Monday, November 13, 2023

RAd week November 13-19: Pianist Nikolay Khozyainov plays Rachmaninoff with PPO


Orchestra performances are back this week with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's presenting an all Russian program at its latest subscription concert series happening on November 17, 2023, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Billed as Russian Masters, the concert features Russian pianist Nikolay Khozyainov as the soloist in Sergei Rachmaninoff's popular Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, which is very much in line with the ongoing worldwide celebrations for Rachmaninoff's 150th birth anniversary.

The program also sees the PPO, led by music director and principal conductor Grzegorz Nowak, perform the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Selections from Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev.

Nikolay Khozyainov
©Marie Staggat

Khozyainov burst into the scene more than a decade ago winning in 2012 the 1st prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition and at the Sydney International Piano Competition. Since then, he has performed worldwide with renowned orchestras like the London Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, etc.

Khozyainov achieved another milestone last year when he was commissioned by the United Nations to write a piece for his Concert for Peace at the UN. His composition, Petals of Peace had its world premiere last November 2022 at the Human Rights’ Hall of the United Nations.


On the other hand, the Manila Symphony Orchestra leads the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Ayala Museum's concert series with The Best of Rush Hour on November 16, 2023, 7:00 PM at the Ayala Museum, Makati.

Presented by the Ayala Foundation and Ayala Museum together with Avida, the MSO concert is the first of two special events of Isang Dekada ng Musika, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the museum’s concert program.

Originally conceived by the MSO and the Ayala Museum, the Rush Hour concert series is a way for the Makati crowd (office workers, mall goers, citizens, etc.) to wait out the rush hour traffic by an hour or so music offering at the museum. A handful of Rush Hour concerts with the MSO like Bach versus The Beatles, Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue, and Video Games Symphonic have become sold out affairs.

It is not just orchestra concerts that are back this week, but also a handful of chamber music performances.


Leading the chamber music lineup is already sold out The Best of Chamber Music on November 18, 2023, 6:00 PM at the Roof Deck of the Sunshine Place, in Makati.

Joining pianist Mariel Ilusorio in this Classics in Sunshine 2023 series finale are violinist Noel Martin, violist Coi Reyes, cellist Steven Retallick, and double bassist Aris Payte. The group will perform Franz Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 which is also more popularly known as the Trout Quintet.

Meanwhile, the Manila Pianos Artist Series offers two chamber music programs this weekend.


First off is Scheherazade with the Rivera Woodwind Quintet on November 18, 2023, 6:00 PM. The quintet, composed of clarintetist Jayson Rivera, flutist Crystal Milarose Rodis-Concepcion, horn player Earvin Rosacay, oboist Arvin Jan Medrano, and bassoonist Alvin Sison will perform Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade Op.35 transcribed for the woodwind quintet by Ioan Dobrinescu.


Next is Reminiscing, the annual tribute concert to Ruben Reyes ,happening on November 19, 2023, 6:00 PM featuring the Silangan Chamber Guitar Ensemble. Made up of faculty and alumni from the UST Conservatory of Music, as well as the Colleges of Music of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, St. Paul's University Manila and Centro Escolar University, the SGCE was formed under the leadership and artistic director of the late Ruben Reyes. The concert will feature music by John Dowland, Antoine de Lhoyer, Paolo Bellinati, Johann Kasper Mertz, Catriona McKay, and Georges Bizet

Both performances will be held at the Manila Pianos Showroom at Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati.


Outside the orchestral and chamber music realm is the return of CCP-Out-of-the-Box: Isang Gabi ng Sarsuwela this November 18, 2023, 6:00 PM at the Baluarte de San Diego in Intramuros, Manila.

As part of the Intramuros Evenings by the Intramuros Administration, this musical revue stars Nenen Espina, Franco Laurel, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Reuben Laurente, Lorenz Martinez, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Jonathan Tadioan, and Karylle Tatlonghari.

The very affordable entry fee to the Baluarte de San Diego is all it takes to watch this performance.

The concerts, performances, and events continue to pile up and my only advice is to bring lots of patience as traffic after all these happenings may get worse especially as the peak of the holiday season grows near.

Here again is a quick rundown of this week's concerts and performances.

November 16, 2023
MSO The Best of Rush Hour

November 17, 2023
PPO Russian Masters

November 18, 2023
The Best of Chamber Music
Isang Gabi ng Sarsuwela
Scheherazade

November 19, 2023
Reminiscing

The concerts, performances, and events continue to pile up and my only advice is to bring lots of patience as traffic after all these happenings may get worse especially as the peak of the holiday season grows near.

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