MANILA, Philippines – Long before he performed in concert halls and symphony orchestras overseas, Ian Resurreccion played music on the streets of Alfonso, Cavite.
The first saxophone he held was not his own. Like many children in his hometown’s marching band, San Miguel Banda 8, he practiced using worn-out instruments passed from one player to another — some dented and some with missing parts.
Still, those battered instruments changed the course of his life.
Today, Resurreccion, now based in Texas, is helping ensure that the next generation begins with better opportunities than he did.
Every now and then, Resurreccion packs a balikbayan box with second-hand musical instruments bound for his hometown.
