Trumpet player Glober Calambro in upcoming PPO Recital Series

The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra present the fourth installment of the PPO Recital Series with trumpet player Glober Calambro premiering online on February 25, 2022, 8:00 PM.

The recital will feature a performance of Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Trumpet and Piano with pianist Mary Anne Espina.

Calambro, the Assistant Principal of the PPO's trumpet section, was part of the Philippine delegation in the Asia in Resonance Gala Concert in Japan. He also toured with the PPO at An Ode to Friendship: The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing in 2011, the historic The PPO at Carnegie Hall in 2016, and at the Asia Orchestra Week in 2018.

Manila Pianos Artist Series presents clarinetist Herald Sison in recital

The Manila Pianos Artist Series presents clarinetist Herald Sison in a recital premiering online on February 5, 2022, 7:300 PM.

Billed as Beginnings, this recital departs from the often performed classical and romantic repertoire and will instead feature works from the 20th century namely Paul Hindemith's Clarinet Sonata and Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto.

Pianist Dingdong Fiel is the collaborative artist in this recital.

Clarion Chamber Ensemble ventures into bold, brash and beautiful music territory

Pianist Hyun Joo Lee and flutist David Jerome Johnson

Featuring:

Clarion Chamber Ensemble

     David Jerome Johnson, flute

     Hyun Joo Lee, piano

     Jayson Rivera, clarinet

     Dino Decena, violin

     Gerry Gonzales, cello

     Joy Allan dela Cruz, viola

     Reynato Resurreccion, oboe

     Ariel Sta. Ana, clarinet

     Noel Singcuenco, bassoon

     Jay-Ar Mesa, horn

     Ma. Lica Uson, violin

     Glober Calambro, trumpet

     Rommel Cruz, double bass

Programme:

Paul Hindemith

     Septet 1948

Dmitri Shostakovich

     Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8

Joseph Reinberger

     Nonet in E flat major, Op. 139

Astor Piazzolla

     Verano porteño

The chamber music performances for 2015 kicked off as the Clarion Chamber Ensemble presented The Bold, The Brash and The Beautiful at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

The concert, hosted by Bert Robledo started with a bold statement from Paul Hindemith’s Septet 1948 that was played by flutist David Jerome Johnson, oboist Reynato Resurreccion, clarinetist Ariel Sta. Ana, bassoonist Noel Singcuenco, horn player Jay-Ar Mesa, trumpeter Glober Calambro and bass clarinetist Jayson Rivera. The Hindemith piece was indeed an unusual and a bold choice for an opener as it was at times atonal and is curiously structured. The piece featured a musical palindrome in the second and fourth movement but it was almost impossible to figure that out in just the first listening. I wasn't surprised when some members of the audience didn't warm up to this opener at all.

But I really warmed up to the next one which was Dmitri Shostakovich's Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8 which was the brash portion of the concert. This single movement composition was played by pianist Hyun Joo Lee, violinist Dino Decena and cellist Gerry Gonzales. An early composition created when Shostakovich was still a student, this trio is varies in pace and mood greatly while sounding at times Romantic, Impressionistic and even cinematic. Although it had some of the grotesque that characterizes his latter works, the trio wasn't quite the brash Shostakovich music that caused him much trouble with the Soviet authorities. Honestly, I would've preferred if the ensemble chose to perform the darker and the more poignant second trio instead. But it still pleased me nonetheless to have seen a performance of any Shostakovich chamber music which is rarely performed here.

The ensemble left the 20^th century atonal and dissonant harmonies of the first two pieces and stepped back in time to perform Joseph Rheinberger's Nonet in E flat major, Op. 139 with violinist Dino Decena, violist Joy Allan dela Cruz, cellist Gerry Gonzales, double bassist Rommel Cruz, flutist David Jerome Johnson, oboist Reynato Resurreccion, clarinetist Ariel Sta. Ana, bassoonist Noel Singcuenco, and horn player Jay-Ar Mesa. The piece, composed by Rheinberger who is known for his works for the organ, is basically a four movement symphony for nine musicians. With more pleasant melodies, this was indeed the beautiful part of the concert. While the ensemble was playing, I remembered my horrible experience at the recent Pasinaya when they were playing the first movement of this piece and a toddler right behind me was making a lot of noise. Thank goodness that the toddler was not present during this concert and I was able to enjoy the performance of this piece without any incident.

For the finale, the entire ensemble (sans trumpeter Calambro) along with guest artists violinist Ma. Angelica Uson and saxophonist Jayson Rivera performed Astor Piazzolla’s Verano porteño. Showing flair and swagger with all the male musicians wearing hats (with Singcuenco wearing a graduate cap of all things), this piece combining the bold, the brash and the beautiful was definitely a crowd pleaser. During the performance, I immediately wondered if Piazzolla actually wrote an arrangement of this piece specifically for that configuration of instruments. I found out right after the concert from David Jerome Johnson that he actually had Francesco Venerucci a pianist and composer from Italy, do a special arrangement of this piece for the ensemble. And that Clarion Chamber Ensemble already availed of his arrangement services a handful of times before.

I initially didn't like chamber music since I prefer the grand music that was played by symphony orchestras. But as I got older, I learned to appreciate the more intimate works by composers that I like and eventually wondered if I would ever see a live performances of said pieces. Thank goodness that the Clarion Chamber Ensemble is here since 2001 and that they had made it their mission to do regular concerts featuring music that aren't regularly performed in here.

Clarion Chamber Ensemble opens 2015 season with bold, brash, and beautiful music

March 22, 2015, 6:00 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Clarion Chamber Ensemble

     David Jerome Johnson, flute

     Hyun Joo Lee, piano

     Jayson Rivera, clarinet

     Dino Decena, violin

     Gerry Gonzales, cello

     Joy Allan dela Cruz, viola
     Reynato Resurreccion, oboe

     Ariel Sta. Ana, clarinet

     Noel Singcuenco, bassoon

     Jay-Ar Mesa, horn

     Ma. Lica Uson, violin

     Glober Calambro, trumpet

     Rommel Cruz, double bass

Programme:

Dmitri Shostakovich

     Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8

Paul Hindemith

     Septet 1948

Joseph Rheinberger

     Nonet in E flat major, Op. 139

Astor Piazzolla

     Verano porteño

The Clarion Chamber Ensemble presents The Bold, The Brash and The Beautiful, its first concert of their 2015 season this March 22, 2015, 6:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino.

Performing in this concert are flutist David Jerome Johnson, pianist Hyun Joo Lee, clarinetists Jayson Rivera and Ariel Sta. Ana, violinists Dino Decena and Ma. Lica Uson, cellist Gerry Gonzales, violist Joy Allan dela Cruz, oboist Reynato Resurreccion, bassoonist Noel Singcuenco, horn player Jay-Ar Mesa, trumpeter Glober Calambro, and double bassist Rommel Cruz. Mr. Bert Robledo will be the show’s master of ceremonies.

The concert will feature the works of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich and German composer Paul Hindemith whose present day reputations attest to their massive contribution to the bold and brash ideas of 20th century classical music. Clarion performs Shostakovich’s 1923 bold statement of youth, the Trio No. 1 in C minor Op. 8 (for piano, violin, and cello). From the pen of Paul Hindemith comes the brash electricity of his 1948 Septet for woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bass, bassoon, and horn) and trumpet and bass clarinet.

The beguiling beauty of the evening can be found in German organist/composer Joseph Rheinberger’s Nonet in E-flat Major Op. 139 for string trio, double bass and woodwind quintet, which surrenders its spirit to old world romantic charm in a vivid and imaginative Clarion performance. Clarion Chamber Ensemble performs the smoldering and lavish Verano porteño of Argentine Tango Master Astor Piazzolla. Verano porteño is also known as Summer from Piazzolla’s famous Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.

The Bold, The Brash, and The Beautiful is a production by Clarion Chamber Ensemble and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and co-presented by 98.7 DZFE The Masters Touch.

Ticket price:

P500

-50% student and senior citizen discount

+applicable service charges

For inquiries:

Clarion 890-8840

CCP Box Office 832-3704

TicketWorld 891-9999

Rare double bass concert with Jiovanni Tabada at the CCP

September 24, 2014, 7:30 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Jiovanni Tabada, double bass

Michelle Nicolasora, piano

John Paul Bermudez, double bass

Emman Ongleo, double bass

Gerry Gonzalez, cello

Programme:

David Ellis Sonata Op. 42 for Unaccompanied Double Bass

Serge Koussevitzky Double Bass Concerto, Op. 3

Gioachino Rossini Duetto in D major

Paul Hindemith Double Bass Sonata

Angel Peña Suite for Three Double Basses

A rare double bass concert featuring the Netherlands-trained double bassist Jiovanni Tabada wraps up the 2014 CCP Special Concert Series this September 24, 2014, 7:30 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

The evening will consist of performances of works like David Ellis’ Sonata Op. 42 for Unaccompanied Double Bass, Serge Koussevitzky’s Double Bass Concerto, Op. 3, Gioachino Rossini’s Duetto in D major, Paul Hindemith’s Double Bass Sonata, and Angel Peña’s Suite for Three Double Basses. Guest artists include accompanying pianist Michelle Nicolasora, double bassists John Paul Bermudez and Emman Ongleo, and cellist Gerry Gonzalez.

Jiovanni Tabada received his basic music training in double bass in 1996 at Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation, Inc., an orchestra development program initiated in Cebu by concert pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria. Four years later, he was awarded a full grant to study in one of the best conservatories in Europe, the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Netherlands.  In 2009, Jiovanni graduated from the Royal Conservatory with a Master of Music degree,   major in Double Bass, with distinction. He has performed with the Sinfonia Rotterdam Chamber Orchestra, the Holland Sinfonia, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He now resides in his hometown Cebu, and is contributing to its growing music scene. He is currently the Program Director of Sistemang Pilipino, a program based in Cebu, dedicated to providing world-class music education and performance opportunities for Filipino children and youth, with special focus in those from underserved communities.

Double Bassist Jiovanni Tabada

On September 25, 2014, 1:00 PM, Jiovanni Tabada will give a double bass masterclass at the MKP Multi-Purpose Hall of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Ticket prices:

P800 Orchestra Center

P600 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For performance inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3706

For masterclass inquiries:

CCP Music Division 832-1125 local 1604, ccp.artist.training@gmail.com