Ricson Poonin's aria, Tchaikovsky's swan song highlight PPO's January concert

Trombone player Ricson Poonin with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

After almost three weeks since the year started, I was finally back in my regular seat at the Cultural Center of the Philippines having my fill of new music in the form of a symphonic sea battle and a rare trombone spotlight courtesy of Ricson Poonin and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

Led by Associate conductor Herminigildo Ranera, the concert got off to a good start when the opening horn solo in Manuel Maramba OSB’s Symphony Ode “La Naval” went without a hitch. Usually spotty, the horn section were faultless this time and it set the tone for the rest of the evening. The piece started out solemnly depicting people of Manila in fervent prayer as the Spanish-Filipino naval fleet prepare for battle against the invading Dutch fleet. The tension escalated as the battle commenced highlighted with two groups of the brass section positioned at both sides of the lower boxes. Their antiphonal dialogue provided a unique stereo surround sound although they somehow drowned out the strings in the process. And as expected, the battle eventually ends in a victory for the defending fleet and the piece ends with the whole orchestra in a resounding triumphant note.

Next up was trombone player Ricson Poonin who played Ferdinand David’s Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 4. I have not heard about the composer nor heard any of his works prior to this one so I was really all ears during the performance. Just like the Maramba piece, this was also very accessible and quite short with the typical fast-slow-fast three movements albeit without a pause. I made sure that I savored the rare moment of hearing the trombone as the featured solo instrument in this piece.

Trombone player Ricson Poonin
and conductor Herminigildo Ranera

Since the concertino just clocked at around 15 minutes, Ricson had to do an encore which was Nessun Dorma from Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot. I bet that I wasn’t the only one who was surprised when he sang the first part before letting the trombone take over bringing this famous aria to its victorious end.

Four years may be too soon for me to see the PPO perform Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique" again since I last saw it but I wasn’t complaining at all during this concert. One of the symphonies that I get to appreciate more as I grow older, the lush strings and the sweeping melodies got through to me as expected. This time, I was able to focus more on the second movement’s unusual “waltz” as the orchestra meticulously navigated through the 5/4 meter. Not surprisingly, most of the audience applauded at the end of the third movement but the best part for me was yet to come. One couldn’t help but feel dragged down by despair as the symphony cried and wailed before it ended with such a somber note.

Thankfully, Ranera brought the audience out of their despair by leading the orchestra with Johann Strauss I’s Radetzky March, Op. 228 for an encore. With the audience clapping along even though they were not yet instructed to do so, it finally felt like a proper welcome to the New Year after battling it out at sea and plunging into the depths of despair.

Ricson Poonin's trombone leads PPO's 2018 opener

Nothing says that everything is back to normal after the holiday break more than being at my regular seat watching the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra as their 35^th concert season resumes this January 19, 2018, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

Back with the PPO after studying at the Hopkins Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Ricson Poonin and his trombone will be on the spotlight performing Ferdinand David’s Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 4. Other pieces to be performed on that night include Manuel P. Maramba OSB’s Symphony Ode “La Naval” and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique".

My unfamiliarity with the Maramba and David pieces will have me browsing through the program notes while waiting for the concert to start. It is uncertain if Associate Conductor Herminigildo Ranera, who will lead the orchestra on this night, will have one of his pre-concert lectures that could be a great source of information and background for these rarely performed pieces.

On the other hand, the deeply personal Tchaikovsky piece is very familiar to me and I am gearing myself for the upcoming performance of this by listening to the composer’s entire 6 symphony cycle. Whether this self-induced Tchaikovsky symphony overload makes me a more pleasant or unpleasant person to interact with remains to be seen. Either way, owing to the somber end to the Tchaik 6, I expect Ranera to prepare a suitable encore to ensure that the audience will leave the CCP in high spirits.

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra 35^th Concert Season 2017-2018

Romancing the Classics Concert V
January 19, 2018, 8:00 PM | Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

Featuring:

Ricson Poonin, trombone

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Herminigildo Ranera, conductor

Program:

Manuel P. Maramba OSB
     Symphony Ode “La Naval”
Ferdinand David
     Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 4
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
     Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique"

Japan-Philippines Friendship Contemporary Music Festival Part 1

Pianist Ayumi Hirahara

Featuring:

Ayumi Hirahara, piano

Hiroshi Shibayama, oboe

String Quartet I

     Takashi Hamano, violin

     Naoru Komiya, violin

     Go Tomono, viola

     Ken’ichi Nishiyama, cello

PPO Wind Quartet

     Rosemarie Poblete, flute

     Ariel Sta. Ana, clarinet

     Jose Jerry Samonte, bassoon

     Ernani Pascual, horn

PPO String Quartet

     Dino Decena, violin

     Joanna Ruth Livioco, violin

     Joy Allan de la Cruz, viola

     Herrick Ortiz, cello

Programme:

Yasushi Akutagawa La Dance: Suite for Piano

Francisco Santiago Nocturne in E flat minor

Maki Ishii North-Silver-Night, Op. 93 Winter

Francisco Buencamino Maligayang Bati

Hal Goodman Woodwind Boogie

Astor Piazzolla Violetango

Toru Takemitsu Entre-Temps for Oboe and String Quartet

Tadashi Kubo String Quartet Elegy

Manuel Maramba String Quartet

Chamber music that included two pieces having their world premiere performances was what the first night of the Japan-Philippines Friendship Contemporary Music Festival held at the Philam Life Auditorium had in store. Japanese and Filipino musicians from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra shared the stage as they played contemporary music from composers from their respective countries (with a couple of exemptions).

First up that evening was Japanese pianist Ayumi Hirahara. She played Yasushi Akutagawa’s La Dance: Suite for Piano, Francisco Santiago’s Nocturne in E flat minor, Maki Ishii’s North-Silver-Night, Op. 93 Winter and Francisco Buencamino’s Maligayang Bati. These pieces, with the exception of Ishii’s composition, were very Western in character and in line with the compositions from the Romantic era. It made me wonder if I was indeed at a concert that would showcase contemporary compositions.

Oboist Hiroshi Shibayama

After Hirahara’s solo piano part and before the interval, composers Tadashi Kubo, Manuel Maramba, Masashi Ishida and Herminigildo Ranera took to the stage to briefly discuss their works which had yet to be premiered. I appreciated this section since it gave me an idea and much needed background information regarding the pieces that would have their world premiere.

The PPO wind quartet composed of flutist Rosemarie Poblete, clarinetist Ariel Sta. Ana, bassoonist Jose Jerry Samonte, and horn player Ernani Pascual got the second half going by playing Hal Goodman’s Woodwind Boogie and Astor Piazzolla’s Violetango. I found the music selection for this section truly odd since they were not written by either Japanese or Filipino composers.

Violinist Naoru Komiya, violist Go Tomono, composers Tadashi Kubo and
Masashi Ishida, violinist Takashi Hamano and cellist Ken'ichi Nishiyama

Then the String Quartet 1, composed of violinists Takashi Hamano and Naoru Komiya, violist Go Tomono, and cellist Ken’ichi Nishiyama joined by oboist Hiroshi Shibayama played Toru Takemitsu’s Entre-Temps for Oboe and String Quartet. It was only during this time when I felt that the concert finally ventured into contemporary music territory. Piercing harmonics, atmospheric oboe passages weaving dissonant textures characterize this Eastern sounding piece which some might have found grating and unpleasant sounding.

Finally, the concert ended with the two world premiere performances, Tadashi Kubo’s String Quartet Elegy and Manuel Maramba’s String Quartet. Kubo’s work was performed by the String Quartet 1 and it was again very Eastern in flavor. The structure of this piece was very interesting as the first part featured long sustained notes which greatly contrasted to the pizzicato from all the instruments towards the end. The PPO String Quartet, composed of violinists Dino Decena and Joanna Ruth Livioco, violist Joy Allan de la Cruz, and cellist Herrick Ortiz played Maramba’s new work for the String Quartet. Maramba’s work was about the year 2013 coming out from the remains of 2012. I admit that it was difficult to connect that concept with the music that I was able to hear during the performance. But I think that it was very easy to connect with their encore which was Nicanor Abelardo’s Nasaan Ka Irog performed by both string quartets along with oboist Hiroshi Shibayama.

Conductors Herminigildo Ranera and Tatsuya Shimono

The new works that were performed at this concert really did sound contemporary and they might not be in tune with most listeners’ tastes. I would be very surprised if any among that audience went out of the concert humming the themes, if any were discernible at all, from these pieces. It remains to be seen if these works will be performed again in the future.

Japan-Philippines Friendship Contemporary Music Festival Part 2

Chamber music concert opens Japan-Philippines Friendship Contemporary Music Festival

Pianist Ayumi Hirahara

February 8, 2013, 7:30 PM

Philam Life Auditorium

UN Avenue, Manila

Featuring:

Ayumi Hirahara, piano

Hiroshi Shibayama, oboe

String Quartet I
     Takashi Hamano, violin

     Naoru Komiya, violin

     Go Tomono, viola

     Ken’ichi Nishiyama, cello

PPO Wind Quartet
     Rosemarie Poblete, flute

     Ariel Sta. Ana, clarinet

     Jose Jerry Samonte, bassoon

     Ernani Pascual, horn

PPO String Quartet
     Dino Decena, violin

     Joanna Ruth Livioco, violin

     Joy Allan de la Cruz, viola

     Herrick Ortiz, cello

Programme:

Francisco Santiago Nocturne in E flat minor

Maki Ishii North-Silver-Night, Op. 93 Winter

Francisco Buencamino Maligayang Bati

Yasushi Akutagawa La Dance: Suite for Piano

Hal Goodman Woodwind Boogie

Astor Piazzolla Violetango

Toru Takemitsu Entre-Temps for Oboe and String quartet

Tadashi Kubo String Quartet Elegy

Manuel Maramba New Work for String Quartet

In celebration of the Japan-Philippines Friendship Contemporary Music Festival and the 40^th year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, the Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo will hold two concerts here in Manila with the first happening on February 8, 2013, 7:30 PM at the Philam Life Auditorium.

Violinist Takashi Hamano

Solo piano pieces and chamber music highlight the first concert that feature Japanese musicians like pianist Ayumi Hirahara, oboist Hiroshi Shibayama and a string quartet composed of violinists Takashi Hamano and Naoru Komiya, violist Go Tomono and cellist Ken’ichi Nishiyama. Several members of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra participating in the concert include the PPO Woodwind Quartet composed of flutist Rosemarie Poblete, clarinetist Ariel Sta. Ana, bassoonist Jose Jerry Samonte  and horn player Ernani Pascual. Also included in the concert is the PPO String Quartet composed of violinists Dino Decena and Joanna Ruth Livioco, violist Joy Allan de La Cruz, and cellist Herrick Ortiz.

Violinist Naoru Komiya

Pieces to be performed in this evening are Francisco Santiago’s Nocturne in E flat minor, Mak Ishii’s North-Silver-Night, Op. 93 Winter, Francisco Buencamino’s Maligayang Bati, and Yasushi Akutagawa’s La Dance: Suite for Piano for the solo piano. Woodwind Boogie by Hal Goodman, Violetango by Astor Piazzola, Entre-Temps for oboe and strings by Toru Takemitsu, String Quartet Elegy by Tadashi Kubo and String Quartet by Manuel P. Maramba will be performed by the string and woodwind quartets. If I’m not mistaken, the String Quartet pieces by Kubo and Maramba will be having their world premiere performance during this concert.

Violist Go Tomono

The Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo concert event is endorsed by the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Japan, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, the Japanese Association Manila, Inc., the Daily Manila Shimbun and South Japan Broadcasting (Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan).

Cellist Ken'ichi Nishiyama

Ticket prices:

P1000 Loge Center

P800 Loge Side

P500 Orchestra Center

For inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3704, 832-3706

TicketWorld: 8919999