The University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music held the first concrete-pouring ceremony for its new building to be constructed and for the renovation of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium on December 1, 2022.
The UP Diliman College of Music complex is composed of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium (AHA), the Music Resource Hall (MRC), and the College of Music Main building and Annex building. A newly added structure, the Chamber Music Hall (CMH), is situated at the rear portion of the complex but has already ceased construction, leaving the building incomplete. The AHA, meanwhile, is in dire need of renovation, while the MRC, although recently completed, did not include proper cable management for its data and LAN systems. The existing annex building also needs renovations.
According to a project brief prepared by the UP Office of Design and Planning Initiatives (UP ODPI), the project will include the completion of construction and finishing of the CMH; construction of the path walk and installation of data and LAN for the MRC; renovation of the ceiling and roofing of the Annex Building; renovation of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium; and, construction of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium Extension. The estimated project cost is a little over P90M.
The brief program was attended by: UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, who gave the welcoming remarks; UP College of Music Dean Laverne David C. Dela Pena; Department of Public Works and Highways-Quezon City Second District Engineer Ramon P. Devanadera; and, other UP System and UP Diliman officials as well as officials, faculty and staff of the College of Music. UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell P. Capili served as master of ceremonies.
During the ceremony, Concepcion congratulated the UP College of Music on its continued growth and commitment to nurturing the country’s best talents in music and dance, conducting outstanding research in music and the performing arts, and documenting and promoting the country’s indigenous music and instruments. Likewise, he said, the historic Abelardo Hall, which has seen the performances of many of the country’s premier musicians, including several National Artists, also deserves to be given importance and to prepare it to serve many more generations of UP music students.
