Filipina Guitar Trio Wins at 27th Japan Guitar Ensemble Festival

Filipino trio “Triple Fret”, an all female classical-contemporary guitar group composed of Jenny de Vera, Iqui Vinculado, and Marga Abejo, won the grand prize at the 27^th Japan Guitar Ensemble Festival held on June 28 at the Kyurian Hall in Shinigawa, Tokyo.

The group, via their official Facebook page, thanked everyone who supported them and prayed for them.

In addition to winning the top prize, the trio also won the Japan Guitar Association Award, the Kohno Guitar Award, and the Harumi Award for Best Performance of an Original Contemporary Composition for Guitar Ensemble.

Triple Fret is the only all-female classical guitar trio in the Philippines. They have captivated the hearts of music lovers all over with their refreshing brand of music, performance, and love for the classical guitar. Their goal is to transcend barriers of different social class, culture, and religion, to truly bring the joy of music to all.

Formally trained in the premiere music schools of the country, Triple Fret stands out with their extensive repertoire of Spanish, Filipino traditional, and well-loved classical pieces, all infused with a style uniquely their own.

The Triple Fret, who all hail from Metro Manila, was formed in 2011 by its members who were products of the University of the Philippines College of Music and the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music.

The following video shows one of their performances during the charity concert for Haiyan victims in Brunei. The song called “Ili-ili Tulog Anay” is an Ilonggo Folk Song sung by mothers when rocking their babies to sleep.

In an exclusive interview with Solar News (now CNN Philippines), in 2014, Abejo explained how they chose their band name.

“We were thinking about possible names. I said, “How about ‘Triple Fret?’ Because it sounds like triple threat, but it also stands for the part of the guitar.'”

The Triple Fret has performed in various countries in Asia and Europe. Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel M. Lopez invited the trio to perform during the Philippine Independence Day reception held on June 12 at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, where they delighted guests with their renditions of Asturias, Hamabe no Uta, and Pandangguhan.

The trio was also the winner of the 2014 Tarrega Guitar Fest in Malaysia, among entries from other foreign countries.

/Carla Gamboa/

Comments

comments