Kulintangan sa Gensan – A Festival on Muslim Musical Instruments

Kulintang is a modern term for an instrumental form of music composed on a row of small, horizontally-laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums, according to the Wikipedia.

Every February, the city of General Santos showcases the musicality of kulintang players through the “Kulintangan sa Kalilangan”, a competition among kulintang groups timed during the Kalilangan Festival. With the 2008 festival fast approaching, am posting these pix which I took last year.

A group of male performers with their Kulintang Ensemble.

2 young members strutting their stuff with the AGONGS…

… while beating them every possible way they can.

This young kulintang player brandishes his mastery at the kulintang by performing blindfolded while balancing a glass on his head.

It’s the ladies’ turn to show their stuff. The lady on the left performs on the DABAKAN while the lady on the right beats on the KULINTANG.

A master’s hands at work on the horizontally laid KULINTANG.

A flag bearer stands in attention while I aim my shot.

Three generations of women await their turn to perform behind the stage.

One last good view.