Inspired by a two-month stay in the Philippines as part of University of the Pacific’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Julianna Meneses ’25 performed an original composition, “Meditation on a Homecoming,” along with another original piece for her senior recital in the Conservatory of Music. 

“Studying at Pacific has been really good for my specific research interest, which is Tinggian music and dance in Abra, Philippines,” Meneses said. “What really helped me was the small class sizes, being able to talk with my professors one-on-one.”  

During her time in the Philippines, Meneses conducted research, met scholars and produced a video of her experiences.

Researching the history and culture of music wasn’t originally the plan for Meneses, who has been playing double bass since the sixth grade. She enrolled in Pacific as a music education major, intending to teach in the Oakland and Richmond area where she played in the Young People’s Symphony Orchestra. 

But there was another interest that drew her to Pacific. 

“I was also very interested in the Filipino community here,” Meneses said. “I really wanted to become involved or at least be around those communities because I grew up in an area where there were not that many people that looked like me. Coming here made me feel at home and helped me establish my own identity.”

Meneses credits Professor Kumiko Uyeda with helping her find a way to combine her interests. During her first semester, Meneses took “Music of the World’s People” with Uyeda where she learned about the field of ethnomusicology. 

“It made me realize, ‘oh, I can study indigenous Filipino music, and it can be seen as a legitimate scholarly thing.’ After that, there was no going back,” Meneses said. 

To focus her studies on ethnomusicology, Meneses switched majors to a Bachelor of Arts in music, which provides flexibility with electives, and rounded it out with a minor in ethnic studies.

Leading up to the summer of 2024, Meneses applied for Pacific’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship supports faculty-mentored student research by providing a stipend, housing allowance and funds for research supplies.

With the funding in hand, Meneses set off for a busy two months in the Philippines. While there, she did archival research and attended an international academic conference focused on traditional performing arts.

Most of her trip, around five or six weeks, was spent in the province of Abra where she learned about local musical traditions through interviews and hands-on musical practice.

“I played the gongs with people,” Meneses said. “I learned about bamboo musical instruments and different singing traditions. The technique is called ‘participant observation.’ That was a big help to learning what I know now.”

Meneses plans to continue promoting indigenous performance in the future.

“I plan on joining Parangal Dance Company in San Francisco,” she said. “They focus on promoting and uplifting indigenous music and dance from the Philippines. They also perform some of the more Spanish-influenced dances as well as dances associated with national Filipino identity.”