I had the joy of returning to Kecskemét, Hungary, during the first two weeks of August for the International Kodály Society Symposium held on August 4–8. Visiting the renovated Kodály Institute was refreshing, and spending a day at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where I studied years ago, was a moving, nostalgic experience.

The symposium was filled with excellent presentations and performances, and it was heartwarming to reconnect with colleagues and friends from around the world. Congratulations to the organizers for such a successful event!

On August 5, I presented my workshop, “From Fieldwork to Classroom: Developing Philippine Music Resources for Teaching,” alongside my colleagues from the László Vikár International Folk Music Research Forum. My biggest challenge was fitting a lifetime work into just 40 minutes—but the participants’ energy and engagement made it worthwhile.

In my session, I shared examples from my fieldwork in the Philippines and invited participants to listen, sing, and move with the materials. My goal was to show how these resources can enrich music teaching while preserving our cultural heritage.

I left Hungary feeling grateful—for the chance to share my work, for the friendships rekindled, and for the realization that while our musical traditions are diverse, the shared goal of nurturing meaningful connections through music unites us all.