Covers of songs always go viral but no one expected this new one featuring a well-loved OPM (Original Pilipino Music) song to catch so many people’s attention.
Now viral is a video posted on Tuesday featuring the rondalla band of the Fortunato F. Halili National High School in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. In it, the students perform the song Mundo (World), by popular pop rock band IV of Spades.
Netizens have been raving about the rendition but don’t take their word for it — watch the band below.
Unlike the original, this version does not include any singing and focuses on the instruments. The rondalla, a medieval Spanish stringed instrument, also provided a distinct — dare we say, almost magical — sound.
Perhaps because of its distinct sound, the performance has gone viral and has been viewed more than 41,900 times and shared close to 900 times.
Coconuts Manila interviewed the band’s arranger and rondalla teacher, Marco Ignacio, through Facebook messenger. He said he chose Mundo because he knew it would sound good when played using the rondalla.
The band, which consists of more than 30 people, were taught how to read music using the solfeggio method by another teacher.
Ignacio said: “I chose Mundo because of its good melodic structure and quite challenging lead guitar part. [I knew] it would sound good on the rondalla as you can see on the video.”
A graduate of the prestigious University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music, he said they’ve been getting a lot of positive reactions for this performance.
“Feedback from almost everybody was positive, but I am much more surprised that some people even tell me [that] they wish that more schools would have a rondalla group and they wished they could hear more rondalla renditions of modern OPM songs,” he said.
Other than Mundo, the band also plays other OPM hits such as Moira dela Torre’s controversial Titibo-Tibo (literally “Appearing like a lesbian”) and Kiss Me, Kiss Me by Sarah Geronimo.
Netizens love the students’ performance. Kru Bryan thought they were amazing.
Andre Maullon was impressed, too. He wrote: “Amazing! Damn it, I can’t even sing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song. Kudos!”
Skieh Faustino wrote: “So amazing! I want this to be played in my wedding.”
Jenly Alinio thought they should have a concert with IV of Spades. She wrote: “I thought if IV of Spades has a concert you can perform together. I[t] would be phenomenal.”
IV of Spades, the band that wrote Mundo, owes much of its fame to the song.
A video of them performing it for a radio station’s YouTube channel continues to rake in views — now more than 90 million — even though it was posted way back in March.
What do you think of the rondalla band’s performance? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @CoconutsManila.
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