Improved Metropolitan Theater acoustics at PPO concert

Conductor Shizuo Kuwahara and pianist Albert Tiu

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra greeted 2023 with the resumption of its subscription concert series at the Metropolitan Theater, the orchestra's home for the foreseeable future while the Cultural Center of the Philippines' main building is undergoing major rehabilitation.

The orchestra's performance at the Met back in November exposed the theater's lackluster acoustics that had the PPO and CCP regulars wondering if these deficiencies would be remedied by the next concert at the venue. Thankfully, ceiling panels were installed and this made a significant improvement with the sound.

Led by Shizuo Kuwahara, the fourth of the five shortlisted conductors gunning for the position of the orchestra's next music director/principal conductor, the PPO were in top form making the audience enjoy the mostly Russian program that contain easily recognizable melodies and tunes.

With the theater's acoustics now less of a concern, the music was able to shine. Kuwahara highlighted the contrasts of tempo and rhythm in Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. This made the piece's most popular melody, mostly known in the mainstream as Strangers in Paradise, a lot sweeter.

Pianist Albert Tiu, conductor Shizuo Kuwahara,
and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra 

In Igor Sravinsky's Firebird Suite, hearing muted strings as intended was a delight since the November concert sounded as if the strings were muted during the entire concert due to the Met's poor acoustics. Finally, there was now a sense of dynamic range that one struggled to hear back then at the previous Met performance.

Earlier in the week, there were hushed talks about pianist Albert Tiu who was the featured soloist at the concert. A couple of days before, Tiu had a scare when he fell off stage after a run through with the orchestra. Good thing that he wasn't hurt that bad and was still able to squeeze in a masterclass within the week. Tiu showed what a trooper he is as he practically didn't miss a beat in the rhythmically charged Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1 in D flat Major, Op. 10 on the night of the concert.

Although there was a significant improvement with the Met's acoustics, it is still far from perfect. The depth of sound is still a bit off and the clapping from Antonino Buenaventura's Mindanao Sketches sounded as if the hands were gloved. But this is already nitpicking and not that much of a deal breaker.

Overall, the Kuwahara led PPO showed an invigorated unit showing none of the fatigue from the orchestra's Dinagyang Festival series of performances a couple of weeks prior. And so far in the series, this has been the most satisfying concerto with both the orchestra and soloist in equal footing.

Pianist Albert Tiu, conductor Shizuo Kuwahara in PPO January concert at the Met

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes back pianist Albert Tiu in the fifth concert of its 38th season on January 27, 2023, 8:00 PM at the Metropolitan Theater.

The concert also sees Japanese-American conductor Shizuo Kuwahara leading the orchestra. He is the fourth of the five conductors shortlisted gunning for the position of the PPO Music Director/Principal Conductor. Kuwahara is the First Prize winner of the Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition in Frankfurt, Germany and principal guest conductor of The Mariinsky Theatre, Russia.

Tiu, recently promoted to Head of Piano Studies at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, last performed with the PPO back in the the orchestra's opening concert of its 32nd season back in 2014.

The evening's program will include Antonino Buenaventura's Mindanao Sketches, Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat major, Op. 10, Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, and Igor Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1919).

A class act by Polish conductor Grzegorz Nowak at PPO concert

Violinist Vincent Owen Romanban and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra season concert for October saw a class act performance by Polish conductor Grzegorz Nowak making the big stage debut of young violinist Vincent Owen Romanban a memorable one.

Vincent was a bundle of nerves at the start, as if the task of playing Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E flat minor, Op. 64 with the orchestra would overwhelm him. But Nowak's exemplary conducting guided the inexperienced soloist with such care and sensitivity, enabling him to gain more confidence with every measure. By the time of the second movement, Vincent was clearly more at ease up until the end of the concerto.

It is the same deft touch that Nowak exhibited in the service of the other pieces in the program. Without any unnecessary flashiness, Nowak's take on Lucio San Pedro's Lahing Kayumanggi and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture highlighted the flowing narrative as well as the clarity of the form and structure of these two programmatic pieces.

Conductor Grzegorz Nowak and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra 

With Igor Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1919), Nowak displayed a mastery of the piece's complexity showcasing the wide range of dynamics and different rhythms of this suite He remained unfazed despite the wailing of a young boy who got rattled by the sudden, jolting bass drum. Just like how he managed to make the nervous Vincent feel at ease with the violin concerto, Nowak was also successful in making the audience feel the same with Firebird.

The way Nowak worked with Vincent, despite the latter's inexperience, bodes well for the Polish conductor's chances to be the next Music Director/Principal Conductor of the PPO.

Conductor Grzegorz Nowak, violinist Vincent Romanban to perform at PPO's October concert

Polish conductor Grzegorz Nowak leads the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in their upcoming Metamorphosis 38th season concert this October 7, 2022, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater).

Pieces to be performed are Lucio San Pedro's Lahing Kayumanggi, Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor Op. 64, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, and Igor Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1919).

Violinist Vincent Owen Romanban is the featured soloist for the Mendelssohn violin concerto.

Nowak is the permanent associate conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London, UK. He was music director of the Polish National Opera, Warsaw, Poland from 2017-2020 and other orchestras in Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. He has conducted orchestral music recorded in over 80 CDs that have received awards and 5-star ratings.

Nowak is one of the five shortlisted conductors for the position of PPO's next Music Director/Principal Conductor.

Violinist Vincent Owen Romanban

Romanban is an active member of the UST Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Herminigildo Ranera. He was part of the Pundaquit Virtuosi under Coke Bolipata. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance under Noel Martin at the University of Sto. Tomas.

PPO's Rite of Spring, a strong finish to 45th Anniversary Season

Guitarist Kiyoshi Shomura and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Coming off the heels of a performance that has been considered as one of the best in recent years, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, along with Music Director/Principal Conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura, wrapped up its 45th Anniversary Season at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Expectations for this evening were really high not just because of the previous PPO outing but also due to the inclusion of the fiendishly difficult Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky that closed out the concert and the season. 

Conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

The evening started off with a breezy Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian” by Felix Mendelssohn. Had the closing piece been different, the tarantella at the finale would've sounded more frantic. This was how highly anticipated the Stravinsky was.

Preconcert talk by PPO Director Eugene de los Santos

The evening saw Japanese guitarist Kiyoshi Shomura as the guest artist in Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Guitar Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 99. The Mediterranean images evoked in this piece served as the calm before the storm. But there was a bit of hesitation and lack of command with his performance of the concerto. Shomura's encores, Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega and Sons de carrilhões by João Pernambuco, treated the audience with popular staples of the guitar repertoire.

The much awaited Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky saw the orchestra (fortified with a number of guest musicians) tackle the piece with an intensity and an attack that truly made the tarantella at the Mendelssohn feel like a walk in the park. There were moments of brilliance, but there were times when they teetered close to the edge. The Rite was a competent one but clearly not the homerun that the Tchaikovsky's fifth was the previous month.

Overall, it was still a triumphant end to the season with the PPO under Fukumura getting stronger with each performance since the series resumed at the start of the year. The bar has been set high and they have to be golden next season as the CCP celebrates a milestone 50 years.

Japanese guitarist Kiyoshi Shomura closes PPO concert season

Guitarist Kiyoshi Shomura

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, under music director/principal conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura, wraps up its 45th anniversary celebrations with Japanese guitarist Kiyoshi Shomura on April 12, 2019, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo).

The music lined up for this evening includes Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Guitar Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 99 with Shomura as the soloist, and Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.

Shomura began his guitar lessons at age nine, first studying with his father Masato Shomura, and later with Yasumasa Ohara. In 1964, Shomura traveled to Spain to study with renowned guitarist Narciso Yepes, who during a visit to Japan the previous year recognized Shomura's potential. Shomura performed several recitals in Europe during his stay in 1967-68.

Before returning to Japan in 1969, Shomura performed approximately 40 highly acclaimed recitals throughout Italy from 1968 to 1969. After his 1969 recital debut in Japan, he returned to Italy as the Japanese representative at the 1971 World Youth Association International, and continued recitals in 28 cities throughout North America.

Since his early years, Shomura's concerts have covered a wide range of musical styles. In addition to solo recitals and performances with Japan's major orchestras, he often collaborates with his colleagues in performing duos and trios concerti, with various instruments such as flute, voice, piano, violin, and mandolin.

As an advocate of contemporary works for guitar, he premiered and recorded Toru Takemitsu's guitar works, including In the Woods - three pieces for guitar, a work written for him by Takemitsu himself. He continues today to commission and premier works by Japanese composers playing an important role in expanding the guitar repertoire. Shomura is a Toshiba EMI Label recording artist.

In 2014, he celebrated the 45th anniversary of his career as a concert guitarist. In December 2013, he released Recuerdos de la Alhambra featuring his roots, Spanish music. Other highlights of his anniversary concert include the performance of three guitar concertos with Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra conducted by Naoto Otomo and several recitals throughout Japan.

In 2015, Shomura performed and recorded an album on guitar concertos by Giuliani and Vivaldi with I Music, which was released in 2016. Since 2017, he has performed Kiyoshi Shomura Special Project, a series of four concerts to show the diverse possibilities of guitar in celebration for his 50th anniversary in 2019.

Tenor Arthur Espiritu leads A Night of Love concert at the Ayala Museum

International tenor Arthur Espiritu leads A Night of Love, a pre-Valentine concert featuring some of opera’s most romantic music happening this February 10, 2018, 7:00 PM at the Ayala Museum in Makati.

Joining Arthur at this concert are Stefanie Quintin and Mheco Manlangit, two of the country’s young promising sopranos, and collaborating artist extraordinaire, pianist Najib Ismail.

The three will take the audience to an evening filled with love songs and duets from Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, Vincenzo Bellini’s La Sonnambula and Norma, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, and Georges Bizet’s Carmen.

Arthur Espiritu had a productive 2017 making his Australian Opera debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème. He also played the role of the Shepherd in Karol Szymanowski’s King Roger. He then performed in Munich before ending the year with a stint reprising Rodolfo in Israel.

Stefanie Quintin has sung the main roles in Domenico Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio segreto, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Coronation Mass, and Requiem, Donizetti’s L'Elisir d'Amore, Bellini’s La Sonnambula, George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, Ryan Cayabyab’s Misa, Geonyong Lee’s Asian Mass, among others. She was invited to perform in various international festivals and is a recipient of the Delphic Lyra Award for Traditional Music.

Mheco Manlangit has her major breakthrough as the sole winner of the Singapore International Festival of Music Competition held July last year.  She then made her professional debut at CAEO’s Youth on Stage concert series at the Ayala Museum. She graduated from the University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Eugene de los Santos.

Najib ismail is one of the most sought after chamber music and collaborating pianist having performed with global opera superstars like soprano Sumi Jo and Nelly Miricioiu.

A Night of Love is presented by Cultural Arts Events Organizer, the Ayala Museum, Lyric, and 98.7 DZFE The Master’s Touch.

Classical throwback with Alexander Vikulov and the Manila Symphony Orchestra

Russian conductor Alexander Vikulov continued the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s run of performing the final three symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven by tackling the 8^th symphony on a night that took the audience on a classical music throwback of sorts.

The concert also saw the aforementioned Beethoven’s symphony paired with music from the ballet Pulcinella by Igor Stravinsky.

I have to admit that I was thrown off a bit when I realized that the Pulcinella to be performed was not the suite, but the entire ballet complete with the vocal parts. The singers who lent their voices were baritone Noel Azcona, tenor Mark Bautista and soprano Camille Lopez-Molina. I do have to confess that I’ve never given Pulcinella that much attention compared to other Stravinsky ballets like Petrushka, Firebird, and the Rite of Spring. In fact, the concert was the first time I’ve ever heard of the music in its entirety as I’ve only acquainted myself with the suite. On the surface, the music sounded like that of the classical era, but the harmonies bordered on being neoclassical. It’s because the ballet actually featured Stravinsky’s arrangement of 18^th century music composed by/attributed to Giovanni Pergolesi and a handful of others.

And it was a moment of discovery for me hearing this piece in an intimate venue such as the Power Mac Center Spotlight. The unique configuration of the orchestra featuring a concertino of strings played by the principals as well as the trio of singers made for a challenging listening experience. I wish that I had chosen a seat farther from the orchestra. A bit of distance could’ve resulted in hearing the sound as a whole rather than feeling as if I were smack in the middle of it. And similar to my experience with other Stravinsky’s ballets, I would’ve been able grasp the music on its own had I’ve seen the ballet either with the original choreography or even if it was just an adaptation.

Before getting into the Beethoven symphony, Vikulov led the MSO with the Overture to Démophon by Luigi Cherubini, a Philippine premiere performance if I’m not mistaken. Again, I have no idea about Cherubini and what his opera is all about but this short piece actually set the tone to the Beethoven symphony that followed it.  It must be a time for confessions but I do have to say that I’ve a tendency to overlook Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 with it being sandwiched by the seventh which is my favorite and the ninth which is monumental in scope. I’ve always thought that Beethoven went some steps back for the eighth and purposely made it light and short, harkening back the symphonies of Haydn, as if he already knew how colossal his ninth would be.

With the symphony not possessing any tinge of heaviness, I didn’t mind at all being very close to the orchestra feeling every sudden change of dynamics. And with this piece not really having a slow movement, it drew me more to the orchestra.

Linking the music thematically as the composers’ throwbacks to music from another era was an effective way for me to get into the groove into this concert that featured pieces that I’ve generally overlooked in the past.

Christopher Janwong McKiggan champions contemporary works in solo piano concert

Pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan

Featuring:

Christopher Janwong McKiggan, piano

Programme:

Johannes Brahms

     Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op.2

Karim Al-Zand

     Paganini Reverie

Robert Beaser

     Pag Rag

Ludwig van Beethoven

     Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op.110

Narong Prangcharoen

     Three Minds

Igor Stravinsky/Guido Agosti

     Firebird Suite

Pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan championed contemporary music during his brief stop to the country for a solo piano concert in conjunction with the release of his debut CD of new piano works.

Held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) and co-presented by KMP Artists, the concert featured Chris’ renditions of standard repertoire pieces by Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven and Igor Stravinsky alongside newer works by Karim Al-Zan, Robert Beaser and Narong Prancharoen. Before playing each piece, Chris provided brief backgrounds about the works enabling the audience to have a more informed listening experience.

Chris opened up with Johannes Brahms’ Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 2, a curious way to start, for in other recitals, a sonata such as this one usually wraps things up. But this piece, featuring an arresting start, a subdued (though it builds later on) second movement, a glorious Trio in the third movement, and a hefty finale showcased Chris’ range. The next couple of pieces he played are Paganini Reverie by Karim Al-Zand and Pag Rag by Robert Beaser, commissioned works that are among the tracks in his debut CD Paganimania. The first is a dreamy, drifting impressionistic work while the latter is a fun ragtime piece that ended with a playful reminder of the source material for both pieces which is Caprice No. 24 in A minor by Niccolò Paganini.

Chris rehearsing before the concert

The second sonata Chris performed on that night was Ludwig van Beethoven’s penultimate, Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op.110. Even if he didn’t admit to the audience beforehand that he almost never performs Beethoven (which is quite unheard of for concert pianists), his performance of this piece would still feel to me that he was not in his comfort zone especially with the fugue in the third movement. After that, he performed another contemporary work which was Narong Prangcharoen’s Three Minds which consists of three short movements depicting different state of minds. Of all the three, I was mostly drawn to the middle movement “Absent” that featured a series of hypnotic notes that lingered on for a few beats, giving out an eerie harmony, even after the strong bass notes were already released.

Chris saved his best for last with the Firebird Suite, Guido Agosti’s piano transcription of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet music. He handled with ease the complex Danse infernale, showed such delicate touch with the Berceuse and then used the glissando to great effect and heightening the sense of excitement in the Finale. It is still difficult to describe how giddy I always feel whenever I hear the start of the Finale whether it’s being heralded by the horn in the orchestral version or by a lone pianist who is consistent with his layers during this part. When I asked for feedback after the concert, I never heard anyone from the audience who didn’t have the Firebird Suite as their favorite moment in the whole evening.

After the concert, people snagged copies of the Paganimania CD, released by Albany Records that were available for sale at the lobby. And it quickly became a CD signing session for Chris. Even though attendance could’ve been a lot better, one thing that I found remarkable was that most of the audience was made up of mostly young people. The evening was indeed a magnificent display of youthful exuberance. I guess that Chris’ youth and pleasant looks, bringing contemporary works into the fore, and the wonders of the internet were instrumental in bringing out the younger set this time.

Ravishing Ravel of Dechosa and Petrushka’s abrupt ending

Pianist Ariel Dechosa and conductor Olivier Ochanine

Featuring:

Ariel Dechosa, piano

Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Programme:

Franz Joseph Haydn

     Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob. 1/100 Military

Maurice Ravel

     Piano Concerto in G

Igor Stravinsky

     Petrouchka

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra greeted the year 2015 with a concert that featured a ravishing Ravel by pianist Ariel Dechosa and a Petrushka that ended rather abruptly. With the concert staged at the Meralco Theater once again due to the Cultural Center of the Philippinesbeing home to yet another touring musical for the most of January, I had no choice but to endure the horror of traveling along EDSA. But after the Christmas break and the papal visit, it was really nice to be back at the symphony.

The concert opener, Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob. 1/100 Military, had a rather tentative start by the orchestra led by music director and principal conductor Olivier Ochanine. I guess that it’s harder to begin a quiet, soft and unassuming introduction than a loud, strong phrase like that of Beethoven’s Fifth. Thankfully, everything went smooth sailing once the winds kicked in at the Allegro. One of the most interesting aspects of this symphony was the use of “Turkish” instruments namely the bass drum, cymbals and triangle at the second and fourth movements. While I was watching, I couldn’t help but be amused upon remembering that this caused quite a sensation back then when it is nothing out of the ordinary right now.

Oddly, Ariel Dechosa’s take on Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G also had an incoherent start by the orchestra. The whip/slapstick that should’ve jolted an unprepared member of the audience sounded so distant as if the percussion section were offstage. And in yet another head scratching moment for me, the Dechosa on the piano overpowered the orchestra which is usually the other way around especially at performances at the CCP Main Theater. But I wasn’t complaining since I no longer had to struggle trying to hear the piano parts which were played magnificently especially during the dreamy second movement. I wish that this reverie would never end but Ravel decided to bring us back to the frenzy of the first movement in the all too brief closing section of the piece. Dechosa impressed the audience with such an energetic finish that he continued on with his encore of George Gershwin’s Prelude No. 1 in B flat major.

The second half of the concert was devoted to Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka, which was a nice contrast to the Haydn opener. Familiarity with the ballet from which this music was from benefited me greatly while listening to the orchestra. As they went on from each tableau, I had no trouble imagining the story of Petrushka unfold and couldn’t help but feel torn since I’m not sure whether to root or feel sorry for the puppet. As the orchestra neared the part where Petrushka dies at the hands of the Moor, his rival for the ballerina’s affections, the orchestra suddenly stopped. Then, there was a stray applause. But Olivier relaxed, releasing the tension in his shoulders, which is a sign that the piece has ended. I could only join the applause in confusion, checking the souvenir program once again confirming that the omission of the final parts of Petrushka wasn’t a misprint. The abrupt end definitely rattled me as my favorite moment, the mocking trumpet dialogue in the keys of C and F# during apparition of Petrushka followed by quiet pizzicato notes to end the piece wasn’t played at all.

RAd with Ariel Dechosa and Olivier Ochanine

I couldn’t recall being bothered like this at a concert. The omission left an itchy feeling that I desperately needed to scratch. And to get this off me, I had to play the omitted parts from a recording that I have as soon as I got home.

Pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan holds solo recital at the CCP

February 10, 2015, 7:30 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Christopher Janwong McKiggan, piano

Programme:

Johannes Brahms

     Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op.2

Narong Prangcharoen

     Three Minds

Ludwig van Beethoven

     Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op.110

Robert Beaser

     Pag-Rag

Karim Al-Zand

     Paganini Reverie

Igor Stravinsky/Guido Agosti

     Firebird Suite

The Cultural Center of the Philippines and KMP Artists proudly present classical pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan in one night concert this February 10, 2015, 7:30 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Born in Christchurch, England, Christopher began his piano studies at age six with his father. He moved to Thailand at age seven, residing with his father, British, and mother, a Thai citizen of Chinese heritage. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Missouri-Kansas City as a Bachelor of Music studying under Dr. Robert Weirich, a Master’s Degree from Rice University is currently there as a Doctoral of Musical Arts Piano Performance under Prof. Jon Kimura Parker.

The program for the night includes standard piano repertoire fare like Johannes Brahms’ Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op.2, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op.110, and Igor Stravinsky/Guido Agosti’s Firebird Suite. But what interests me more are the contemporary works to be played like Narong Prangcharoen’s Three Minds, Robert Beaser’s Pag Rag, and Karim Al-Zand’s Paganini Reverie.

Prancharoen’s Three Minds consists of three short pieces intended to describe different states of mind, how the mind affect a person’s life, and how the mind connects to sound or music and respond with it through emotion. Beaser’s Pag-Rag is Niccolò Paganini’s insanely popular Caprice No. 24 imbedded in ragtime music. Al-Zand’s Paganini Reverie takes a different approach as it was inspired by an evocative passage in Heinrich Heine‘s Florentine Nights which narrates a Paganini concert in vivid detail. Both of these pieces are included in Christopher’s CD Paganimania which will be available at the concert.

Like what I’ve said above, it’s the contemporary works in this concert that really piques my interest. And in my quest to sate this curiosity as Christopher’s concert draws near, I asked him a few questions regarding his views about contemporary music which is an exclusive in this blog.

Pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan

You are heavily involved with contemporary music. What do you think are 21^st century piano works that will be part of the standard repertoire?

While there are a multitude of works being composed right now, several works that were composed over the past 30 or so years seem to come to mind straight away when talking about pieces that could stand the test of time. Firstly is Augusta Read Thomas's Traces for solo piano. Composed in 2005 for the Montalvo Festival, it is a very varied and virtusoic work that has a wide breadth of colors and sounds. Secondly, is Robert Beaser's Piano Concerto. This is a stunningly beautiful work that I have kept in my repertoire for several years now. It certainly is the pinnacle of music in the New Tonality style. Wonderful construction, stunning harmonies and beautiful melodies also make it an audience favourite.

And in what direction will contemporary works take the music landscape in the foreseeable future?

All music was contemporary at some point whether it be Beethoven, Bach, Bartok, Ligeti, Chen Yi, or Gesualdo. There was a time when their music was considered contemporary. It is a question that I do not have an answer to. All I believe is that great music will prevail. A lot of people will argue as to what type of music is the "Future" of music, but I do not view music like this. Regardless of genre, a great piece of music is a great piece of music. As to what I see happening. However, to answer your question: for the next several decades, I see composers continuing to craft their own unique sound in the music world as most composers are doing now. Beyond that, it is very difficult to make a guess.

Contemporary works are rarely performed in here and it looks like it’s the same everywhere. It’s a risk to program new works and a lot still prefer to hear the same old thing. What do you think can be done to overcome this resistance to new works?

That is always a difficult task. The solution that has been thus far is to program an entire concert of pre 1920s music with maybe one work that is post 1920s. The unfortunate mindset about programming music this way is that Contemporary music becomes a token work. It could be viewed as almost an obligation. The way I program contemporary music is just how I feel It suits a program. Like in my upcoming concert, I have three contemporary works and three classical. All the contemporary works are all of different styles and extremely contrast one another. Personally, I have found this more effective. The audience gets to hear a wider variety of works and their mindset and outlook of the works is that they won't see it as just that "token" work.

We now live in a world where the internet has become an indispensable part of our lives. How can music written either centuries ago or just newly composed survive and flourish in this day and age?

Ah, the million dollar question. If I had that answer I would be rich. But in my opinion, embrace and adapt would be the way. It's slowly happening in the classical world, but slowly. In the internet age things change really fast. But at the same time, the music shouldn't be diluted. The danger that is happening is that the true nature of the music is getting lost. So somehow, we must come up with a way mix the hip and the classical together without losing its identity.

So do you have any word as we count the days leading to your concert here?

It's my first time performing in the Philippines, and I couldn't be more excited! My first piano teacher, Rodel Rivera, is actually from the Philippines and without him as a teacher I wouldn't have found my love for the piano. I look forward to performing there and I truly hope you enjoy the concert!

There you go folks! Special thanks to Christopher for this interview. And see you all at the CCP Little Theater this February 10.

Ticket prices:

P800 Orchestra Center

P600 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

+applicable service charges

For inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3704

CCP Performance and Exhibition Department 832-1125 local 1606-1607

TicketWorld 891-9999

Pianist Ariel Dechosa performs Ravel in PPO’s January concert

January 23, 2015, 8:00 PM

Meralco Theater

Ortigas Avenue

Pasig City

Featuring:

Ariel Dechosa, piano

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Programme:

Franz Joseph Haydn

     Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob. 1/100 Military

Maurice Ravel

     Piano Concerto in G

Igor Stravinsky

     Petrushka

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra greets the New Year as it features pianist Ariel Dechosa in its subscription series concert on January 23, 2015, 8:00 PM at the Meralco Theater.

Concert lineup for the evening includes Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob. 1/100 Military, Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G with Dechosa as soloist, and Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka. PPO’s principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine conducts.

Pianist Ariel Dechosa

Born in Manila, Ariel Dechosa began his piano studies at age ten. Three years later, after winning the National Music Competition for Young Artists in Manila, he entered as a full scholar at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he subsequently earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees under the tutelage of Prof. Arkady Aronov. Upon graduation, he was given the prestigious Harold Sauer-Award, the highest prize bestowed to a graduating pianist.

He continued his studies at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore where he earned a Graduate Performing Diploma as a student of Boris Slutsky. He has taken regular master classes with Leon Fleisher, Paul Badura-Skoda, Vladimir Feltsman, and Ruth Laredo.

Mr. Dechosa won Third Prize in the 1996 Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition, Third Prize in the 1994 Santa Barbara Symphony International Piano Competition, First Prize in the 1993 Five Towns Competition, and First Prize in the 1991 Great Neck Symphony Young Artists Competition.

An active soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and Corcoran Gallery of Art, among others. He has played with the Northwest Sinfonietta in Seattle and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra performing Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto. He has also been invited to perform at music festivals in the La Schola Cantorum Piano Series in Paris, Merano Festival in Italy, and the Lasker Music Festival in North Carolina.

Ariel resides in Inwood, West Virginia with his wife Vivian, and teaches at Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently the Music Director of Inter-Atlantic Music Foundation based in the USA and Bulgaria.

Ticket prices:

P1500 Orchestra Center, Loge Center

P1200 Orchestra Side, Loge Side

P500 Balcony

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

+applicable service charges

For inquiries:

CCP Marketing Department 832-1125 local 1806

CCP Box Office 832-3704

TicketWorld 891-9999