We have always been proud that we were superior to other Asians in the field of music. Until the 1970s, and even into the 1980s, Filipino bands dominated the Asian music scene. We began to believe that it was something innate in the Filipino soul that made us musically superior to other Asians. But I saw no Filipino musician make it in the biggest music market in the world. In the field of jazz, Japanese pianists made it in the U.S. (Toshiko Akiyoshi and Keiko Matsui), one Filipino (Bobby Enriquez) almost made it but not quite. Why?—Hector Santos

H ector Santos is the venerable Los Angeles, California-based historian and writer. He is a cofounder and cochairman of the Philippine History Group of Los Angeles, which was founded in 1995. He maintains also the website, www.bibingka.com. He writes occasionally for this website.

On Aug. 22, 2009, this website published an essay by Ka Hector in which the lead paragraph of this instant article was lifted. To read his essay in its entirety, please click on this link,

Are Filipinos Really Musically Superior to Other Asians?

This website published also our report on the first-ever Filipino symphony orchestra in the United States, as per this hyperlink,

Asian Journal Foundation Presents the Fil-Am Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Concert on July 10 at Pasadena

We will request the Asian Journal Foundation to invite Ka Hector Santos to the July 10, 2010, concert of the FASO. Perhaps Ka Hector may write a follow-up article about the musical talents of Filipino Americans, as demonstrated by the FASO members. This writer bets that the FASO will prove Hector Santos wrong.

Filipino Americans have to watch the “FASO Goes to the MOVIES” on July 10, 2010, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in order to be able to agree or disagree with Ka Hector’s hypothesis. The curtain opens at 7:00 p.m., sharp. # # #