• Because the Philippines is a large archipelago, its musical styles vary from island to island and are a mixture of different sounds (such as European, American, indigenous, etc.). However, as the country was colonized by Spain for more than 300 years (1500s to 1800s), its music has an evident Spanish influence (an effect noticeable all over the country).
• One perfect example would be the rondalla, an ensemble of stringed instruments played with plectrum, which was brought by the Spaniards to the Philippines in 1800s; it usually provides accompaniment to folk songs and dances.

Above: The banduria is the most prominent rondalla instrument

• The origin as to where and how rondalla playing all began is still unknown. Some theories suggest that its roots could be traced way back in Spain, where young men play the rondalla and sing in front of the townsfolk’s houses. Others simply presume that a group of university students in Spain called “estudiantina” made the rondalla popular as we know it today.
• The name rondalla was thought to derive from the word “rondar”, which means “to circulate”, and another version says that it originated from the term “ronda alla”, which means “a guard is here” as it was also believed that most of the early rondalla members were guards.
• The instruments usually played in a typical Filipino rondalla are the banduria (the most prominent), laud, octavina, guitar, and double bass (bajo de uñas), and these instruments are most of the time made from some common Philippine woods like kamagong, narra, and langka (jackfruit).
• Its period of great popularity was in 1960s when rondalla festivals gained much support from the government, and rondalla competitions were featured in radios and televisions.
• The rondalla contributed a lot to the musical culture of the Philippines, and it has now become an institution. At present, the rondalla is once again gaining back its popularity through the efforts of the National Commission for Culture and Arts.
• As a matter of fact, the 2nd International Rondalla Festival, dubbed as “Cuerdas sa Panaghiusa” (Strings of Unity), was held just February last year (in celebration of the National Arts Month) hosted by the province of Negros Oriental participated by over 20 rondalla groups from more than 10 countries.Above: The Kwerdas (in green) is Silliman University’s (Dumaguete City) representative to the International Rondalla Festival