Triple Fret

A couple of years ago, I was having late afternoon drinks with a friend in Manila Hotel’s Tap Room Bar. I was engaged in discussion when live music started playing. On stage were 3 ladies… one of whom was Marga Abejo – a lady I already know to be a talented musician and a sorority sister of mine. My goodness! It was Triple Fret! 

I immediately posted it on Instagram then. I had already known of Triple Fret at that time, but they were still just rising stars then. Besides the music and the undeniable hottness of these three women, I loved the name. “Triple Fret”… it’s just so edgy and catchy!

Since then, Triple Fret seemed to be all over. I would here of gigs abroad, fantastic receptions at different concerts and I think even some product endorsements. They were a hit at 3rd International Guitar Festival, performed at the Pasinaya Festival, participated in the 1st Philippine Jazz and Blues Festival, and wowed the ecclectic crowds in the long-running Fete dela Musique.

This sexy, talented and entertaining trio has taken classical guitar music into mainstream. Possessed with the desire to educate and entertain, the ladies of Triple Fret are driven by their mastery and love of their music. I mean, just look at them (and try not to be intimidated by their impressive bios):

JENNY 

Jenny  de  Vera  began  her  love  affair  with  the  guitar  at  age  12  and  by  age  15  had  progressed  to  the  classical  guitar.  Under  the  auspices  of  Prof.  Lester  Demello,  Jenny  became  the  first  female  to  graduate  Bachelor  of  Music  Major  in  Guitar  at  the  University  of  the  Philippines  College  of  Music.  She  was  a  soloist  for  the  UP  Guitar  Orchestra  and  one  of  her  most  memorable  performances  includes  her  Philippine  Premiere  of  Handel’s  Harp  Concerto  in  A  Major  for  Guitar  and  Guitar  Orchestra.  After  her  graduation,  Jenny  recorded  her  first  CD  entitled  “Guitar  Journey”  where  all  proceeds  went  to  the  “Adopt  a  Lumad  Child  to  School”  project  of  the  Tri-Peoples  Concern  for  Peace,  Progress  and  Development  of  Mindanao  (TRICOM),  Inc.  She  has  performed  all  over  the  Philippines  and  Thailand  and  had  masterclasses  with  Flavio  Cucchi,  Tomonori  Arai,  Steve  Lin  and  Angelo  Favis.  At  present,  she  is  teaching  at  the  UP  College  of  Music  Extension  Program  and  at  the  Miriam  College  Center  for  Applied  Music.

IQUI

Angelica  Asuncion  “Iqui”  B.  Vinculado  is  a  cum  laude  graduate  of  the  University  of  Santo  Tomas  Conservatory  of  Music  major  in  Classical  Guitar  Performance  under  the  supervision  of  Prof.  Arthur  Erskine  Basilio.  She  was  an  active  member  of  various  groups  featured  under  USTCM  for  almost  six  years,  namely-‐-‐  the  UST  Guitar  Ensemble  under  the  tutelage  of  Prof.  Alberto  Mesa,  the  USTeMundo  Ethnic  Ensemble  under  the  tutelage  of  Ms.  Theresa  Montes,  24  Strings  Guitar  Quartet,  and  the  UST  Guitar  Quartet.  She  is  also  an  experienced  performer  at  disnguished  venues  in  different  events  like  the  Annual  Sampung  Mga  Daliri  Concert  held  at  the  Cultural  Center  of  the  Philippines  (CCP)  where  she  performed  as  a  singer,  guitarist  and  a  percussionist  all  in  a  single  event,  and  at  the  UST  Conservatory  of  Music  Winners’  Concert  last  February  2009  which  featured  students  who  won  various  compeons  in  the  Philippines.  In  the  said  event,  she  won  first  prize  in  the  “Komposisyong  Kwerdas”  for  her  interpretation  of  the  winning  piece  “Sa  Kanyang  Sinapupunan”  by  Kim  Nimrod  Cruz,  which  also  premiered  at  the  Philam  Life  Auditorium.  She  aended  Masterclasses  with  Rafael  Nera,    Angelito  Agcaoilli,  Agusn  Avila,  Meng-‐Feng  Su,  Tomonori  Arai,  Rafael  Serrallet,  Joseph  Mirandilla,  Steve  Lin,  and  Shin-‐ichi  Fukuda. 

MARGA

Marga  Abejo  started  playing  guitar  at  16.    In  between  breaks,  she  learned  how  to  play  guitar  with  the  help  of  some  classmates.  She  then  enrolled  in  the  UP  extension  program  in  third  year  high  school  under  Barney  Fojas.  After  that,  classical  guitar  became  her  favorite  medium  of  expression.  Marga  graduated  from  DCPMA-‐BM  Music  Educaon  (classical  guitar  concentraon)  in  the  UP  College  of  Music.  She  was  trained  in  guitar  concentration  by  Professor  Lester  Demello  and  Maestro  Jose  Valdez.  Currently,  she  is  under  the  guidance  of  Carsten  Linck.  She  was  given  the  opportunity  to  travel  and  play  with  the  UP  Guitar  Orchestra,  as  well  as  participate  in  guitar  festivals  abroad  and  in  the  Philippines.  She  has  also  written  a  guitar  method  book  entled  “String  Theory:  A  Classical  Guitar  Book  For  Kids  and  Kids  At  Heart”  which  she  presented  in  a  lecture  concert  in  the  UP  School  of  Economics.  In  this  concert,  she  trained  high  school  students  from  the  Makabata  Foundaon  to  play  in  a  classical  guitar  ensemble. She  wishes  that  one  day,  she  will  make  a  posive  impact  for  change  on  naonal  educaon,  arts,  and  literacy.

These days, they’re busy preparing for their album launch and send-off concert. On May 30, 2014, at the Ayala Museum, Triple Fret will unravel to the world their first album, “Gitara Filipina”, a compilation of Filipino classics and other classical guitar favorites by Vivaldi, Bizet and Bellinati to name a few. The affair will double as their send-off concert-party for their European Tour which starts this June and ends in August. The highlight of their tour will be their performance at the Guitarra Festival in Siguenza, Spain on July 26, 2014. The Festival is a prestigious event to be attended by some of the world’s best guitarists, guitar-makers and other music performers, and is hosted by world-renowned guitar-maker Jose Romanillos. The tour will also take them to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg and other countries where they hope to promote Filipino music.

It’s quite a feat to make classical guitar music an “in” thing during these times, but these women have done so with all the flare, poise and class of true artists. We wish them all the luck and congratulate them on their continuing success!