Something magical transpired in the past two weeks: Some of the country's best singer-songwriters, record producers and arrangers gathered as an informal faculty to teach the tools and tricks of their trade to an awestruck bunch of aspiring young musicians.

These were two separate events that, according to both mentors and students, an experience quite rare and touching. A number of mentors had never spent such a long time together; as for the students, closely interacting with their idols was the thrill of a lifetime.

The Nescafé 3-in-1 Soundskool 2010 college band workshop and contest finals were held Nov. 9-13 in Boracay, and the 1st Elements National Songwriting Camp took place Nov. 14-18 in Dumaguete. Their common vision: Inspire a new generation of enthusiasts to create their own music.

Soundskool had five amateur bands with matching five mentor groups; Elements had 60 budding songwriters and 24 individual mentors, including Louie Ocampo, Gary Valenciano, Joey Ayala, Gary Granada, Noel Cabangon, Jay Durias, Gabby Alipe, Chito Miranda, Rico Blanco and Yael Yuzon.

Anybody who plays the guitar or piano can write songs; yet there's a clear line that separates good music from bad—as the mentors in both events kept pointing out.

While admitting he can't teach how good melodies and hooks are created, Sugarfree's Ebe Dancel—who was in both workshops—said a fine composer writes with sincerity.

In a similar vein, Jim Paredes told the participants, "Write from your own milieu. Magpakatotoo ka."

To illustrate, Paredes recounted an episode in the late 1970s, when he worked at JEM Records as an artist and repertoire (A&R) man. He had been taken aback when a singer-songwriter changed the lyrics of a song that the latter was about to record: "The original lyrics went, 'Parang isang langgam... ang tamis ng pag-ibig ko sa 'yo...' But he rewrote it entirely, starting with, 'Parang kailan lang, ang mga pangarap ko'y kay hirap abutin...' The songwriter was Florante and the song was 'Handog.' He just wanted to be really truthful."

Narrative underscored

Aside from being held near the sea, the "lectures," both Boracay and Dumaguete, were made more engaging and listener-friendly with lots of wit and humor.

Gary Granada devised catchy ways to discuss the various elements that comprise a song. Reminding his "class" that music is an art form with literary qualities, he defined imagery in a tune as "a three-minute movie."

On the importance of narrative, Granada said: "'Pag walang kuwento, walang kuwenta."

Challenging the standard objective of catering to what the market wants the respected composer declared, "I write for myself."

Yet, he said it was possible to be in the fringes of the pop mainstream while earning big sums from advertising: "I don't write for the [music] industry, but I'm one of the highest paid [commercial] jingle makers."

The campers gave him a standing ovation.

Joey Ayala, tasked to talk about world/ethnic music, said everybody could access their "ethnicity" by researching on their ancestors. He explained, "Most of us come from a mixed race. If one has Chinese blood, that person will have a natural inkling for Chinese music."

Looking back on his early influences, Ayala recalled, "I wanted to be a guitar god like Santana. When I heard James Taylor, I decided I'd rather be a sensitive songwriter."

Crucial

Although too compact and "crash course" by nature, the virtual music schools that Soundskool 2010 and Elements created were crucial in their practical applications. At Soundskool, each member of the groups Imago, Spongecola, Sugarfree, Callalily and Rivermaya sat down with their counterparts from the five college band finalists to pinpoint the intricacies of guitar chords and performing styles.

At Elements, several mentors directly gave tips. Pop composer Trina Belamide, for instance, said writing a song in a verse-bridge approach, instead of the usual verse-chorus-verse, was uncommon but allowed for better storytelling.

As an example of a song with a unique title and story, she played Eminem's "Stan." And something with good lyrics and a clear message? She played Granada's "Saranggola sa Ulan."

At Soundskool, Sony Music Philippines A&R director Vic Valenciano talked about the "360-degree" business model (CD, concerts, merchandising, music publishing, TV/film, brand endorsement, artist management) that all record labels have adapted to maximize income for both the company and its artists.

At Elements, MCA Music president Ricky Ilacad explained that a song becomes a hit with the right timing: Radio should play it frequently; it should capture the listeners' mood. And, in the Philippine setting, it should, ideally, fit in the prevailing trend or cycle.

Copyright 101

Ilacad expressed sadness about the demise of NU 107's rock format, but remained upbeat on the prospect of discovering young blood, in any genre, who can penetrate the Asian market of 500 million.

Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Inc. (Filscap) general manager Debbie Gaite laid out the ins and outs of music copyright. She said Filscap's mission was to give songwriters a viable, long-term career by protecting ownership of their songs through professional handling of money matters.

Gary V's wife and manager, Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, related how she handled his early career, cautioning the Elements campers to consult a lawyer before signing record contracts. The company she formed, Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management, controls the rights to, among others, all of Gary's songs and Florante's biggest hits, "Ako'y Pinoy" and "Handog."

The campers' skills were tested when they were divided into groups and asked to write songs in various genres—which they then had to perform. They didn't disappoint. Most of the tunes needed tweaking; some were downright impressive.

Instant offers

In fact, a number of them, including one about the Facebook experience, received offers for recording deals from Ilacad and Star Records A&R head Jonathan Manalo.

The campers came from diverse backgrounds. Maan Chua, from Davao, sings at clubs and keeps herself busy in the daytime by knitting beads. She has written her own songs and one of them, "Itadyak," was praised during a special live performance of select audition pieces.

Kate Torralba, from Cebu, started learning classical piano as a child but junked it to become a fashion designer. But she couldn't shake off the music; she had been writing songs and playing in small clubs like SaGuijo and Gweilo's. Elements rekindled her passion. Her performance of her audition piece, "Pictures," revealed a unique style and appeal. "I have found my true calling," she told the Inquirer.

Cattski Espina, also from Cebu, has recorded her own works in two independently produced albums. Some of her songs have been recorded by the likes of Juris Fernandez and the defunct MYMP. Espina was another revelation during the performance night; her song, "Drunk," played on acoustic guitar, was a heady brew of distinct character, memorable melody and killer hooks.

First time ever

The Elements mentors appreciated the opportunity to bond with their fellow musicians. "Walang ganito noon," said Ryan Cayabyab, one of three founders of 7101 Music Nation, event promoter. Why was there nothing like this in the past? "Walang sponsor," quipped Joey Ayala.

Added Paredes: "The elder batch of songwriters probably felt threatened by the entry of a new generation that was not formally trained in music schools."

When the Inquirer asked one of the people involved in Soundskool whether Nescafé was in it for the long haul, she said: "Yes. We're on our fifth year."

Both Soundskool and Elements added team-building sessions to their programs to encourage interaction and cooperation among artists normally perceived as reclusive, moody and selfish. The perception was shattered; both students and mentors enthusiastically participated in the games.

At night, while everybody relaxed, drinking beer and wine, a few startling revelations were made. Granada confessed that his father died a lonely death, affected deeply by (Gary's) dropping out of an engineering course to become a musician.

At one point, Granada sounded frustrated, telling organizers they might be giving false hopes to the aspiring songwriters, knowing how tough the competition is in the industry. He demanded to know what the organizers planned after the event.

Next, a festival

"We will do this every year," said Jun Sy, president of Tao Corporation which funded Elements. Sy said music was one of his biggest passions, and that he was committed to expanding Elements to include a music festival. A native of Dumaguete, he told the Inquirer that he had been dreaming of a music-related activity for a long time.

He said a chance meeting with former record label exec Twinky Lagdameo got the ball rolling. Together with Ryan Cayabyab, they then formed 7101 Music Nation. Lagdameo explained that "7101" referred to the number of islands in the Philippines. She said the ultimate goal was "to discover songwriters from around the country."