session road - hand in hand

this is the first cut from the album I produced for the United Nations Volunteer Programme in 2001. Session Road did an amazing arrangement and rendition of this song...



BAYANIHAN VOLUNTEER SONGS
FROM volunteers BY volunteers
PHILIPPINES

BACKGROUND

The Bayanihan volunteer songs project, although conceptualized in the early part of IYV 2001, was given low priority due to limited budget. It made way to the video and photo documentary as the medium to consolidate the Bayanihan: Building locally, Bonding Globally theme in celebrating IYV 2001 in the Philippines.

It will be a collection of existing songs of local volunteer organizations. Hence, an invitation to at least twenty partners have been sent but a low turn out was observed. Singers and composers were also thought to render their expertise in composing or arranging the existing songs. Thus, it will be collection of volunteer songs for volunteers by volunteers.

With or without budget to talk about, the IYV coordinator seek the service of a former UNV who has the resources and the talent in making the dream happen. The deal was to collect as much songs as possible for evaluation. Said songs will be arranged to be distinctively Philippine music.

In one of the National Volunteer Month (NVM) meetings in July , the PNVSCA revealed that they have indeed a collection of volunteer songs. They sponsored a song contest on volunteerism in 1995 in celebration of their 15th anniversary. At least 15 songs were submitted. These songs are about volunteers: their life, dreams, angst and their unique and significant contribution to the people and communities where they teach and train, listen and learn, inspire and motivate.

These were not far from the actual concept: “ To consolidate the events is a recording of selected volunteer songs that describe the passion, the angst, the inspiration, the idealism of volunteers. In short, the compilation will be heard as a melody and sounds of volunteerism as a way of life in the Philippines”.

The Bayanihan song project then became a reality. From the 15 songs, seven were selected and arranged.

Volunteer singers and musical groups were identified and invited to interpret selected songs mid August. Actual recording and other related activities were made in September.

A band, Session Road, arranged three songs (01-03) The former UNV, Casie Villarosa, composed, arranged and interpreted five songs (04-8). Gene Basilio arranged and sung The Heart of a Volunteer (08). Mariel de Jesus works in the Environmental Studies Center whose only issue was the time and place of the recording.

And money came from Team IYV 2001. 420 copies were made for limited distribution. 300 will be distributed at the ISV in Geneva. The rest are for Philippine distribution.

source: http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/fileadmin/docs/old/pdf/2001/01_11_07PHL_BayanihanSongs.pdf