MANILA, Philippines?What?s the Manila Archbishop doing in a roomful of rock musicians?

It?s quite a sight?Wally Gonzalez, Mike Hanopol, JB Leonor, Lourd de Veyra and others bowing their heads as Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales joins them at the press con for ?Fiesta ng Musikang Filipino,? a series of concerts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater from May 2 to 4.

The promoters are donating proceeds to the John Mary Vianney Galilee Development and Retreat Center for Priests in Tagaytay, which explains Rosales? presence.

Inspirational rock

?All music is inspirational,? the Cardinal says. He probably means that even raging punk tunes or indignant protest songs actually aspire for a higher goal.

In any case, a look at the performers? lineup for ?Fiesta? should inspire cheerful thoughts: The Juan de la Cruz Band, backed by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, with guests Sugarfree, Up Dharma Down and violinist Lucia Micarelli (tomorrow); JDC, MPO, The Jerks, Radioactive Sago Project and Micarelli (May 3); and Wally Gonzalez and Friends, Sinosikat? and The Dawn (May 4).

The concept may look chaotic at first glance. How, for instance, would the street-noise guitar licks in JDC?s ?Beep Beep? meld with the MPO?s symphonic passages? Or will the raw, bluesy sound of ?Mamasyal sa Pilipinas? sound as good with violins?

?We?ve done it before,? says Gonzalez. ?Twice, in fact.?

Rock operas

He?s talking about a couple of shows in 1970 that featured the original JDC (with the late Edmund Fortuno on drums, and before Hanopol and Smith joined the band) performing ?Jesus Christ Superstar? and Deep Purple?s ?Concerto? album with Oscar Yatco and Redentor Romero conducting their respective orchestras, also at the CCP.

However, those are rock operas, whose composers (Andrew Lloyd Webber for ?Superstar? and Deep Purple?s Jon Lord for ?Concerto?) had everything down in music sheets. JDC merely interpreted from original works that they heard on records.

This time, how indeed will JDC?s own songs?apparently written with a much less formal approach (although still composed, with guitar chords)?jive with classical musicians who rely on whole, half and quarter notes, and routinely play under the guidance of a conductor?

Not to worry, assures Rodel Colmenar, MPO conductor, who says that, although it?s indeed a challenge, the orchestra?s role is to enhance the original music.

He proceeds to illustrate with an example that excites: ?Himig Natin? will be augmented by Micarelli?s violin.

?That sounds like you?re in heaven,? jokes Gonzalez. (Micarelli provided dramatic flourishes as a guest performer in Josh Groban?s concert at the PICC.)

The younger musicians are simply awed by the thought of playing with Gonzalez, Hanopol and Smith?considered the granddaddies who spawned Pinoy rock.

Dream come true

?As a kid I used to hope I?d get to see the Juan de la Cruz play as a group,? says Leonor. ?I never did, not even the recent reunion concerts. Now I?ll get to play with them, with my own band (The Dawn) to boot. I think it will be a very moving experience for me.?

?It?s like drawing a map to know where we came from and where we are headed? quips De Veyra, who?s a nephew of Hanopol?s. ?My only regret is not getting to see Pepe (who was late for the press con) and the Cardinal sit together.?

Later, De Veyra whispers that his band, Radioactive Sago Project, is set to play Anak Bayan?s ?Jeepney Rock? and a Yoyoy Villame song called ?Trapik.?

Now that sounds like a truly festive blast.

E-mail pconcepcion@inquirer.com.ph