The
Licab Rondalla was formed in just a few days . The scarcity of people in Licab who
play stringed instruments made the search for Rondalla members a difficult one.
Never a procrastinator, Mayor Willy bought the Rondalla
instruments even befor the people who’d play them had been recruited.
Recruitment started at Licab Central School. Many wished to
join, but they were all inexperience. At best, they were raw talents. It could
take a long period of time for them to learn to play their instruments and
perform as a band. The
recruiters had a dilemma. A desperate Mayor Willy struck gold when he suddenly
recalled that some Licab old-timers once played in a Rondalla. On his
instructions, everybody was in a frantic search for them. The whereabouts of these old-timers were simply unknown.
Until, one day from out of the blue, a former member of
that Rondalla group surfaced. He was not only ready to play for the Rondalla
being formed; he was willing to track down some fellows who he knows have the
experience playing in a Rondalla.
The rest is history, the search that is. But, can these old
timers team-up with totally inexperienced children?
The newly-recruited adults were positive they could play
with the young ones. Joined they did, with no other consideration, but
volunteerism and sacrifice. Their words, “from the goodness of our hearts!”
If you listen carefully to their music, you will feel the
sweetness of the “bayanihan” spirit with every note they play and with every
chord and string thy pluck and strum.
This combination of young and older Licabeños is still “a
work in progress.” They have trained and practiced together only for four
weeks-and, intermittently at that. The adult recruits had jobs and finding time
to practice is a struggle. The young school children-members often have to
train without the benefit of guidance from their adult counterparts.
