Da capo al fine: PPO announces 42nd Concert Season Modulatio

After what seemed like forever, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra finally announces the lineup for its 42nd Concert Season happening this September 2026 up to April 2027.

With PPO principal conductor/music director Grzegorz Nowak at the helm, the upcoming season, billed as Modulatio, will feature highlights such as a rare harp concerto performance, more envelope pushing Jeffrey Ching works, the rescheduled all-Shostakovich program, and the highly anticipated return to the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater stage.

“Our 42nd season is a celebration of Filipino talent, global artistry, and the power of music to connect us. Through the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, we bring the world to Manila and Filipino artistry to the forefront of the international stage,” said Kaye C. Tinga, the president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The season begins with Da Capo on September 25, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. The concert promises something new with the World Premiere performance of Jeffrey Ching's What Happens in Every Classical Piece Explained in 15 Minutes (Sinfoniettina on G-C for Mozart Orchestra) and the Asian Premiere performance of Carl Czerny's Symphony No. 6 in G minor. The evening will also have a sprinkling of the familar courtesy of Spanish pianist Martín García García tackling the ever popular Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 aka the Emperor Concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven.

From the top (da capo) up until the end (al fine), here is the PPO's 42nd Concert Season, Modulatio, in detail.

Concert I: Da Capo

September 25, 2026, 7:30 PM

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Martín García García
Photo ©Fadil Berisha - NYC Photoshooting

Martín García García, piano

Grzergoz Nowak, conductor

Jeffrey Ching What Happens in Every Classical Piece Explained in 15 Minutes (Sinfoniettina on G-C for Mozart Orchestra) (World Premiere)

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 'Emperor'

Carl Czerny Symphony No. 6 in G minor (Asian Premiere)

Concert II: Elegance

October 16, 2026, 7:30 PM

Metropolitan Theater

Vien Ignacio

Vien Ignacio, harp

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Redentor Romero Philippine Portraits

George Frideric Handel Harp Concerto in B flat major, Op. 4 No. 6

Zygmunt Noskowski Step (the Steppe), Op. 66

Concert III: Boléro

November 6, 2026, 7:30 PM

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Kaycee galano

Kaycee Galano, violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Claude Debussy Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun)

Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No.3 in B minor, Op. 61

Maurice Ravel

   Alborada del gracioso (Morning Song of the Jester)

   Boléro

Concert IV: Destiny

December 4, 2026, 7:30 PM

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Mario Galeani

Mario Galeani, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Ludwig van Beethoven

   Overture from Egmont, Op. 84

   Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58

   Symphony No.3 in E flat major, Op. 55, 'Eroica'

Concert V: Genesis

January 15, 2027, 7:30 PM

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Natasha Paremski

Natasha Paremski, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Jeffrey Ching Journey to the Alps and Victor’s Meditation from the Opera, Frankenstein (World Premiere, revised version)

Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

Jerry Dadap Symphony No. 5 The Wrath of Prakrti (nature) & Ragatmika-Bhakti (devotion) (World Premiere)

Concert VI: Resilience

February 12, 2027, 7:30 PM

Metropolitan Theater

Diomedes Saraza, Jr.

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Dmitri Shostakovich

   Festive Overture, Op. 96

   Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77 (99)

   Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47

Concert VII: Visions

March 12, 2027, 7:30 PM

Metropolitan Theater

Ju-Young Baek

Ju-Young Baek, violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Robert Schumann Overture from Manfred, Op. 115

Karol Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35

César Franck Symphony in D minor

Concert VIII: Da Capo

April 16, 2027, 7:30 PM

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

Dmytro Udovychenko

Dmytro Udovychenko, violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Jeffrey Ching Lacrimosa, Sanctus, Benedictus, Osanna fragments from Mozart’s unfinished Requiem, K626 (World Premiere)

Edward Elgar Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61

Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

PPO reprises UK Tour program in "Le Retour" season concert

A week after championing romantic pieces at the season opening concert, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra harkens back to its UK Tour last May with its second concert of the season happening on September 19, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

With PPO Music Director and Principal Conductor Grzegorz Nowak at the helm, the PPO reprises pieces performed at the tour like Georges Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 1, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Waltz from Swan Lake Suite, and Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67.

The concert, billed as Le Retour, also sees PPO's concertmaster and artist-in-residence Diomedes Saraza, Jr. as the featured soloist in Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines' President, Kaye C. Tinga announced in her welcome remarks at the opening concert that the PPO is slated once again to go on tour towards the end of the current season buoyed by the success of its UK Tour over the summer.

Reprinted below is the press release for the PPOs' Concert II: Le Retour

PPO serenades Filipinos with UK Tour repertoire in Concert II: Le Retour

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) reprises the repertoire from its successful tour across the United Kingdom (UK) in CONCERT II: LE RETOUR, slated on September 19, 2025, at 7:30 PM, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.

Revisiting British classics in PPO’s Concert II: Le Retour

Led by the commanding Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, Concert II: Le Retour ushers in the brilliance of the PPO with their iteration of Georges Bizet’s Carmen Suite No. 1. To familiarize himself with the sounds of southern Spain in the early 19th century, Bizet went to great lengths in constructing the world he borrowed from Prosper Mérimée’s novella of the same name.

Bizet, however, passed three months after the premiere of Carmen. Unbeknownst to him, his friend Ernest Guiraud compiled the opera’s remarkable moments into two orchestral suites.

PPO’s Concert II: Le Retour sustains its beautiful momentum with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending. Inspired by George Meredith’s poem of the same title, Vaughan Williams creates the vivid image of a soaring lark through his melodies. Diomedes Saraza, Jr., PPO’s very own guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence, performs the solo violin that had captivated hearts in the UK.

Composed before World War I, Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending portrays a simpler England, one devoid of war and industrial change. It was received with admiration after Marie Hall played the violin under the guidance of conductor Adrian Boult in 1921. Over time, it evolved to be one of the most beloved British classics.

With Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite: Waltz, the PPO continues its excellent display of Filipino artistry in Concert II: Le Retour. Arguably among the most well-known orchestra pieces, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake: Waltz draws elements from the Russian and German folklore of a young princess transforming into a swan.

When Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered in 1877, its production was uninspired and underwhelming. Later in 1895, Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov gave the ballet a new choreography attuned to the intricacy of Tchaikovsky’s music.

PPO’s Concert II: Le Retour concludes the night with an exhilarating rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5, op.67, C minor. Beethoven had already begun composing his Fifth Symphony as early as 1804. Often interpreted as “fate knocking on the door,” the piece’s four-note opening motif has been referenced across musical genres as it elaborates on human perseverance in the face of adversity.

A glimpse into the PPO’s UK tour

“The UK tour proved that Filipino musicians are truly world-class, and are on par with the very best orchestras in the world,” said Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) President Kaye C. Tinga proudly.

The conclusion of PPO’s remarkable tour in the UK is clear proof of Filipino artistry. Despite standing on unfamiliar stages, the orchestra relayed its unparalleled commitment to music to global audiences. PPO’s same brand of versatility, as presented in its repertoire in the UK, will be revisited in Concert II: Le Retour.

Witness PPO’s world-class renditions of British classics in Concert II: Le Retour on September 19, 2025, in the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City. PPO’s 41st concert season, dubbed Versatile, runs until April 2026.

Tickets for PPO concerts are priced at Php3,000, Php2,500, Php2,000, Php1,500, Php800, and Php500, available at TicketWorld. For an exclusive 25 percent discount, be a PPO subscriber. Email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph or call the CCP Box Office at +63931-033-0880 to purchase a PPO’s 41st concert season subscription.

For more updates on PPO’s 41st Concert Season: Versatile, visit the CCP’s website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph). You may also follow the CCP’s official pages on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for more information.

After the big switch, show of strength, PPO announces "Versatile" 41st concert season

The Cultural Center of the Philippines has unveiled the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's 41st Concert Season slated for September 2025 up to April 2026.

The upcoming season, billed as Versatile, will be PPO's music director/principal conductor Grzegorz Nowak's third, following the 39th (Switch) and 40th (Forte) seasons. Under the leadership of Nowak, the PPO embarked on a successful UK tour in May 2025.

Season highlights include guest artists namely pianists Andre Gugnin, Szymon Nehring, and Junhee Kim, violinist Bartek Nizioł, cellist Tomasz Strahl, and soprano Katerina Mina. This season also sees pianist Mark Bebbington and soprano Andion Fernandez make return engagements with the PPO.

PPO Concertmaster Diomedes Saraza Jr. will also take to the stage for his much anticipated performance of the Shostakovich violin concerto. Lastly, world premiere performances or works by composers Jeffrey Ching and Jerry Dadap are included the season program.

Below is the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's 41st Concert Season Versatile in detail.

Concert I: Ouverture

September 12, 2025

Metropolitan Theater

Andrey Gugnin, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Antonín Dvořák Carnival Op. 92, B. 169

Sergei Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

Concert II: Le Retour

September 19, 2025

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Waltz from Swan Lake Suite, Op.20

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

Concert III: Concerto

October 17, 2025

Metropolitan Theater

Tomasz Strahl, cello

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Jeffrey Ching Creation Fugue and Arctic Chase from Frankenstein (World Premiere)

Robert Schumann Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129

Witold Lutosławski Concerto for Orchestra

Concert IV: Virtuoso

November 14, 2025

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Mark Bebbington, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture from Don Giovanni

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 ‘Emperor’

Modest Mussorgsky (arr. Sergei Gorchakov) Pictures at an Exhibition

Concert V: Preludi

January 16, 2026

Venue: TBA

Andion Fernandez, soprano

Szymon Nehring, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Jeffrey Ching Fenghuang Singing

Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

Franz Liszt Les Préludes S.97

Concert VI: Romanza

February 13, 2026

Venue: TBA

Bartek Nizioł, violin

Junhee Kim, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Jeffrey Ching Concerto for Violin and Piano in D major, K.Anh.56/315f (World Premiere of Mozart’s unfinished concerto completed by Jeffrey Ching)

Henryk Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22

Maurice Ravel Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2

Concert VII: Opera

March 13, 2026

Metropolitan Theater

Katerina Mina, soprano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Giuseppe Verdi

 La forza del destino

   Overture

   Pace, pace mio Dio

Umberto Giordano La Mamma Morta from Andrea Chénier

Giacomo Puccini

 Adagietto in F major

 Vissi d'arte from Tosca

Stephan Hodel Angel of Fire

Jerry Dadap Symphony No. 5 The Wrath of Prakrti (nature) & Ragatmika-Bhakti (devotion) (World Premiere)

Concert VIII: Coda

April 17, 2026

Metropolitan Theater

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Dmitri Shostakovich

 Festive Overture Op. 96

 Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77

 Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47

Tickets for each concert are priced at P3,000, P2,500, P2,000, P1,500, P800, and P500. Subscription packages (regular and junior) are also available.

In addition to the subscription concert series, the PPO will also have a couple of special concerts as listed below.

The Pianist's Pianist: Cecile Licad in Concert

September 24, 2025

Metropolitan Theater

Ceciile Licad, pianist

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Gioachino Rossini Overture from L’Italiana in Algeri

Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture from Die Zauberflöte

Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22

Joyuex Noël

December 5, 2025

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

Katarzyna Dondalska, soprano

Choir, TBA

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Johann Strauss II

 Die Fledermaus

  Overture

  Mein Herr Marquis

 Annen-Polka, Op. 117

Carl Millöcker Ach, wir armen Primadonnen from Der arme Jonathan

Johann Strauss II Overture from Der Zigeunerbaron

Jacques Offenbach Les oiseaux dans la charmille from Les contes d’Hoffmann

Johann Strauss II Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214

Arthur Sullivan Poor Wandering One from The Pirates of Penzance

Johann Strauss II Unter Donner und Blitz Polka, Op. 324

Krzesimir Dębski Song of Helena from With Fire and Sword

George Frideric Händel

 Messiah

  For unto us a child is born

  Hallelujah

Johann Strauss II An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314

Carl Orff

 Carmina Burana

  Dulcissime

  Final Chorus

More information and updates on PPO’s 41st concert season Versatile can be found at the CCP’s official website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

PPO's jampacked send off concert previews UK tour

Maestro Grzegorz Nowak and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra gave a sneak peek of their upcoming UK tour program during a send-off concert that was recently held at the Metropolitan Theater.

Clocking over two and a half hours and featuring two soloists and two full symphonies(!), the concert was definitely stacked. Consider also the orchestra had having to adjust rehearsal schedules in order to play, on short notice, at the Necrological Service of National Artist Nora Aunor just a couple of days prior to the send-off concert date. But the PPO, under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, managed to pull it off and showing that the orchestra is more than ready for its 9 stop UK tour scheduled for May 13-24, 2025.

Mark Bebbington, CCP President Kaye C. Tinga, and Diomedes Saraza, Jr.

The concert started with the Nimrod from Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 or more popularly known as the Enigma Variations". Quite a somber beginning since a bombastic overture typically opens a performance.

Mark Bebbington

Mark Bebbington gave what is believed to be the Philippine premiere of the revised, one movement version of Frederick Delius' Piano Concerto in C minor. He mentioned at the press conference prior to the concert that he's excited to perform this piece on tour especially at the penultimate stop in Bradford where Delius was born. Bebbington then evoked the captivating flow of the tides in his encore, The Island Spell from John Ireland's trio of piano miniaures Decorations.

The last time the PPO performed Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op.90 "Italian" back in October 2023, Nowak conducted the orchestra almost to the point of exhaustion as he steered the finale at such a frantic pace. But this time, the PPO was up to the task and confidently looked to have enough gas for yet another symphony later in the program.

The second half began with Il Maestro di Cappella by the PPO's Composer-in-Residence Jeffrey Ching. This work, that will serve as an opener in each of the concerts at the tour,  displayed some bits of humor, especially from Nowak who conducted the orchestra as if directing traffic on a busy intersection.

Diomedes Saraza, Jr.

PPO Concertmaster and Artist-in-Residence Diomedes Saraza, Jr. then gave a performance of Ralph Vaughan William's The Lark Ascending less than two months since his last take on the same piece back in March. A pastoral romance that evoked peace and calm, Saraza Jr. exhibited the restraint that is demanded with this piece. Audience members who yearned for more fireworks from him got their wish though with Saraza Jr.'s own take on the folk song Magtanim ay 'Di Biro that had a healthy dose of his contemporary leanings.

The concert wrapped up with the very popular Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven. By this time, the send-off concert felt bogged down by its length. But the PPO's unwavering endurance coupled with the popularity of the piece managed to close out the concert on a high note.

Diomedes Saraza, Jr. and Mark Bebbington

With the send-off concert in the bag, the PPO is now ready to depart to the UK. It's remarkable to think that the opportunity for the PPO to do a UK tour only happened after the Buenos Aires Symphony Orchestra of Colón Opera had to cancel its due to the economic situation in Argentina. By that time, the concert program have already been set and Nowak managed to have some tweaks like the inclusion of Ching's new work. Also joining the tour is cellist Wen-Sinn Yang who was the guest soloist during the PPO's October 2023 concert.

Wen-Sinn Yang and Grzegorz Nowak from October 2023

Listed below are the dates, venues, and respective programs of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's UK Tour.

May 13, 2025

Bristol Beacon

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op.90 "Italian"

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

May 14, 2025

Cadogan Hall London

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op.90 "Italian"

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Edward Elgar Nimrod from Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma Variations"

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

May 15, 2025

Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

May 16, 2025

G Live, Guildford

Mark Bebbington, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op.90 "Italian"

Frederick Delius Piano Concerto in C minor

Edward Elgar Nimrod from Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma Variations"

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

May 18, 2025

Theatre Royal, Norwich

Mark Bebbington, piano

Diomedes Saraza Jr,. violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

Frederick Delius Piano Concerto in C minor

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

May 19, 2025

Bridegwater Hall, Manchester

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Grzegorg Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op.90 "Italian"

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Edward Elgar Nimrod from Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36 "Enigma Variations"

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

May 21, 2025

City Hall, Sheffield

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Grzegorg Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

May 22, 2025

St. George's Hall, Bradford

Mark Bebbington, piano

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

Frederick Delius Piano Concerto in C minor

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

May 24, 2025

Perth Festival, Scotland

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jeffrey Ching Il Maestro di Cappella

Georges Bizet Carmen Suite No. 1

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Suite

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67

Rowena Arrieta to perform with PPO

Way back when the 32nd Concert Season of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014-2015 was announced, one of the most anticipated soloists in the lineup was celebrated Filipino pianist Rowena Arrieta. But performer and program changes typically occur in a season for a myriad of reasons and Arrieta's initially scheduled performance with the PPO didn't materialize then.

Rowena Arrieta

Now, a little over a decade later, Rowena Arrieta, the Fifth Prize winner for Piano at the VII Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1982, will finally make her much awaited performance on March 14, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, Arrieta take audiences to a journey to the underworld with Franz Liszt's technically challenging Totentanz S.126.

The concert, billed as Homecoming, will also commemorate Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis's 150th birth anniversary with a performance of the Lithuanian composer's  Miške (In The Forest).

Diomedes Saraza, Jr.

The PPO's Concertmaster and Artist in Residence, Diomedes Saraza, Jr. also gets featured as the soloist in Ralph Vaughan William's The Lark Ascending.

Rounding up the evening's packed program are familiar tunes from the opera and ballet stages with Georges Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 1 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Suite.

Maestro Grzegorz Nowak and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Reprinted below is the CCP press release.

Filipino pianist Rowena Arrieta returns for PPO Concert VI: Homecoming this March 14

Laureate pianist Rowena Arrieta makes a triumphant return to her homeland with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) for the highly anticipated sixth installment of its 40th concert season. Dubbed “Homecoming,” PPO Concert VI shares the warmth of home through musical brilliance on March 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

ECHOES OF LITHUANIA IN PPO CONCERT VI: HOMECOMING

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming opens with Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ Miške (In The Forest), commemorating the Lithuanian composer’s 150th birth anniversary. When the Nazis occupied his hometown in Lithuania, he turned to art. Čiurlionis created approximately 400 compositions and 300 artworks, blending music and visual arts.

The Lithuanian cultural hero composed his first symphonic poem, “Miške (In The Forest),” for a competition in Warsaw in 1901. It was introduced in the first concert season of the war period, cementing Čiurlionis’ status as one of Lithuania’s patriotic figures.

AN ARIA OF LOVE

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming continues its melodic journey with George Bizet’s Carmen Suite no. 1. Drawn from the composer’s celebrated opera “Carmen,” this suite’s vivid orchestration conveys the tragic destiny of a free-spirited gypsy woman who had an affair with a young soldier.

THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED COMEBACK OF ROWENA ARRIETA

Arrieta will be playing Franz Liszt’s Totentanz (Dance of Death) in PPO Concert VI: Homecoming. Composed in 1849, the dramatic piano and orchestra work is based on “Dies Irae (Day of Wrath)” from the Requiem Mass. Arrieta will showcase her world-class technical skills through the piano variations of “Totentanz”.

TRULY A PINOY PRIDE

Arrieta was hailed the “youngest and most promising of 82 contestants” in the prestigious Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. After winning the competition’s Fifth Prize and Special Prize in 1982, she received the title “Laureate”. To this date, Arrieta is the only Filipino to attain this honor.

Arrieta began playing the piano at age two, learned to read notes at age three, and wrote her first composition at age five. She received her first musical training in the Philippines under the tutelage of Philippine Women’s Conservatory of Music’s Leonila Celino, the University of the Philippines College of Music’s Regalado Jose and Reynaldo Reyes, and Carmencita Arambulo of Greenhills Music Studio.

One of the first graduates of the Philippines High School for the Arts (PHSA), Arrieta received her Master’s Degree from the renowned Moscow State Conservatory. She received the highest honors under the tutelage of Russian National Artist Yevgeny Malinin in 1985. While in Russia, she also earned a degree in Russian Language Pedagogy. She later pursued Professional Studies at the Manhattan School of Music as a student of Dr. Solomon Mikowsky and as a recipient of the Elva Van Gelder Memorial Scholarship.

Arrieta’s accolades include being one of the Ten Outstanding Women in the National Service (Philippines, 1989), Presidential Awards in Performance (Philippines, 1978–1979), and Second Prize as a songwriter in the 1979 Metro Pop Music Festival (Philippines).

Since 1990, Arrieta has been a faculty member of the National Piano Teachers Guild (USA). She was then inducted into the Hall of Fame of the U.S. National Piano Teachers Guild in 2009.

PPO CONCERT VI: HOMECOMING TAKES FLIGHT

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming unfolds with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, a renowned violin and orchestra work inspired by George Meredith’s poem of the same title. Composed in 1914, the piece portrays the image of a lark in flight. In “The Lark Ascending,” Vaughan Williams makes use of sweeping melodies to evoke a sense of freedom.

PPO guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence Diomedes Saraza Jr. will perform this exquisite work, highlighting its emotional depth.

PPO’S ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE DIOMEDES SARAZA JR. JOINS CONCERT VI: HOMECOMING

Before becoming PPO’s guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence, Saraza Jr. was a 3-year-old playing the violin with his father. His formal training began at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila. Through a full scholarship, Saraza Jr. received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School in New York.

At 19 years old, Saraza Jr. was the first Filipino Outstanding Academic Achievement awardee of former U.S. President Barack Obama’s Education Awards Program. He then pursued a Master of Musical Arts degree as a full scholar at Yale University. At Yale, he received the Brodus Erle Prize and successfully debuted at Carnegie Hall with the PPO.

But aside from being a concert violinist and chamber musician, Saraza Jr. is a dedicated educator. He served as associate and assistant concertmaster of The Juilliard Orchestra and Juilliard Lab Orchestra. He was also a former faculty member of St. Scholastica’s College Manila and the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra.

MUSICAL TALES OF HOME

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming concludes with Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, an orchestral arrangement of unforgettable moments from the composer’s ballet “Swan Lake”.

An evening of exquisite musical storytelling, PPO Concert VI: Homecoming holds a diverse repertoire that transcends time and borders. Under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, this unmissable concert harnesses music’s power to shape and preserve cultural identities.

Tickets for PPO Concert VI: Homecoming on March 14 are priced at Php 3,000, Php 2,500, Php 2,000, and Php 1,500. They are now available online via TicketWorld. To enjoy up to a 25 percent discount, be a PPO subscriber. You may also email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph or call the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Box Office at +63931-033-0880 for ticket concerns.

For updates on PPO’s future performances and CCP events, follow the CCP and PPO’s official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph for updates on future masterclasses, performances, and other events.

Violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. headlines PPO concert "Fantasy"

Violinist Diomedes Saraza, Jr., the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's Artist-in-Residence and current Concertmaster has been impressing audiences with his featured solos in Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), Op. 40 and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34 during the last couple of season concerts of the PPO.

Saraza Jr. was originally scheduled to close out the PPO's 40th concert season in April but it seems that the previous season still has a hold on the current one as there has been a switch with him now being the featured soloist for the upcoming concert, billed as Fantasy, happening on December 6, 2024, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Diomedes Saraza, Jr.

While the rest of the program remains unchanged, with Maestro Grzegorz Nowak leading the orchestra with Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64, the concerto with Saraza Jr. will now be Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47.

Previously scheduled soloist, violinist Andrea Obiso will now close out the season while Saraza Jr. is still slated to perform Dmitri Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77 in a special concert outside of the season.

What is more remarkable is that just a day before, on December 5, 2024, 4:30 PM, Saraza Jr. joins pianist Victor Asuncion and cellist John Henry Crawford in a performance of Brahms and Mendelssohn Piano Trios at the Corazon Aquino Hall at St. Scholastica's College, Manila.

Reprinted below is the press release for the upcoming PPO season concert.

PPO's Concert III: Fantasy explores depths of human emotions

Violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr takes music lovers on a journey of imagination with the third installment of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO)’s 40th concert season, slated on December 6, 7:30 p.m., at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

With his 1972 French violin by Eugene Guinot and Rene Morel (given by Standard Insurance), Saraza Jr. will captivate with his exceptional skill and artistry on the violin as he effortlessly meets the virtuosic demands of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto op.47, D minor.

One of the most challenging in the repertoire in the classic music scene, Sibelius concerto premiered in 1904, with violin teacher Victor Novàček as soloist. With lukewarm reception during its premiere, Sibelius rewrote the concerto in 1905, with Berlin concertmaster Karl Halir playing the revised piece.

Music history has revealed that the concerto was initially created for violinist Willy Burmester, who was then the concertmaster in Helsingfors. After Sibelius passed him over during its two premieres, Burmester never touched the work for the rest of his life.

For the PPO Concert III, Saraza will be performing with the PPO and taking the audiences on a profound journey through the emotional spectrum of life, under the baton of acclaimed music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.

Currently the PPO’s guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence, Saraza received both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in music from The Juilliard School as a full tuition scholar. He studied under the tutelage of Juilliard's Dean Emeritus-violinist Stephen Clapp, American violinist-pedagogue Lewis Kaplan, and Taiwanese-American violinist Joseph Lin (the first violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet from 2011 to 2018).

He also finished his master’s in musical arts from Yale University, under Prof. Hyo Kang. During his time in Yale, Saraza was awarded the Brodus Erle Prize 2016 for best violinist of the school year and the Alumni Association Prize 2017 for important community initiatives that he led.

Since winning the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in the Philippines in 2002 at age 12, Saraza has been performing and giving solo recitals both in the Philippines and abroad. He has won international competitions, including New York’s Friday-Woodmere Young Artist Competition and Associated Music Teacher’s League Competition.

He has performed solo internationally with the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra, among others, as well as locally with the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and the PPO. He has collaborated as soloist with prominent conductors, namely Darrell Ang, Olivier Ochanine, David Bernard, Gerard Salonga, Yoshikazu Fukumura, Joshua Kangmin Tan, and Haoran Li.

Saraza served as concertmaster of MSO and Yale Philharmonia, as well as an associate and assistant concertmaster of The Juilliard Orchestra and Juilliard Lab Orchestra. He was also an educator at St. Scholastica’s College Manila and the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra.

Saraza has finished his USA recital tour and album recording with Music Foundation founder and Steinway artist Victor Asuncion.

Completing the program for the Concert III: Fantasy, the PPO will perform Gioachino Rossini’s William Tell Overture and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 5, op. 64, E minor.

Premiered in Paris on August 3, 1829, the William Tell Overture is part of Gioachino Rossini’s opera Guillaume Tell, which was adapted from Friedrich Schiller’s 1804 drama inspired by the legendary 14th-century Swiss patriot William Tell. In pop culture, this piece is best known for its thrilling final three minutes, which became iconic as the theme music for The Lone Ranger, the masked avenger of the Wild West.

Meanwhile, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64, is often interpreted as a reflection of the composer’s personal struggles and doubts. First performed in 1888, with Tchaikovsky conducting, the symphony is known for its sweeping melodies, dramatic contrasts, and rich orchestration. Over the years, this masterpiece has remained a favorite in concert halls.

The PPO Concert III: Fantasy is scheduled for December 6, 7:30 p.m., at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Secure your seats at the CCP Box Office at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez and/or via TicketWorld. For inquiries, call the CCP Box Office at +63931-033-0880 or email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. joins PPO's 39th season finale concert

Violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. joins Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra for a festive finish to the orchestra's Switch season happening this April 19, 2024, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

With Maestro Grzergorz Nowak conducting, this season closing concert sees Sarasa do double duty as the featured soloist in Lucrecia Kasilag's Violin Concerto No. 1 and Camille Saint-Saëns' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor, Op. 28. The concert, billed as Fête Française, wraps up with Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D. 485.

Diomedes Saraza Jr.

PPO's 39th concert season Switch saw the Cultural Center of the Philippines' resident orchestra welcome Maestro Grzergorz Nowak as its new music director and principal conductor. It also marked the move to Samsung Performing Arts Theater while the CCP Main Building undergoes a several years long major rehabilitation.

Reprinted below is the press release for the PPO's 39th concert season closing performance.

Last 'Switch' for PPO's 39th concert season

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the country’s primary orchestra, will take its last ‘Switch’ for its 39th concert season on April 19, 7:30pm, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.

For its finale concert, the resident orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines will feature violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. as its guest soloist.

Saraza Jr. is an active concert violinist, chamber musician, and avid educator. The former Manila Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster, Saraza is a well-established musical artist that has taken part in many international solo performances with different orchestras such as the Mannes Orchestra, New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra to name a few. His extensive solo and chamber performances include prestigious venues that span from Philippines’ Cultural Center of the Philippines, New York’s Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, to Russia’s Tchaikovsky’s Concert Hall among others.

For its final concert, PPO music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak will take the baton, leading the national orchestra in a night of Fete Francaise. The concert program includes: National Artist Lucresia Kasilag's Violin Concerto No. 1, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28, and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5.

An instrumental in developing Philippine music and culture, the National Artist for Music was recognized for including indigenous Filipino instruments into orchestral productions. She has written more than 350 musical compositions that range from folksongs to opera to orchestral pieces. She was the founding mother of the Bayanihan Folk Arts Center for research and theatrical presentations and actively involved herself with the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company.

Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic era. A child prodigy, he was already giving public concerts as a pianist and organist at a young age. One of his best-known works is the Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, op. 28. composed in 1863, it was dedicated to Pablo de Sarasate, a Spanish virtuoso violinist, who frequently programmed it in his concert engagements, thus making it popular enough that other French composers made arrangements of it.

Completing the concert finale’s program is Schubert’s Symphony No. 5, a classic piece which is said to pay homage to masters Mozart and Haydn. Schubert deeply admired Mozart. His composition is frequently said to resemble the prolific and influential composer.

Ranked among the greatest composers in the history of Western classical music, Schubert and his work continues to be admired and widely performed. He was a composer during the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He has composed symphonies, masses, and piano works and is best remembered for his “lieder."

Tickets to PPO Concert VIII: Fete Francaise are priced at Php3,000 (Orchestra Center), Php2,000 (Orchestra Side), Php2,500 (Loge Center), Php1,500 (Loge Side), and Php800 (Balcony 1).

The PPO concert season is made possible with partners SSI Group, Inc., TBWA\SMP, Ascott Bonifacio Global City, and Lyf Malate Manila.

For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest updates.