Jennifer Marie J. Yang, MD

The University of the Philippines College of Music’s KKK has added another K, for Katawan, this year! The UPCMu held its first research, creative work, music performance forum down the hall from where were doing our performing artists’ health screening. Showcasing innovations and creative work from the UPCMu faculty, researchers and students made for an interesting afternoon – at least the tiny bits that I was able to watch in between student screenings. The second edition of the KKK added another K to feature our work in Performing Arts Medicine through the fourth K, “katawan” or body. [for the non-Filipino speaking audience, kuwentuhan = storytelling, kwerdasan = conducting, kapihan = chatting over coffee].

I am always grateful for the awareness and support from the college, recognizing that musicians’ health is an important component for music-making. Music X Medicine colleague Dr. Raymond Leslie Diaz and I will be chatting about musicians’ health and wellbeing, including bits from Dr. Seann Bregendale Silangan’s research study about the musculoskeletal issues of UPCMu students and Dr. Ma. Carissa Abelita’s research study on the performance-related musculoskeletal disorders of the UP Symphony Orchestra members.

All in all, I enjoyed learning about the triumphs and challenges of producing a musical production on a shoestring budget, recording the soundscapes of the UP academic oval (Tunograpiya) and talking about it at an international conference, hearing 5-minute elevator pitches about current musical research at the college, and icing on the cake: lovely musical performances from guitarist RJ Balledos and violinist Aliya Margaret Tablante.