Core Programs

A. Gongster’s Paradise

The only dedicated kulintang festival in North America and serves as a premier platform for Filipino Indigenous music in the United States. The festival honors the legacy of National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow Danny Kalanduyan, recognized as the pioneering force of Filipino American kulintang music.

This biennial concert convenes master artists from the Philippines, Filipinx diasporic artists, emerging culture bearers, and interdisciplinary artists whose work centers Indigenous Filipino sound traditions. The program features both traditional repertoire and innovative compositions that integrate kulintang and other Indigenous instruments into modern genres and experimental forms.

Beyond performance, Gongster’s Paradise advances cultural equity and artistic preservation through artist talks, intergenerational dialogue, and contextual education that address cultural continuity, decolonization, and diasporic identity. The festival increases visibility for underrepresented Filipino-American art forms in California and nationally, providing access for diverse audiences while strengthening pathways for future culture bearers.

B. Uni at Ugat Music Camp

The first and only U.S.-based music camp dedicated specifically to Filipino Indigenous and diasporic music practices. Designed as an immersive, cohort-based experience, the camp brings master artists from the Philippines together with Filipinx American music scholars, composers, and professional practitioners to guide participants in integrating Filipino cultural frameworks into their artistic work.

Serving musicians, composers, educators, and interdisciplinary artists, Uni at Ugat provides intensive workshops, mentorship, composition labs, and community-building sessions grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems. Participants gain training in traditional instruments and repertoire while also exploring contemporary applications across genres including classical, experimental, hip-hop, electronic, and sound art.

The camp strengthens intergenerational transmission, expands access to cultural arts education, and builds a pipeline of artists committed to preserving and evolving Filipino musical traditions. By centering Indigenous and diasporic perspectives, it fosters creative innovation, and long-term community impact within California’s diverse arts ecosystem.