Indie folk-pop band Ben&Ben, together with the Philippine Popular Music Festival or PhilPop, will train 30 tribal students of the Bukidnon State University on how to preserve and promote indigenous music in a workshop next month.

The Central Mindanao University in Maramag, Bukidnon will be one of the venues of the workshop, Rod Bolivar, the BukSU information focal person, said.

The workshop is part of the band’s non-profit organization, Puhon and PhilPop’s “Sounds Like Change” project, which aims to empower young tribal artists with talents and potential in music and enrich indigenous music for nation-building.

“The beauty of this workshop is a cross-learning experience. We’re trying our best to get brilliant participants and artists to create songs to popularize the culture embedded in music and be shared by many. Both the students and the mentors (PhilPop artists) can share learning from each other,” Miguel Benjamin Guico, one of the twin brothers who form the band, told the Philippine News Agency.

The Benjamins visited BukSU in Malaybalay City on Wednesday to discuss the project with IP artist students under the Bukidnon Studies Center.

BSC Director Loreta Sol Dinlayan said the project is a rich experience for sharing knowledge and receiving new ones.

“We are thankful because we are working hard to promote and share our culture with the world. We are finding a partnership with you through music,” she said, referring to Ben&Ben.        WITH PNA