MISSION

Heart of Music aims to provide healthcare and other social services assistance and resource to all types of struggling musicians while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.



WHO WE ARE

We were incorporated as a non-profit, non-government organization last October 2012.

Music has made all of our lives, and the events in our lives special and memorable. While few find fame and fortune, most musicians remain in the field for their love and passion of music. The choice an individual makes to be a professional musician is one of sacrifice. The average income across the various employment options while accounting for the part time nature of most opportunities is less than 8,000 Php a month and  majority of full time musicians do not have health insurance. Since the 1970s , the explosion of pop and rock bands over the last  30 years saw an artistic and cultural revolution through Pinoy music. While the financial hardship  a musician faces when dealing with illness may be constant, we now face a burgeoning elder population of artists with little or no resources available for such emergency situations.



FOUNDERS

Heart of Music is spearheaded by singer-songwriter Skarlet ( Myra David-Ruaro, former vocalist of Put3Ska, leader of The Brownbeat Allstars & regular featured Singer  of the AMP Bigband/Nonet).

 

Skarlet, while running a nitery called TEN02 where the community of  musicians found a home ,  realized many pressing professional and personal concerns  . Musicians do not enjoy recognition as individual artists but instead are often regarded as part of  the "production crew" so that their role in the music industry is downplayed.

This non-recognition translates into unstable income.  Professional talent fees can go as low as  200 pesos net  per head per  night and contracts to perform do not come regularly. Musicians are casual hires and have no access to healthcare or life/accident/disability protection, retirement benefits and “perks” that regular employees enjoy.  Financial planning and the assurance of financial security for themselves and their families are almost impossible. Both their basic needs and operational expenses for rehearsals, meals and transportation as well as fund requirements for instrument maintenance or repair, are hardly even covered by what they earn.​


With no  long-term industry, government or corporate support, further education and training for professional advancement is made possible only on each individual musician’s initiative and expense. Access to workshops, music clinics, other training tools and materials is possible only when these are offered for free by marketers of music instrument brands and impresarios who bring in foreign talents.

With this described bleak reality, these Pinoy musicians AGE  without any assurance that they will be able to do so decently and respectably, despite the passion and hard work they put into the practice of their profession.



It was singer songwriter activist, Susan Fernandez’s  passing away in 2009 due to cervical Cancer that inspired Skarlet to start the blueprint of HOM.  Leocadio "Cadio" Ferreria,  singer,  have the same idea as Skarlet. Cadio wanted to enroll 50-100 musicians to a private healthcare company Skarlet  convinced Cadio that they should start with getting PHILHEALTH firt because it is more affordable. So she immediately listed down the first 100  musicians and gave it to Cadio. 

 

Inspired by the success of Fete de la Musique in the Philippines, Skarlet approached Ms. Len Francisco to give her pointers in creating an Annual Heart of Music Festival, which will become the flag carrier of the HOM Sustainable Programs. But, again, 2010 wasn't the right time yet.

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When Pinoy Jazz's unsung hero, guitarist Edgar “ Koyang” Avenir, succumbed to Lung Cancer on Aug 2011, Skarlet finally decided to sell Skarlet Jazz Kitchen to found Heart of Music.



Heart Of Music Org. Phil., Inc was launched on January 17, 2013 at the Camp Crame Multi Purpose Center. The 1st Free Musicians' Medical Mission and launch gig was called "MABUHAY, Senyor". 

 

Staff:

Skarlet ( Pres)
Rg Salazar ( VP)
Gou de Jesus ( Secretary)

Mary Jane Abejuro (Office Assistant)



Board Members:

Skarlet
Rg Salazar
Gou de Jesus

Julius Alip
Butch Saulog
Cadio (deceased)
 

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