PPO Spotlight goes Latin, Lara Maigue guest hosts

After a musical trip to a galaxy far, far away, the Philippine Philharmonic goes back to earth and heads to South America for the latest installment of the PPO Spotlight: Virtual Pocket Performances premiering on May 21, 2021, 8:00 PM via the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ website.

Joining this Latin music themed episode will be classical crossover recording artist Lara Maigue as host.

Pieces to be performed include as Bahia Norteño by Jeremy Cohen to be played by violinist Berny Dulce Payte and double bassist Ariston Payte III. Trumpet player Glober Calambro will dish out Tico-Tico no Fubá for 5 Trumpets by Zequinha de Abreu.

The Mexican folk song La Bamba will be interpreted by trumpet players Glober Calambro and Edwin Matias, French horn player Jay-Ar Mesa, trombonist Ricson Poonin, and percussionists Benedicto Dela Peret Jr. and Ederic Sampedro.

Finally, Jacob Pick Bittencourt's Noites Cariocas will be performed by violinists Dino Akira Decena and Jose Carlo Tuazon, violist Rey Casey Concepcion, cellist Giuseppe Andre Diestro, double bassist Ariston Payte III, perucssionists Aimee Dela Cruz, Elizalde Tolentino, Ederic Sampedro, with guest percussionist Floro Sernande.

Past episodes of the PPO Spotlight: Virtual Pocket Performances series can be viewed at the PPO’s Facebook page and the CCP’s YouTube channel.

Musica FEUROPA returns, presents concert series online

Early in 2021 when Covid-19 was not yet a full blown pandemic, Musica FEUROPA 12, the annual choral festival presented by the Far Eastern University in partnership with the European Union Delegation in the Philippines, teased the involvement of no other than National Artist for Music, Ryan Cayabyab.

But the dreaded disease locked its grip on the world and cultural events got cancelled left and right with the choral festival not getting spared considering that group singing is established as a super spreader event.

But after a year-long delay, Musica FEUROPA 12 returns as a series of choral performances streaming online this May 15, 22, 29, and 30, 2021.

The first three concerts happening on May 15, 22, and 29 will take place on Zoom. Participating choirs will receive constructive feedback from a panel of adjudicators that includes Anna Abeleda-Piquero, Mark Anthony Carpio, Dr. Ed Manguiat, Ramon Lijauco, Jr., Jonathan Velasco, and Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan, all of whom are major figures in the Philippines choral scene.

The finale on May 30, 2021, 8:00 PM, dubbed as Concert of Champions, will feature choirs who have won in previous editions of Musica FEUROPA and then went on to triumph in bigger competitions here and abroad.

The performances can be viewed at YouTube channels of Musica FEUROPA and the FEU Center for the Arts.

As with previous editions of Musica FEUROPA, participating choirs will perform two pieces: one by a composer from the European Union featuring an official language of any EU member state and one by a Filipino or of Filipino descent composer and featuring any language or dialect from the Philippines.

And true to tradition, there will also be a performance of the Ode to Joy (in German) from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125. This melody also serves as the official anthem of the European Union.

Unfortunately, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab will not be a part of this year's Musica FEUROPA. Hopefully when things get back to normal and the festival returns back to the FEU Auditorium with a live audience, the grand plans with Mr. C will eventually come to fruition. But for now, one can enjoy the performances online at the comfort of his or her own home.

Musica FEUROPA 12 is presented by the Far Eastern University, in partnership with the European Union Delegation in the Philippines, with 98.7 DZFE FM, The Master’s Touch as media partner.

PETA's Rak of Aegis finally streams online

When local theater companies started offering some of their productions online due to the pandemic shutting down productions worldwide, there was one production that was requested the most by theater aficionados in the country.

And due to this unrelenting demand, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) finally brings their hit musical Rak of Aegis online for a limited two weekend run on July 31-August 1, 2021 and August 7-8, 2021 via the Ticket2Me platform.

Pepe Herrera and Aicelle Santos

The online version, a recording of a live performance from the musical’s latest run, features several original cast members led by Aicelle Santos as the dreamer Aileen. Joining her are Philippine theater’s premiere couple, Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez who originated the role of Kiel and Mary Jane respectively. Two of the show’s breakout stars from the original run, Poppert Bernadas (Kenny) and Pepe Herrera (Tolits), will also be seen in the online stream.

Other cast members include Joann Co (Mercy), Jimi Marquez (Jewel), Gie Onida (Fernan) and ensemble members John Moran, Matel Patayon, Marynor Madamesila, Lemuel Silvestre, Teetin Villanueva, and Rafael Sudayan.

Isay Alvarez and Robert Seña

Ticket prices start at P350 for pay-per-view live streaming access from 8:00-11:00 PM. A P500 ticket gives viewers a 24 hour, on demand access from 10:00 AM to 10:00 AM of the next day. Lastly, a P1,000 ticket includes not just a 24 hour, on demand access, but also an exclusive pass to the Rak with Aegis concert on August 8, 2021, 8:00 PM featuring the Aegis Band themselves and select cast members including Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles. All times are in Philippine Standard Time.

Adding more excitement to the mix, the online stream will be available to viewers worldwide. And there will be a English subtitles so that non-Filipino speakers can see for themselves why Rak of Aegis has taken the Philippine theater scene by storm (no pun intended).

The Philippine Educational Theater Association’s Rak of Aegis is written by Liza Magtoto and directed by Maribel Legarda, with musical direction and arrangement by Myke Salomon, choreography by Gio Gahol, set design by Mio Infante, lights design by Jonjon Villareal, costume design by Carlo Pagunaling, and shoe design by Maco Custodio.

The online streaming of Rak of Aegis is presented in partnership with the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang–Aawit (OPM), and The Philpop Musicfest Foundation (Philpop), and co-presented by PLDT Home Fibr, and Foodpanda. This project banners PETA’s #TakePETABeyondCovid campaign to raise funds for the theater company during these challenging times. It is also part of the Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (LMP) 2021 celebrations of OPM.

Tickets are now available via www.bit.ly/rakofaegisstreaming

PPO presents Star Wars themed online performance

The Force is with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra as the PPO Spotlight: Virtual Pocket Performances presents a Star Wars themed episode premiering on May 7, 2021, 8:00 PM at the PPO’s Facebook page and Cultural Center of the Philippine’s YouTube channel.

In celebration of Star Wars Day that happened on May the Fourth, this episode’s program will feature various pieces from the Star Wars franchise starting with music from the red hot television series The Mandalorian, composed by Ludwig Göransson and orchestrated by Jose Carlo Tuazon, to be performed by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

The trip to a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away continues with Princess Leia’s Theme by John Williams to be performed by violinists Dino Akira Decena, Christian Tan, Jose Carlo Tuazon and Berny Dulce Payte, violists Joy Allan Dela Cruz and Rey Casey Concepcion, cellist Gerry Graham Gonzales, and double bassists Ariston Payte III.

Relieve the seediness of the Mos Eisley Cantina with the Cantina Band by John Williams, arranged by Hernan Manalastas, to be played by an ensemble composed of trumpet players Glober Calambro and Edwin Matias, bassoonist Adolfo Mendoza, clarinetist Hernan Manalastas, double bassist Arnel Jacinto, French horn player Jay-Ar Mesa, trombonist Ricson Poonin, percussionists Aimee Dela Cruz and Ederic Sampedro, and pianist Jascha Obieta Decena.

Lastly, the episode closes with John William's Star Wars Medley, arranged by James H. Burden, to be performed by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mother-daughter tandem of Iwi and Nicole Laurel remake Special Memory

The 1980s is a treasure trove of classic ballads that have not only defined the decade but has also shaped the course of Philippine popular music history. One of the songs that hold this distinction is Special Memory, originally recorded by Iwi Laurel and released back in 1984 as part of the original soundtrack of the movie Hotshots.

Throughout the decades, the song has remained a staple in adult contemporary radio stations and cover versions have been recorded by notable artists such as Lea Salonga, Jed Madela, and The CompanY.

Iwi Laurel

This year, just in time for Mother’s Day, Iwi Laurel re-records her hit song as a duet with no other than her daughter, Nicole Laurel. The single drops online on May 9, 2021 at Spotify and the music video will premiere on May 14, 2021 over at Facebook Live.

Nicole finds recording this song with Iwi as a fitting tribute to her mother who has raised her as a single parent. With both their lives seemingly coursing the same track: initially planning to pursue law, acting onstage in Repertory Philippines’ productions, working at restaurants, and eventually embarking on a singing career, this new duet recording reinforces the bond between mother and daughter.

Nicole Laurel

Penned by Cecil Azarcon, the duet version of Special Memory also sees the original arranger Homer Flores, working alongside one of his proteges and Nicole's frequent collaborator, Nikko Rivera. And true to the lyrics , “like a symphony”, the song boasts a who’s who roster of musicians in the recording namely Homer Flores and Nikko Rivera on keyboard/synths, Ira Cruz on guitar, Karel Honasan on bass, Otep Conception on drums, Michael Guevarra on saxophone, Lester Sorilla on trumpet, Isla Antinero on trombone, with vocal arrangement by Yosha Honasan.

Here is a making of/behind the scenes video of Special Memory by Iwi and Nicole Laurel.