Paskuhan director apologizes for cutting off performers during concert

THE DIRECTOR of the Paskuhan 2016 concert has apologized to performers whose performances were cut during the festivities last Dec. 16.

In a statement posted on the Tomasian Cable Television’s official Facebook page, Faye Martel, who has been directing the Paskuhan program for eight years, said she was taking full responsibility for the incident and that she had personally apologized to the bands.

“[A]s Director for the program, I take full responsibility for any inconvenience this may have inflicted on the bands concerned. I have personally apologized to the band and I am hoping that the parties involved would find it in their hearts to forgive me for hurting their feelings,” the statement read.

Martel, a broadcast industry veteran who teaches at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, explained that a day before the concert, organizers received notice from the administration saying that the concert would be transferred indoors to the Quadricentennial Pavilion from the Grandstand, as there was a significant chance of rain.

They were also instructed that everyone should go out of the pavilion by 8:30 p.m. for the fireworks display. Martel said production staff informed the performers that they would be limited to three songs to fit the schedule.

“I knew that it would not sit well with the bands, but it was a necessary tactic to meet the conditions given by the administration,” Martel said.

In a previous report by the Varsitarian, Gracenote band vocalist Eunice Jorge expressed her disappointment with the treatment they got. Their mic was cut off in the middle of their performance.

But Martel said “the decision was not a personal attack against Gracenote.”

“It could have been any other band. In fact, I regret having to execute that order against Gracenote,” she said.

Martel assured Thomasians the lessons from the incident would be taken into consideration for next year’s Paskuhan.

The Paskuhan concert has long been part of the annual Christmas festivities of the University. Besides Gracenote, the concert featured performances from Thomasian bands Autotelic, MilesExperience, La Luna and other musical acts such as Jensen & the Flips, The Ransom Collective, Moonstar88 and surprise guest Yeng Constantino.