(1573) MUSIC AND ME (Aug. 16, 2018) D. BANTIGUE -- PIANO TUNER FROM PHILIPPINES

D. BANTIGUE --

PIANO TUNER FROM

PHILIPPINES

From Dec. 12-13, 2001, I tuned and repaired 4 pianos at I Love Music school. The owner of the music school Tua Tmetchul jokingly told me, "So you know how to fix and tune a piano. If I have known you can do that earlier, I shouldn't hired piano tuners from Philippines where I have pay for their airfare, accommodation and service fee."

Ma'am Tua Tmetchul is one of Amante Caballero's employer when he is working at Airai View Hotel.

 Earlier this year, March 09, 2018, I tuned the piano of Ngirai Tmetchul, her son, while teaching Ngirai's daughter Yars piano. I come to their house 2 hours earlier to tune the piano and cancel the lessons.

 Ngirai and his wife left for a few hours and while tuning the piano, I noticed the dates of piano tuning by a tuner from Philippines D. Bantigue. The dates are Oct. 11, 1990; Aug. 28, 1991; Sept. 07, 1992; Oct. 11, 1994; Jan. 03, 1995; Sept. 23, 2004 and my tuning date--March 02, 2018.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- September 20, 2018

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- September 20, 2018

               The History of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               June 09, 2002 -- September 20, 2018

(1550) MUSIC AND ME -321 (June 21, 2018) IN YEAR 2000, 1 GALLON OF GAS IS $0.80 IN PALAU!

    
      ONE GALLON OF GAS IS ONLY
         $0.80 IN PALAU IN 2000

My best friend in Palau for 19 years Amante Caballero told me in 2000 that if I buy gas at Belechel Gas Station, I can have a full tank for $5.00!

Since then until today, the Belechel Gas Station always offer the cheapest gas price in Palau. Their gas station near Marina Hotel (now Landmark Hotel), is where I taught Mr. Belechel and his son Reagan piano...

Taught Reagan Belechel Ngirngebedangel (Palauan) keyboard in June 27, 29, 1999;  January 13, 20, 27, February 03, 10, 11, 18, 25, June 13, 15, 25, 27, 29, July 04, 07, 11, 13, 18, 25, 27, August 01, 08, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24 and 29, 2000. September 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 2001.

Taught Mr. Belechel Ngirngebedangel (Palauan) keyboard in January 26, 28, 1999; February 01, 03, 11, 17, 23, 25, 1999; May 04, 09, 12, 1999; June 13, 15, 25, 1999 & May 08, 2002.

Unfortunately, Mr. Belechel passed away but his gas station still offers the cheapest gas price in Palau...

          A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF MY            KEYBOARD STUDENTS --

                 MR. BELECHEL 

            NGIRNGEBEDANGEL

Although he's just an average student in terms of potential in keyboard playing, but his love for music is very intense. I have to choose the right key and songs to teach him whether it's American or Palauan songs.

I have taught him in 2 different places -- in his office at the same place of his Belechel Store just across the Koror Elementary School and at his house about 3 kilometers away. ***(The place was leased to a Chinese investor in 2016 and became Jing Pin Hotel).

  I taught Mr. Belechel Ngirngebedangel keyboard in January 26, 28, 1999; February 01, 03, 11, 17, 23, 25, 1999; May 04, 09, 12, 1999; June 13, 15, 25, 1999 and the last time on May 08, 2002.

I also taught his son Reagan Belechel Ngirngebedangel keyboard in June 27, 29, 1999;  January 13, 20, 27, February 03, 10, 11, 18, 25, June 13, 15, 25, 27, 29, July 04, 07, 11, 13, 18, 25, 27, August 01, 08, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24 and 29, 2000. After he resumed his studies in USA, I didn't teach him for more than a year and resumed my teaching to him on September 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 2001. 

Mr. Belechel sells the most cheapest gas in Palau so I always put gas in his gas station where you can see him personally pump gas to your car. Although his gasoline station's site is farther than many other stations, it's worth it if you are just a few meters away. At that time, I'm teaching piano to Jasmine Yano in her house, where his gas station is just across the road.

Although he passed away in July 2013, his gas station still sells the most cheapest gas in Palau.

Some of the songs that I taught Mr. Belechel are Spanish Eyes, Beautiful Sunday, Ngesuas, Odesangel, Green, Green Grass of Home, Let Me Be There, Release Me and many others that I can't recall anymore.  

Sources: Music and Me

             By Roberto Hernandez

             Tia Belau Newspaper

             March 2012 -- April 2013

             http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

             April 2013 --September 25, 2015

            Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

            The Beginning of Chess in Palau

            By Roberto Hernandez

            To be published as a book in the future

(1502) MUSIC AND ME (Feb. 08, 2018) $10.00 TIP FROM JASON; $15.00 FROM 2 PALAUAN LADIES ON DEC. 20, 2017

$10.00 TIP FROM JASON;

$15.00 FROM 2

PALAUAN LADIES ON

DEC. 20, 2017

Jason has been a regular guest at Image Restaurant where I worked for 13 years (1992-2004). He likes to sing karaoke there where the mics don't have echo so you really hear your own voice unlike in almost all of the karaoke bars in Palau that too much echo ruined the sound of original voices of those who are singing.

I remember one night that there are no other guests except Jason and me helping him choose other songs that he hadn't tried yet. When I am singing occasionally, he's got time to rest. When I sing the song "Everything I Own" by Bread, he was impressed during the falsetto part of bridge of the song.

More than 20 years since that time, we still greet each other. Five days before Christmas 2017, he brought his daughter to me. I can't resist to take photos of him and the very cute baby which looks like American girl. Later, Jason gave me $10.00 tip while 2 Palauan ladies requested some Palauan songs. They know that I can sing Palauan songs. One of them gave me $10.00 tip as well while the other--$5.00.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- April 03, 2018

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- April 03, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- April 03, 2018

(1492) MUSIC AND ME (Jan. 11, 2018) 1995 NEW YEAR'S EVE COUNTDOWN AT IMAGE RESTAURANT WITH DUO FROM GUAM

DUO FROM GUAM WITH VICTORIA CORITICO AND TONI
     In the mid-1990, Image Restaurant Owner-Manager Margarita Borja-Dalton used to hire musicians from Guam for performance during New Year's Eve countdown. She's got this duo from Guam, where the one at left is flirting with her. Waitress Ma. Victoria Coritico and bartender Antonia Borja had a chance to have a photo with the duo during their performance. (Photo by Ma. Victoria Coritico)



   1995 NEW YEAR'S EVE COUNTDOWN
           AT IMAGE RESTAURANT
           WITH DUO FROM GUAM

EVERY New Year's Eve countdown is special to Image Restaurant and Palau Pacific Resort as they always hire musicians from Guam to perform at their respective places.

It's quite expensive as they have to pay for their airfare (round trip), book them in a hotel or accommodation, and pay their price for performing.

It became a practice for Image and PPR until they realize that they are just breaking even so why not hire local musicians?

In 1995, my employer for 13 years Margarita 'Margie' Borja-Dalton, hired a duo from Guam but me, Wilson Prima (lead guitarist/vocal) and drummer/vocal Willy dela Cruz still play on New Year's eve countdown when they are having breaks.

The duo praised our reggae version of "Can't Help Falling In Love" where we transpose the key from G to G# in the last part of the song. I never heard them do any transposing during their performance.

My alternate pianist in Beverly Hills Deli in Makati City Philippines (1990-1992) Francis Violago can't transpose half step. He prefers to transpose from C to D instead of C to C# where I used to transpose that way since learning to play well.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- March 18, 2018

              Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
              The Beginning of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              Soon to be published as a book

              Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
              Tia Belau Newspaper
              March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
              http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
              April 25, 2013 -- March 18, 2018

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- March 18, 2018

(1457) MUSIC AND ME (Sept. 21, 2017) EMBARRASSING TO TOURISTS

(1448) MUSIC AND ME (Sept. 07, 2017) MORE PHOTOS OF IMAGE RESTAURANT'S STAFF (20 Years Ago--By Victoria Coritico)

The Image Restaurant's Staff in uniform-- left to right-- Antonia Borja (bartender/waitress), Willy dela Cruz (drummer/vocalist -band), Ma. Victoria Estonina (waitress)- she later married cook Romeo Coritico and had 2 daughters Mia and Nikka; Roberto Hernandez--pianist/DJ-band member; Nilda Raquinio-waitress (still in Palau and also receiving SS pension like me); Marvin and Amy Fu.


           Amy Fu came to Palau with Wendy Bu and Candy Chu. They agreed that they will add "ck" to their family name so that it will sound like American.
          Wendy Bu becomes Wendy Buck, Candy Chu becomes Candy Chuck and Amy Fu becomes Amy Fuck... which fits the story when a guest gets very mad at Amy for the delayed food (1 hour for chopped steak) and yelled at her "Fuck you!"
           She answered, "You want to fuck me?"
***(Pardon the language)***



  

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- November 14, 2017

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               To be published as a book in the future

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- November 14, 2017

               The History of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               June 09, 2002 -- November 14, 2017