The Roderick Hall Memorial Lectures 2025

MARCHING EMPIRE:
Military Music in the Philippines Under Japanese Rule
with Dr. Felicidad A. Prudente

March 15, 2025 (Saturday)
2:00 – 4:00 PM
Ayala Museum
Limited slots only

TICKETS
P300 Regular | P240 Discounted* | P210 Senior/PWD | P150 Student
With free one-day access to Filipinas Heritage Library valid until April 15, 2025.
*Ayala Group employees, Museum/Library members, cultural workers with valid I.D.

REGISTER NOW

Musicologist Felicidad A. Prudente, Ph.D. explores the role of military music in shaping national identity and propaganda during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1942–1945). Examining the significance of gunka (軍歌) or Japanese military songs, Dr. Prudente will discuss their historical function, cultural impact, and how these compositions were used to instill loyalty and morale among soldiers and civilians alike.

Her lecture will trace the evolution of gunka in Japanese society, its exportation to the Philippines during World War II, and its influence on wartime compositions by Filipino National Artists Felipe de Leon, Sr. and Lucio San Pedro, including those created under the “Bagong Pilipinas” initiative. It will also delve into the broader meanings of military music, reflecting on its role both as an instrument of nationalism and a means of cultural assimilation. Drawing from her extensive field research across the Philippines, Dr. Prudente will provide a nuanced perspective on how military music shaped Filipino experiences during wartime.

The Roderick Hall Memorial Lectures are an annual lecture series to commemorate the longtime patron of Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL), Mr. Roderick Hall. Mr. Hall built The Roderick Hall Collection over the course of his lifetime. Each talk in the lecture series promotes a uniquely Filipino experience of World War II and how the legacy of the war continues to be felt in present times. FHL thanks the Hall family for their continued support.

Dr. Felicidad A. Prudente
Speaker

Felicidad A. Prudente, Ph.D., is a distinguished musicologist specializing in Philippine music. Her research spans indigenous traditions, popular music, and the interplay between sound and cultural identity. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Cordillera region, Mindanao, and the Sulu zone, contributing significantly to the study of Philippine musical heritage. A highlight of her career was her participation in the prestigious Venice Art Biennale in 2022. Currently, she teaches at the UST Graduate School and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) after serving as a Professor of Musicology at the University of the Philippines College of Music.