annapurna

Djotay started folk singing in the 70’s. For a time, he also did research on Aeta music under the Visayas Studies Program of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas. He decided to live with different indigenous communities all over the country until the late 1980s in his desire to learn more fully about their respective music. Afterwards, he joined several bands doing regular gigs as well as occasional concerts.
Aside from his band involvements, Djotay worked as a freelance studio musician for film soundtracks working for Kidlat Tahimik’s “Furious Yellow”; Charlie Fugunt’s “Bamboo documentation”; and Peque Gallaga’s “Anak ng Aswang.” He was also hired as a video director by the Cebu-based IPI International Pharmaceutical Incorporated for a commercial shoot on some of the company’s products.
Delving more deeply into music, Djotay started the Experimental Resource Lab at the Silliman University Divinity School in 1995, which was used in an advanced music study course by students. He put up the first direct-to-hard-disk recording system in the Visayas at Silliman University that same year. At the SU Divinity School, he also taught and/or facilitated the following major subjects: acoustic ecology; ethnomusicology; psychoacoustic; composition; and music production.
Djotay is presently a studio musician and a soundscape artist.

Mark Alcalde, whose professional name is Nonoy Alcalde, is originally from Bacolod City but now calls Manila home, where he currently works as a freelance musician, painter and craftsman.
Nonoy’s past musical collaborations had been mainly with Neo Ethnic Performers among whom were Grace Nono, Bob Aves, and Riza Regis. He was also a former member of two successful Neo Ethnic Bands—Pinikpikan and Waling-Waling. He was the founder and leader of Waling-Waling, who had come out with two critically successful albums: Dakilang Layunin (1992); and Earthflight (1998 Awit Awards Nominee for Best Alternative Album). In addition, Nonoy collaborated with the following musical recordings: Pinikpikan’s Attas and Metronomad; Grace Nono’s Isang Buhay; Bob Aves’s Inner Country; and Riza Regis’s Crystal Healing.
As a painter, Nonoy specializes in Abstract Expressionism. His works had been variously exhibited, along with those of other painters, at the Metropolitan Museum in Manila, Tam-awan Village in Baguio, and Galeri Kamarikutan in Palawan.

Formation of Annapurna:

Annapurna was formed in the process of continuing a collaborative effort by two Bacolod-born musicians, Djotay Soluta and Nonoy Alacalde. In 2006, Djotay and Nonoy, together with other Dumaguete- and Bacolod-based musicians, staged in Dumaguete City a No-to-Violence Concert entitled “Ahimsamismo.” The musicians were then collectively named “Monsoon Forest.” After about a year, Nonoy (who resides in Manila) expressed desire to once more come up with a Monsoon Forest concert; unfortunately, staging a concert was no longer possible for the group. Instead, Djotay decided to relocate to Manila from Dumaguete City to set up a home recording studio so the two of them could work together on other musical projects. Both excitedly interacted with each other in an initial experimental project, which they dubbed The Annapurna Experience. Annapurna is the name of the tenth highest mountain peak in the Himalayas, which is believed to be the crown chakra of the Earth. It is the name of the goddess of abundance in Hindu as well. The first conceptual album under The Annapurna Experience is entitled Kundalini Rising.