Introductory Kulintang: Singkil Foundations
Learn traditional Singkil music from scratch in five hands-on lessons! No experience needed to go from basic rhythms to full ensemble play.
Class Term Workshop Dates:
Wednesday in October: 10/14 & 10/21
Wednesday in November: 11/4, 11/11 & 11/18
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location:
KULARTS & AAPI Performing Arts Center
67 Langton St, San Francisco California, 94103
Course Description:
This class will consist of five ninety minute lessons. Participants will be taught the song for the dance, Singkil, that was played by The Palabuniyan Kulintang Ensemble during performances. The basic melodic cycles on the kulintang will be covered first. Once participants have internalized all the foundational patterns, adornments will be added to the tune. Rhythms and patterns on accompanying instruments, such as the babandil, dabakan, agong, and gandingan will be covered as well. The goal is for each participant to learn Singkil strongly enough to eventually be able to (re)arrange the song to fit choreography and teach the accompaniment to the rest of an ensemble.
Participants will learn using the sarunay, which is the smaller, practice version of the kulintang. Sarunays will be made available to use during the lessons, but participants are encouraged to buy/bring their own so that they can practice at home. There will be a full ensemble of the larger instruments in the classroom that participants will use to practice/demonstrate what they have learned. Although partial enrollment (less than five classes) is allowed, please be advised that the lessons are in a sequence—each successive class will build on the previous one.
Registration Fee
$250.00 per student
$75 per single drop in class*
*For drop in classes, please contact program@kularts-sf.org to inquire about classroom availability.
Instructor Bio:
Conrad J. Benedicto is an author and musician who studied with kulintang master artist Danongan Kalanduyan from 1997 to 2016, including as his apprentice through the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) apprenticeship program in 2007 and again in 2013. He has also twice worked with his own ACTA apprentice, Jinji Sayson, in 2023 and 2026. In 2018, Conrad received an individual artist grant from the San Francisco Arts Commission to compose original kulintang music for his project “Kulintang Dialect.” Kulintang Dialect released its sophomore album “Dialogue” in May of 2026. Conrad’s travel blogs can be found in Positively Filipino Magazine, and his first novel, Musalaya’s Gift, was published by KULARTS in 2021. Conrad earned a Masters Degree in Music Composition for Kulintang from San Francisco State University in 2026.
LEARN MORE ABOUT KULINATANG DIALECT
CONTACT
For more information regarding enrollment, please contact program@kularts-sf.org
For more information regarding the course, please contact ConradJBenedicto@pm.me