• A Visayan / Cebuano word for PRAISE or GLORY
• It is also how Alvin Barcelona calls his music and his band of professional

Backgrounder

Alvin was already on stage even before he started his schooling. The Barcelona’s of Misamis Oriental were veteran stage personalities, mostly actors and comedians, singers and dancers, while relatives from Alvin’s mother side were schooled musicians. Alvin became strongly inclined to music learning to play the guitar even before learning to fly a kite. He was a perennial songwriting contestant in his high school and college years, winning most of them. Alvin is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the guitar, keyboard, flute, percussions and ethnic instruments, and a versatile singer dishing out songs from reggae to rap, revivals to rock, inspirational to praise and worship.
                                   

Alvin has long been introduced as a front act of the legendary Filipino international folk singer, Freddie Aguilar. Though Alvin was already slowly earning a name in music then - writing political jingles to winning candidates including Obet Pagdanganan and Josie de la Cruz, composing school hymns, producing and directing concerts of big names like Josephine “Banig” Roberto, the AMO Band, Heber Bartolome, Francis Magalona, Joey Ayala, and Andrew E. – it was indeed Ka Freddie who gave Alvin a real taste of the professional music world. With the most valuable and personal help of Maritess Aguilar (Ka Freddie’s sister) and husband Abraham Rey-Hipolito (Ka Freddie’s lead guitarist in his Watawat band – and one of the best guitarists in the country), Alvin was given a shot at the professional music industry.

Performances

Either as front act for Freddie Aguilar with Alvin’s band/s (Tribe, Lynx, Ayo, Himaya) or as session percussionist for Maegan (Freddie’s extraordinarily talented daughter), Alvin went on performing at music venues which every local aspiring musician would dream of setting foot such as at Ka Freddie’s Music Bar, Bistro 70’s, Mayric’s, Hobbit’s House, Freedom Bar, Campo, Ratsky’s, Hard Rock Café, Music Museum, CCP Theater, etc.

Alvin started rubbing elbows while sharing stage with the likes of Joey Pepe Smith, Mike Hanopol, Ed Fortuno, Florante, Rey Valera, Lolita Carbon, Coritha, DJ Alvaro, Kuh Ledesma, Cookie Chua, Spy, K.O. Jones, Grupong Pendong, Introvoys, Color It Red, Tropical Depression, Rizal Underground, Razorback, True Faith and more.

Alvin sessioned as ethnic flutist in Maegan Aguilar’s album, “Sige Lang, Sige!”, as percussionist in Ogie Alcasid’s album, “A Different Light”, and other album sessions.

Alvin even tagged along with Freddie’s Centennial Tour in Europe, with performances in Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden and Denmark, traveling with and learning from the Watawat Band members - all respected names in the music industry – guitarist Abraham Rey-Hipolito, bassist Rey Nuñez, sax player Pete Canson, sound engineer Mario Magsino and others. Since then, Alvin’s musicality has never been the same.

Now, Alvin brings in all these musical experiences and foundation to his music company –