Philippine culture and improve the standards of rondalla playing , many performances and intermission numbers were held in various activities organized by the Music Education Department such as teaching demonstrations and culminating programs for school children. Other activities included performing in recitals and interacting with guests from other countries, as well as a TV appearance in a documentary made by GMA network. The group consistently collaborates with Filipino Rondalla Enthusiasts such as Mr. Tabo Derecho, who designed the Rondalla instruments which the group is currently using, and Mr. George Gange, a Filipino war veteran who organized a rondalla in the USA .
The first major concert of the U.P. Rondalla was held in February of 2010 at the UP College of Music , Abelardo Hall Auditorium. The repertoire consisted of both western classical and Filipino works arranged for the rondalla.
This year 2010, the U.P. Rondalla has been invited to be the first representative of the Philippines to the 10th festival of Eurasian Sounds in Ulan Ude, Russia . The group will feature Filipino Repertoire and some Russian works by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky Korsakov.
