Research:

He is the editor of Saysay Himig: A Sourcebook on Philippine Music History, 1880-1941, published by the University of the Philippines Press: 2018, finalist at the National Book Award 2019; and the curator of the three-volume CD compilation entitled Saysay Himig: An Anthology of Transcultural Filipino Music, 1880-1941, released in 2017. Among his published articles are: “Patronage and Capitalism in the Musical Associations of Late Nineteenth-Century Colonial Manila” in the Malaysian Journal of Music in 2019; “Capitalism and Mode of Production in the Printing of the First Tagalog Music Theory Book” in Philippine Modernities: Music, Performing Arts, and Language, 1880-1941, edited by José S. Buenconsejo, published by the UP Press in 2017 and winner of the National Book Award in 2018; “Reproduction of Cultural and Social Capital in Nineteenth Century Spanish Regimental Bands of the Philippines” in Humanities Diliman in 2014; “Nasyonalismo at Pagkakakilanlan sa Musika ng Iglesia Filipina Independiente: Pagsusuri sa Misa Balintawak ni Bonifacio Abdon” in Saliksik E-Journal in 2014; “Approaching a Post-Colonial Identity in the Music of Lucrecia R. Kasilag” in Musika Jornal 10 in 2015; “The Academy of Music of Manila: A Legacy of Cosmopolitan Liberality” in CAS Review in 2003; “Finding the Filipino Spirit in Music” in Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining in 2014; “Nurturing the Filipino Youth Towards a Culture of Excellence” in the Proceedings of the UP Diliman-wide Extension Colloquium in 2014; and “The Status and Influence of a Philippine Town Maestro, Don Lorenzo Ilustre of Ibaan, Batangas (Philippines)” in the Proceedings of the 2nd Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Performing Arts of Southeast Asia in 2013. He also wrote the historical essay entitled “Music in the Fifth Philippine Republic (1986-present)” and a number of articles in the new edition of the CCP Encyclopedia of the Arts: Music volume, published in 2018.

His dissertation entitled Music, Labor, and Capitalism in Manila’s Transforming Colonial Society in the Late Nineteenth Century, May 2018, focuses on the commodification of music and musical labor in the final decades of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. It was accorded the Second Honorary Mention in the International Musicological Society’s Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2020.

Paper Presentations:

He has presented papers in national and international conferences. Among which are the Intercongressional Symposium: Agency and Identity in Music of the International Musicological Society in Lucerne, Switzerland in 2019; Philippine Studies Association 2018 National Conference: 2018; 5th ICTM Study Group on Performing Arts of Southeast Asia in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: 2018; 44th International Council for Traditional Music World Conference in Limerick, Ireland: 2017; 9th International Convention of Asia Scholars in Adelaide, Australia: 2015; 42nd International Council for Traditional Music World Conference in Shanghai, China: 2013; and at the 2nd Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Performing Arts of Southeast Asia in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines: 2012.

Awards/Accomplishments:

Arwin is the choirmaster of Novo Concertante Manila, a 4-time “Ani ng Dangal” awardee from the National Commission for Culture and Arts for their achievements in international choral competitions (Spittal an der Drau, Austria; Torrevieja, Spain; Miedzyzdroje, Poland; Gorizia, Italy; Guangzhou, China; Phuket, Thailand; etc.), and is currently ranked no. 3 among the Top 1000 Mixed Choirs of the World by Interkultur, Germany. He has sung with the Philippine Madrigal Singers from 1998-2002, under the late National Artist, Prof. Andrea O. Veneracion. He is actively propagating the choral arts through giving workshops in many parts of the Philippines and other countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and Germany, and he has sat as juror in many national and international choral competitions. He was awarded an “Ani ng Dangal” by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2013 for winning the Most Outstanding Conductor Award in the 2012 Asia Cantate International Choral Competition. Arwin served as the Chairman of the Choir Category at the 2014 and 2017 National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA), and he has been the Musical Director of the Civil Service Commission National Choral Competition since 2015. He is one of the founding directors of the Philippine Choral Directors Association. In 2020, he became one of the seven advisory board members of Choralspace—a newly founded international academy for choral arts based in Berlin, Germany.

He was conferred the U.P. Artist Award for the years 2013-2015 (as Artist I) and 2016-2018 (as Artist II), and a recipient of the International Publications Award from the OVPAA in 2015 and 2020. In 2020, he delivered a lecture as a recipient of the Metro Manila Commission Professorial Chair Award.