Friday, March 29, 2013

JM De Guzman’s Tensionado Album Launch

JM De Guzman

I’ve encountered JM De Guzman a few times during the past two Cinemalaya film festivals. What struck me odd was that I have yet to see JM in a theater role or see him perform live as a recording artist. The time finally came for the latter as I was able to see JM De Guzman, live and accompanied by a four piece band as he launched his sophomore album, Tensionado, via a short show at TriNoma Activity Area.

At the show, JM performed cuts from the album Tensionado, released by Ivory Music & Video. He started out with a relaxed and easy going rendition of Akin Ka Na Lang which is the album’s carrier single. Right from the beginning, JM’s dedicated fans club who call themselves Hukbong JM were all out in their support and provided constant screams that were heard not just throughout the entire performance area but also at the surrounding stores at the mall.


The screaming went on when JM literally carried on to the stage one very giddy female fan who probably got one of the most memorable moments of her life as she was serenaded by JM himself with Tensionado, the album’s title track. I admit that I got a bit worried that she might faint on stage but thankfully she didn’t. One of the guest artists during the show was Suy who joined JM for the song Terrified. Jayke Reyes and Kaligta served as the opening acts for the album launch. It pleased me a lot when JM performed with a live band and not just with a backing track. This proved that he isn't just one of those actors who think that they can sing but couldn't and would just rely on their popularity to sell records. Besides, JM has a solid theater background and has starred in Dulaang UP's Orosman at Zafira which is a musical.


Listening to the album, I noticed that after the mid-tempo Akin Ka Na Lang that featured Jaq Dionisio of Kiss Jane, things slow down and never pick up. The rest of the tracks are made up of slow, introspective and rather sedate ballads. The album is loaded with covers ranging from recent hits like Terrified, songs from a few years back like Tensionado and songs from more than a decade ago like Lost in Space, Have I Told You Lately and Don’t Give Up on Us. The album also offers two of JM’s original compositions namely Warrior and Stupidest and they are not the most cheerful of tracks. In fact, the album feels like there are gray clouds hovering above, probably reflecting a challenging time in JM’s life right now, hence the title Tensionado.


For someone like JM who has made out of the box career moves like the independent films he has appeared in for Cinemalaya and also in his theater work, this second album Tensionado, feels too safe and very much in the mainstream for me. Lastly, I wish for JM to cheer up, even for a bit.

Tensionado, released by Ivory Music & Video is now available in record stores nationwide. Akin Ka Na Lang and the rest of the tracks are also available for download via MyMusicStore Philippines. Mobile phone users can also get JM’s music by typing JM to 3456 for Globe and Smart subscribers. Sun subscribers can get it by typing JM to 2346.


Tensionado

Tracks:
1. Akin Ka Na Lang
2. Have I Told You Lately
3. Tensionado
4. Warrior
5. Terrified
6. Lost in Space
7. Stupidest
8. Don’t Give Up on Us

Monday, March 25, 2013

Isabelle de Leon’s LoveZone Bloggers’ Conference

Isabelle de Leon

It was during the 25th Awit Awards when I first saw Isabelle de Leon, an unassuming young woman, clad in a checkered shirt, who brimmed with excitement as she took to the stage as one of the evening’s performers. Isabelle sang a song called Feelingero while accompanying herself with a guitar. At that time, both Isabelle and the song didn’t ring a bell so I figured out that she’s probably a new artist and that the song was an original composition. Then I started hearing more about her and was stunned when I learned that this Isabelle was actually the child actress who portrayed Duday from the defunct series Daddy Di Do Du. I finally get to meet Isabelle in person and got to know more about her when she welcomed members of the press over at Polyeast Records in time with the release of her debut album LoveZone.


LoveZone is an EP made up of six, new and original tracks written by Isabelle herself. When asked during the conference if she ever considered doing a cover in order to break into the music scene with a familiar tune, Chito Ilagan, Polyeast Records' A&R Manager responded that Isabelle has come up with such strong material that covers were no longer needed. The album does boast of strong material led by 1 Week to Move On with its catchy chorus that is now heard on radio. She sang this song along with the some of the tracks from the album during the conference. She even obliged to give an encore and sang while playing the guitar Paramore’s The Only Exception proving that she’s the real deal. I always believe that it is a lot easier for singers to cross over into acting than for actors to dabble into recording. And most of these actors rely on their popularity and established fan base to carry them through. But Duday can really sing and is indeed a musician.


Despite the lean album of only six tracks, Isabelle revealed that she has written 25 songs so far and that the six that ended up being recorded were chosen based on the album’s theme of love. She also mentioned that Feelingero was the first song she ever composed and that she was thrilled that this was included in the album.

Since the conference, I’ve listened to the CD numerous times and I find Feelingero, 1 Week to Move On and Friend Zone a bit juvenile since they tackle love among the younger crowd. But I remembered that Isabelle, at eighteen years old, is still a teenager and it’s only normal and proper for her to write songs that appeal to her age group which also makes her current. The other three tracks, Alice Wonders, Pag-Ibig Ko’y Sa ‘Yo and Sa Yakap Mo show a mature side of her and they appeal to the Adult Contemporary market which is where I’m leaning towards to. Then again, with just six tracks, I find LoveZone extremely short and wish that there were more songs in it.


Isabelle de Leon’s LoveZone, released by Polyeast Records, is now available in record stores nationwide. 1 Week to Move On and the rest of the tracks can also be downloaded at MyMusicStore Philippines and in iTunes. Isabelle de Leon’s bloggers’ conference was made possible by Polyeast Records with special thanks to Pony, Hairshaft Salon and Outdoor Products.


LoveZone

Tracks:
1. Feelingero
2. 1 Week to Move On
3. Alice Wonders
4. Pag-Ibig Ko’y Sa ‘Yo
5. Sa Yakap Mo
6. Friend Zone

Friday, March 22, 2013

D’ Wonder Twins of Boac

Cris Villonco

I thought that I was going to miss it but thankfully, I was able to catch a matinee performance of D’ Wonder Twins of Boac during its final weekend. This production was the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s final offering for their 45th Theater Season that had the theme of No Screen Bigger than Theater.

Watching this play gave me a chance to see Cris Villonco tackle a role that is much different from what I’ve seen from her before. She is without a doubt one of the most reliable theater actresses right now. But of late, I’ve been seeing her in productions that had her playing the ingénue. I really want to see her stretch a bit and my yearning got stronger when I read that she was able to do challenging roles before. Sadly, I failed to see those.

In D’ Wonder Twins of Boac, Cris played the role of Viola, who had high hopes of becoming a movie star in Manila along with her twin brother Bastian. But they got separated during their trip and she ended up as a beggar in Manila. Opportunities were scarce and she lost her drive since she felt incomplete without her twin. But she still tried pursuing her showbiz aspirations as a man (since that was what a major film studio needed). If only things were that simple in show business. Soon after, Viola (now acting up as Cesar) gets involved in a muddy and complicated love/business acquisition between Campanilla Pictures’ Doc Orsino Villar and rival BLV Studios’ Donya Olivia Nepomuceno. The situation was a bit similar to Repertory PhilippinesLeading Ladies but Cris now get to be the schemer instead of the one getting duped.

During the matinee show that I was able to watch the roles of Olivia Nepomuceno and Doc Orsino Villar were played by Gail Billones and Lex Marcos respectively. I think that Chrome’s character Bastian was underutilized but his scenes with Riki Benedicto’s Antonio that had homoerotic tendencies drew giggles from the audience made up of students.

I felt that this play penned by Rody Vera and Maribel Legarda did a good job in maintaining the 1960’s vibe without making things dated. The references mentioned were a bit tricky since jokes that relied heavily on people, places and events from that era could easily fall flat since the current audience may not get it. One joked that worked was the dismissal of a certain singer known as Nora Aunor saying that she had no future in the Philippine entertainment industry. Well, everyone knows that Nora Aunor became the Superstar and is now considered as one of the best actresses in the country today. The arena setup with the audience situated on all four sides of the theater made the experience a bit voyeuristic and so typical of Philippine showbiz today. And it made it more exciting for the audience since this play depended much on what the audience know that the characters didn’t.

The music in this D’ Wonder Twins of Boac, composed and arranged by musical director Jeff Hernandez encompassed the various genres that were popular during that day. Rock and roll, the girl groups and the grand production numbers of musicals in film were captured through the music that was supported by a four piece band. The inclusion of live musicians that played along with a backing track, gave an added dimension and depth to the music.

Another season for PETA has wrapped up and I am pleased to be able to see two of their offerings: Bona and D’ Wonder Twins of Boac. I now wait what their upcoming season has in store for theater enthusiasts in here. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Bojan Z, An Evening of French Jazz

Bojan Z

The Ayala Museum was once again the most happening place during the Philippine International Jazz Festival when the Embassy of France to the PhilippinesAlliance Française de Manille presented Bojan Z, An Evening of French Jazz. This concert launched FrancoPhil, the French-Philippine cultural programme, for the year 2013.

A capacity crowd gathered inside the museum to watch jazz pianist Bojan Z (Z for Zulfikarpašić) perform. He played on a Steinway & Sons grand piano and on a Roland keyboard as well. The keyboard had some foot pedals attached to it that enabled Bojan Z to employ different audio effects like distortion and digital delay. These effects gave the music a unique character and vibe. There were numerous times that the notes he played at the keyboard were sustained, forming a chord that accompanied him as he went on to play at the grand piano. There were also instances that the sound from the keyboard mimicked that of a distorted electric guitar.


In between pieces, Bojan Z discussed and introduced briefly the music that he plays. And during these brief spiels, he revealed that he wished that he was a black man from Africa since he is very fond of the music and the rhythms that came from that continent. And he did play music that was very reminiscent of Africa. He also explained that there was no specific way to play his music and that he could go on playing for a long, long time if he chose to.

A lot of the music that he performed came from his latest album, Soulshelter and also Solobsession which are unfortunately unavailable locally. At one point, he played In My Life by The Beatles. But this popular tune also went through variations that showcased the improvisational skills of Bojan Z which is a must for any jazz pianist. And during his last piece, he also did some whistling that fascinated the audience.


This concert by Bojan Z proved to be a good start for FrancoPhil this 2013 and this only made me excited to find out more about the upcoming music events that the Embassy of France and Alliance Française de Manille have in store for the rest of the year.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Time of Mime 2

Mime artist Iimuro Naoki

The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Japan Foundation, Manila in celebration of the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation presented mime artist Iimuro Naoki in Time of Mime 2 at the CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater). Iimuro returned to the Philippines for a two night performance after the successful staging of the first Time of Mime back in 2011.

I wasn’t able to see Iimuro’s Time of Mime back in 2011 but I heard such great feedback about it that I vowed to make sure that I would see him if ever he comes back. And it pleased me a lot that I was able to see the show during its first night.

Time of Mime 2 was divided into several vignettes bookmarked by a prologue and an epilogue. In each vignette, Iimuro acted out silently various facets of life from the mundane, the profound and also venturing into the virtual. There was almost always a punchline at the end of each vignette and it was remarkable that Iimuro was able to convey the story, emotions, conflict and the resolution with such clarity despite not being able to employ the use of speech. In the show, Iimuro was an assembly line worker who got bored with his job and daydreamed that he was a music icon. He also became a salaryman who encountered misfortune while commuting to work. At one point, he got obsessed with catching a butterfly. And in one of the most profound portions of the show, Iimuro single handedly showed the circle of life here on earth.

What impressed me the most was the way Iimuro moved his body with such grace, fluidity, and at times tension. Despite performing on an almost empty stage, he was able to move his body convincingly as if there was an actual set around him. When he slammed into the air, one felt that he really slammed into an actual wall. He was also able to manipulate some props like a suitcase, a hat and a balloon to the point that these inanimate objects looked like they had a life of their own. He made it appear that these things were actually resisting his pull although everybody knew that it wasn’t so, that he was just using his skills as a mime. In between scenes, he further entertained the audience with a water bottle trick that looked like it vaulted from his hand without any push coming from him. Iimuro made things look so easy but by the end of the show, he looked tired as if he had gone through a heavy work out session.

The show also used music to great effect. A diverse soundtrack that included music by Michael Jackson (Beat It), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Rondo alla turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major K.331), Charlie Chaplin (Terry’s Theme from Limelight) and Johann Pachelbel (Canon in D) brought a lot of character, variety and charm to the scenes and Iimuro was able to use the music to highlight his emotions.

Iimuro performing at the CCP became more meaningful for him since his mentor and idol, Marcel Marceau also performed there back in 1970 and in 1989. After his two night performance, Iimuro also conducted a mime workshop for actors. Sadly, I wasn’t able to attend and observe this workshop. It would’ve been very interesting to see Iimuro teach some of the tricks of his trade.

RevelDay Concert

RevelDay's Yahel Doron and Guy Mentesh

The Embassy of Israel never fails to bring music acts here in the Philippines whenever the annual Philippine International Jazz Festival occurs. For this year’s edition, the Embassy flew in RevelDay, a music duo composed of Guy Mentesh and Yahel Doron who became known through their cover of Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire and also by taking part in the Israeli edition of The Voice.

RevelDay, got very busy during their visit here in the Philippines, performing at the Greenbelt 3, dropping by at the music channel MYX and at ASAP Chill-Out, and still managing to see the sights over at Boracay. The duo ended their visit to the country by performing at a very well attended concert held at the Ayala Museum. This event was the Embassy of Israel led by Ambassador Menashe Bar-On and his wife Madame Eti and was part of the 2013 Philippine International Jazz Festival.

RevelDay

It was a full house at the Ayala Museum that night and all were very eager to see the performance of RevelDay. I was very surprised to bump into Fides Cuyugan-Asensio before the concert started since I didn’t realize that she would be into this genre of music. But she was very excited and really looked forward to the concert happening. She and the rest of the audience were treated to a unique mix of songs in English and in Hebrew that were performed by the duo including their cover of Sex on Fire and also their original song I Dunno What to Say.

Sitti

The concert also featured bossa nova artist, Sitti. Accompanied by jazz pianist Henry Katindig, she sang two songs including her signature song Para Sa Akin. Right after that, she joined Guy and Yahel in singing two Filipino songs: Eraserhead’s With a Smile and Rivermaya’s Himala. This special collaboration featured three part harmonies from the trio and the Israelis singing Himala in Filipino proved to be a huge hit among the audience. Sitti clearly enjoyed every minute of her collaboration with RevelDay.

RevelDay and Sitti

I also enjoyed watching this concert since it gave me an idea of Israeli music which is never heard here in the Philippines. And I also appreciate the effort of Guy and Yahel in learning the two local songs that they performed. Thanks once again to the Embassy of Israel, especially to Yaniv Revach, the Deputy Chief of Mission, for bringing RevelDay here. I am now looking forward to more music and artists from Israel coming here to the country in the near future.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Yeng Constantino's Metamorphosis Bloggers' Conference

Yeng Constantino

When Yeng Constantino announced that her new album under Star Records would be titled Metamorphosis, my thoughts automatically went to the bright red hair that she started sporting recently. I also wondered if this change would also mean that she would ditch her pop/rock roots and go outrageous with her music, wardrobe and lifestyle like the other female vocalists with colored hair namely Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj


Fortunately, the music featured in Metamorphosis, her fifth release from Star Records, wasn’t really that much of a drastic departure that could alienate her long time listeners. Yeng’s music did branch out to areas she has not dabbled with before like the electronic music heard in some of the tracks. Yeng also showed more artistry and maturity as her music is tighter and her lyrics more poetic.


Yeng openly admitted that she suffered from writer’s block for a while before she came out with her album Lapit back in 2009. And she needed the guidance of Sandwich frontman Raimund Marasigan to get her out of that rut. Teaming up again with Raimund for Metamorphosis, Yeng now seemed very inspired, proudly saying that she had a more hands on approach with the album starting from the title, song selection and down to the album packaging as well. It felt that her red hair is telling that she is indeed on fire.


During a bloggers’ conference in support of Metamorphosis, Yeng looked radiant and bursted with enthusiasm whenever she talked about the album. When she was asked if she has plans to record more English songs in order to make it easier to break into the international market, she said that while she remains open to recording more English tracks, she still prefers to sing and write songs in Filipino. She reasoned out that not only is she more comfortable with the native language; she also thinks that Filipino is such a cool language. She jokingly said that if Filipinos learned to like Korean songs despite knowing the Korean language, then it’s time for Koreans to like Filipino songs even if they don’t understand a thing.

Yeng's inspiring message that she wrote in my notebook

Now, let me write about what I think about the album that has 10 original tracks written by Yeng herself except for one. The lead single B.A.B.A.Y. is a song that makes light of the sudden disappearance of someone special in her life. The tone of the song, as well as its colorful music video, exudes cuteness and cheer that would definitely appeal to Yeng’s younger listeners. For me, the shining moments in the album is when Yeng gets introspective and shows vulnerability like in the songs Messiah, Josephine, Pasensya Na, and Sandata. Other standout tracks in the album are Teleserye and Chinito (written by Jed Dumawal) seamlessly combining old school rhythms with the electric orchestration. But the studio version of Pag-Ibig, included in the album that features a full arrangement, made me miss the more stripped down, acoustic version that came out last year. Thankfully, this earlier version is found at the bonus DVD included in the package.


The DVD includes six music videos with four of the videos coming from the tracks taken from the Lapit album. The music videos is where one can truly see the changes that Yeng has gone through not just with her looks but also with her sound as well. But like what she said during the conference, despite these changes one could still hear Yeng and her stamp in the songs.

Before this bloggers' conference, I last saw Yeng during Radio Republic's opening week a year ago. She rocked the studio when she and her band performed during the station's Live at 2299 program that had Raimund Marasigan who just dropped by doing an impromptu jam session with her. And right after the show, she continued to electrify the crowd outside as she went on to perform at the outdoor stage. Here are a few photos from that time that I was able to dig out from my files.

Yeng Constantino before the red hair
Yeng with her band
Raimund Marasigan and Yeng Constantino

Metamorphosis, released by Star Records is already available in record stores nationwide. B.A.B.A.Y. and the rest of the tracks are available in digital format over at MyMusicStore Philippines and at iTunes.


Metamorphosis

CD Tracks:
1. B.A.B.A.Y.
2. Hahanapin Ka
3. Messiah
4. Chinito
5. Josephine
6. Teleserye
7. Pasensya Na
8. Pag-Ibig
9. Sandata
10. Di Pa Huli

DVD Videos:
1. B.A.B.A.Y.
2. Wag Na
3. Jeepney Love Story
4. Pag-Ibig
5. Wag Kang Magtanong
6. Lapit

Conductor Mark Gibson and violinist Gao Can headline Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra concert

Conductor Mark Gibson

March 22, 2013, 8:00 PM
Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)
CCP Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:
Gao Can, violin
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Mark Gibson, conductor

Programme:
Georges Bizet Petit Suite from Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22
Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
Maurice Ravel Daphnis et Chloé

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes guest conductor Mark Gibson and violinist Gao Can in their upcoming performance this March 22, 2013, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Centerof the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). This concert, billed as The Maestro’s Maestro and also the seventh in the orchestra’s 30th Season Milestones, will feature the works of French composers Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saëns and Maurice Ravel.

The PPO’s principal conductor and music director, Olivier Ochanine, lets his own maestro, Mark Gibson take over the orchestra during this concert. Gibson conducts Georges Bizet’s Patit Suite from Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61 and Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé. Chinese violinist Gao Can is the featured soloist in the Saint-Saëns’ violin concerto.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

According to the press release, Mark Gibson, is in his fourth year as Artistic Director of the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca and he maintains an active performing career on three continents while heading the Orchestral Studies program at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. He has trained in the United States with Gustav Meier, Seiji Ozawa and Leonard Bernstein who are all major figures in the conducting world. Gibson has also had some experience in opera when he served as the Associate Conductor of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Bareclona, Music Director of the Opera de Maò in Menorca and has led productions in American opera companies such as the New York City Opera, The Minnesota Opera, Opera Pacific, the Dallas Opera, Cleveland Opera and the Michigan Opera Theatre.

Ticket prices:
P1000 Orchestra Center
P800 Orchestra Side
P500 Balcony I Center
P350 Balcony I Side
P200 Balcony II
-50% student discount
-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:
CCP Marketing Department 832-1125 local 1806
CCP Box Office 832-3704
TicketWorld 891-9999

Violinist Gao Can conducts violin masterclass at the CCP

Violinist Gao Can

March 21, 2013, 2:30 PM
CCP MKP Hall
CCP Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila

Gao Can is recognized as one of China’s most versatile young violin soloists. He won the Grand Prize at the 2006 China’s National Violin Competition, has received the special Recognition Award by Michael Hill at the International Violin Competition in 2007. A day before the concert, Gao Can will conduct a masterclass on March 21, 2013 from 2:30 PM up to 5:00 PM at the MKP Hall at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The masterclass will be followed by a short talk addressed to the participants. Observers can also watch the masterclass but one has to shell out P100 to be admitted. 

I prefer to watch a masterclass before the actual concert since it gives me more insight towards the style and personality of the soloist. And I always appreciate the actual performance after observing a masterclass since I get to see the soloist apply all that he has imparted to the participants.

Ticket price:
P100 Observers

For inquiries:
CCP Artist Training Division 832-1125 local 1605, ccp.artist.training@gmail.com

Manila Mobile Theater stages Martir sa Golgota at the CCP


March 22, 2013, 7:30 PM
March 23, 2013, 3:00 PM
Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)
CCP Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila

In time for the upcoming Holy Week, the Manila Mobile Theater Foundation (formerly Tanghalang Sta. Ana) presents Martir sa Golgota, a senakulo play based on the life and passion Jesus Christ happening on March 22, 2013 at 7:30 PM and on March 23, 2013 at 3:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Martir sa Golgota is directed by film and television comedian, stage actor and politician Lou Veloso and features around 70 actors who are mostly volunteer residents of Sta. Ana. Several film, television and stage actors like Jojo Riguerra, Al Gatmaitan, Bodjie Pascua, Archie Adamos, Don Umali, Des Aldaba, Troy de Guzman, Perry Escano, Any Bais and Rita Guzman, among others have been invited to take part of this production. Rounding up the cast members are CJ Mangahis, Abel Napuran, Richard Manabat, Jojo Bolado, Arkin Da Silva, Haydee Arima, Mira Hipolito, Jenny Navarro, Roxanne Hipolito, Apple Garay, Norbi Lilagan, Jan Michael Sarabia, Jennet Quiblatin, Kristine Gabriel, Darius Nicolas, Rafael Hipolito, Ryan Jay Rafael, Mark Tulipat, John Paul Razon, Rodolfo Muyuela and Miguel Lara.

Manila Mobile Theater Foundation’s predecessor Tanghalang Sta. Ana was founded back in September 1989 by Lou Veloso and had an initial group of 75 active members. The company was conceived to help students, professionals, laborers, and out of school youth to hone their talents in acting through theater productions.

Ticket price:
P400
-50% student discount
-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:
CCP Performing Arts Division 832-1125 local 1606-1607
527-5221, 527-1685

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Ayala Museum and the Manila Symphony Orchestra present Rush Hour Concerts


The Ayala Museum offers a musical way to avoid the rush hour traffic by tying up with the Manila Symphony Orchestra and presenting Rush Hour Concerts. Starting at 6:30 PM when heavy traffic is at its peak, the Rush Hour Concerts consist of a one-hour program at the Ayala Museum performed by members of the MSO.

These concerts offer an enriching musical experience after work while waiting for the commuter rush to subside. Tickets are for P300 each and are available at the museum exclusively. All concerts happen at the Ayala Museum from 6:30-7:30 PM.

Here is the schedule of the performances for the Rush Hour Concerts.

March 21, 2013
Suite Pastorale
The Music of Lucio San Pedro

April 4, 2013
Music for Strings
Corelli, Vivaldi, Telemann & Bach

April 18, 2013
Music for Woodwinds
Haydn, Debussy, Rameau, Parungao & Koepke

May 2, 2013
Music for Brass & Percussion

May 22, 2013
Manila Symphony Orchestra Season Launch for 2013

Ticket price:
P300

For inquiries:
Paula Fernandez 757-7117 to 21, museum_inquiry@ayalamuseum.org

Pianist Ang Li plays music from China to Chopin in Manila concerts


March 20, 2013
2:00 PM Classical Music for Young People
8:00 PM From China to Chopin Piano Concert
PETA Theater Center
No. 5 Meynard Drive, New Manila
Quezon CityPhilippines

The music of Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, as well as Chinese folk songs will be heard courtesy of pianist Ang Li in two exclusive performances at the PETA Theater Center this March 20, 2013.

An internationally acclaimed pianist and among the top 30 competitors during the Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition back in 2009, Ang Li is set to dazzle audiences at the evening concert entitled From China to Chopin, Ang Li Live in Manila happening at 8:00 PM.

Earlier in the afternoon at 2:00 PM, Ang Li will perform Classical Music for Young People featuring the music of Chopin, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. The concert will also have a discussion as well to guide, engage and spark the interest of the audience on the pieces and classical music in general.

Pianist Ang Li

Ang Li, a pianist on the rise, was invited back in 2007 by the China National Center for Performing Arts to replace pianist Li Yundi in the performance of the Ravel Piano Concerto in G major with the China National Symphony Orchestra. She has not looked back since then and has performed at various renowned venues such as the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York and the National Center for the Performing Arts in China.

Her two performances at the PETA Theater Center are the only scheduled engagements here in the Philippines. The PETA Theater Center is the home of one of the leading theater companies in the country, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

Ticket prices:
Classical Music for Young People
P400
From China to Chopin Piano Concerto
P1000 VIP
P800 Orchestra
P600 Balcony

For inquiries:
PETA 725-6244 local 12, (0917) 576-5400, petatheater@gmail.com
TicketWorld 891-9999
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