Kanngiesser's mature, mellow Dvořák cello concerto in Manila Symphony Orchestra's season opener

Cellist Claus Kangiesser and the Manila Symphony Orchestra

A mellow take on Dvořák’s well-loved cello concerto by German cellist Claus Kanngiesser highlighted the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s 2018-2019 Year of the Titans season opening concert held recently at The Theatre at Solaire.

Kanngiesser showcased a more refined and introspective rendition of Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191 that probably left some audience members wanting a little more bite and aggression especially on the main theme of the first movement. But this refinement served him well during the second movement and also with his encore which was Gavotte I & II from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012.

Overall, his performance left me an impression of a journeyman whose edges got rounded off as time went by as his Dvořák had a more leisurely pace and a weathered feel to it than being outwardly flashy. It is fascinating to see a veteran play with an orchestra like the MSO that has several very young players in its roster.

Conductor Arturo Molina and the Manila Symphony Orchestra

Prior to the Dvořák, the MSO, under the baton of Arturo Molina delivered lush rendition of Richard Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. The first time I heard this piece performed by the MSO, I was still coming to terms on how different Wagner’s operas are compared to the Italians and not just in the language of the text but also in the music context. For this latest performance, the only thing I could’ve asked for was for a Wagnerian soprano singing during the Liebestod.

The final piece, the one that gave the concert its title The Color of Music, was Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and they showed a marked improvement since I last saw them tackle this piece some years back. Commendable for me are the alto sax and tuba solos and also the strings’ rich and full lower registers during the Samuel Goldenberd.

The MSO was such a sight to behold especially during tutti passages due to the spiffy Theater at Solaire with its optimum view from where I was seated up in the balcony. And I couldn’t pass up mentioning that the ample back and neck support made the seats very comfortable. But the acoustics still left something to be desired. The amplification volume of the harp and the keyboard was too much and disrupted the balance for me.

Claus Kanngiesser and Arturo Molina during the meet and greet

I hope that by the time the MSO delve into symphonic rock with Rockestra 2018 on July 29, 2018 and film scores with Silver Screen Symphonies on September 16, 2018, The Theatre at Solaire’s much touted Constellation Acoustic System will be en pointe and let the audience hear the MSO at their finest.

German cellist Claus Kanngiesser guests in Manila Symphony Orchestra season opener

The Manila Symphony Orchestra welcomes German cellist Claus Kanngiesser as its guest artist in its 2018-2019 Year of the Titans season opening concert happening this June 3, 2018, 6:00 PM at The Theatre at Solaire.

Cellist Claus Kanngiesser

The concert, billed as The Color of Music, will feature performances of Richard Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191 with Claus Kanngiesser as featured soloist. MSO Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Prof. Arturo Molina conducts.

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Claus Kanngiesser, born in Oldenburg, Germany, has studied with Heinrich Schüchner in Hamburg and with Zara Nelsova at the Juilliard School of Music in New York and gained further artistic inspiration from Gaspar Cassado, Pablo Casals, Yehudi Menuhin and Rudolf Serkin. He enjoys a rich musical life as soloist, chamber-music player, teacher, director, juror and advisor.

Conductor Arturo Molina

Manila Symphony Orchestra rings in 2018 with epic season finale

The Manila Symphony Orchestra brings their Leadership & Creativity season to an epic close with a performance of Carl Orff’s masterpiece Carmina Burana this January 20, 2018, 8:00 PM at The Theatre at Solaire.

The MSO, to be conducted by Prof. Arturo Molina, will be joined by soprano Rachelle Gerodias-Park, baritone Byeong-In Park, tenor Nomher Nival, Coro Tomasino, and Viva Voce for the performance of Carmina Burana.

Making its world premiere on this night is Alejandro Consolacion II’s Dekada ’70 A Rhapsodic Suite for Orchestra which is in line with the orchestra’s aim to enrich the Philippine orchestral music literature by commissioning works from Filipino composers.

The MSO gave a sampler of Carmina Burana years ago featuring soprano Elainne Marie Vibal, baritone Noel Azcona and Viva Voce through a recording made for the Ortigas Foundation. Note that there was no tenor listed since only some parts, and none with the tenor, was recorded.

While very brief, the tenor part in this piece is extremely demanding and gives no opportunity for him to warm up at all. I do think that Nomher Nival is one tenor who is up to this formidable task.

Carmina Burana, especially the O Fortuna part is one of the most recognizable pieces of music out there as it had been used in movies, television, commercials and just recently as the music for Michael Christian Martinez’s short program for this season in his unsuccessful bid to return to the Winter Olympics.

I do recommend that people head on to The Solaire and hear Carmina Burana in its entirety and make this epic piece of music set the pace for an equally epic 2018.

Manila Symphony Orchestra Concert Season 2017-2018

Leadership & Creativity Season Finale

January 20, 2018, 8:00 PM | The Theatre at Solaire

Featuring:

Rachelle Gerodias-Park, soprano

Byeong-In Park, baritone

Nomher Nival, tenor

Coro Tomasino

Viva Voce

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Program:

Alejandro Consolacion II

     Dekada '70 A Rhapsodic Suite for Orchestra

Carl Orff

     Carmina Burana

Pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria shines in Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky concertos

My apologies if updates with the blog had been extremely scarce of late. People might’ve started to think that there hadn’t been any classical music concerts in here during the past few months. But there had been quite a number in fact, and September is geared to be extremely busy with at least six concerts that I know of.

Just recently, I witnessed the performance of veteran pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria with the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Professor Arturo Molina. This concert held at the Meralco Theater was in line with the 5^th anniversary celebrations of the First Pacific Leadership Academy.

Sala Santamaria showcased her mastery in pacing oneself as she tackled two of the most popular piano concertos ever: Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23. Performing just one of the two is already taxing for a pianist and for her to do both in a single concert defies belief.

It was forgivable that both concertos were played in a more leisurely, relaxed manner than usual although I admit that there had been times when I wanted her to quicken the tempo as some portions dragged on. I thought that she appeared running out of gas towards the end of the Tchaikovsky but she showed that she still had it in her with her delightful encore of the final movement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, a light, cheerful change from the heavy and brooding Rach and Tchaik.

While Sala Santamaria may no longer possess much of the speed and power of her peak years, she still exhibited sensitivity, musicality, finesse, and majesty. It helps also that she has a regal presence that hasn't diminished at all in time.

Prior to each concerto, conductor Molina led the MSO to a rousing rendition of Mikhail Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Festive Overture in A major, Op. 96.

It pleases me to point out that not only was the Meralco Theater filled to capacity, there was a diverse audience who were present ranging from Imelda Marcos, the regulars at the symphony, dozens of students, and surprisingly, even Gilas Pilipinas, the national basketball team that bagged the gold medal at the recent South East Asian Games.

Those who have missed this concert have other chances to see Ingrid Sala Santamaria as she performs Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83 with the MSO once again to be conducted by Christoph Poppen this October 14, 2017 at the BGC Arts Center, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. On March 16, 2018, she partners with Raul Sunico in Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in A flat major with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Russian romantic music opens MSO 2016-2017 Concert Season

June 4, 2016, 8:00 PM

Power Mac Center Spotlight

Circuit Makati

Featuring:

Brian Howrey, saxophone

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Modest Mussorgsky

     Dance of the Persian Slaves from Khovanshchina

Alexander Glazunov

    Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra in E flat major, Op. 109

Aram Khachaturian

     Spartacus Ballet Suite No. 2

Alexander Borodin

     In the Steppes of Central Asia

     Polovetsian Dances from Prince Igor

A slew of Russian music and the latter third of Beethoven’s immortal symphonies highlight the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s 2016-2017 Concert Season. The new season, billed as 90 in celebration of the orchestra being 90 Years Young, starts with the inaugural concert, entitled Russian Romanticism, happening on June 4, 2016, 8:00 PM at the MSO’s new gala concert venue: the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati.

Led by the MSO’s principal conductor and music director Arturo Molina, the concert will feature music by Russian composers namely Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Glazunov, Aram Khachaturian, and Alexander Borodin.

American saxophonist Brian Howrey joins the MSO this evening in a rare performance of Glazunov’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra in E flat major, Op. 109. The saxophone, invented back in 1840 by Adolphe Sax wasn’t utilized as an instrument in symphonic works during the Romantic era. It was only during the early 20^th century that the instrument started to find its way in works that are now part of the standard orchestral repertoire. Most people nowadays would typically associate the saxophone with jazz music or with marching bands rather than classical music. This is what makes the Glazunov concerto truly interesting because it is deeply rooted in Russian romanticism and there’s nothing jazzy in it despite being composed in 1934, a time when jazz music was already in full swing.

Saxophonist Brian Howrey

The rest of the music during this concert, Mussorgsky’s Dance of the Persian Slaves from Khovanshchina, Khachaturian’s Spartacus Ballet Suite No. 2, and Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia and Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor highlight another aspect of the Romantic era which is Exoticism. Composers at the time made music that depicted the music of faraway places, taking the listener to exotic realms. The combination of unforgettable and exotic melodies, along with crafty orchestration helped cement these works and their respective composers to be among the pillars of Russian Romanticism.

The Manila Symphony Orchestra’s remaining Season Gala Concerts will feature more music by Russian composers like Dmitri Shostakovich and Igor Stravinsky. The last three symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven will also be performed in each of the remaining concerts with the monumental 9^th Symphony with soloists, choir, and all at the season finale.

Ticket prices:

P1250 Patron

P850 Gold

P650 Silver

For inquiries:

Carlos Garchitorena 523-5712, (0917) 861-2275, info@manilasymphony.com

TicketWorld 891-9999

Manila Symphony Orchestra champions Filipino music in 90th anniversary concert

Featuring:

Gabriel Paguirigan, piano

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Alexander Lippay

     Variations on the Philippine National Hymn

Rodolfo Cornejo

     Philippine Rhapsody No. 2

Antonino Buenaventura

     Symphony in C

Encore:

Antonino Buenaventura

     Mindanao Sketches A Village Festival Dance

The Manila Symphony Orchestra paid tribute to the Music of the Filipino at the concert that not only capped their 2015-2016 Season but also celebrated the orchestra’s 90^th anniversary. Led by principal conductor/music director Arturo Molina, the MSO performed at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium in UP Diliman rarely heard pieces by Alexander Lippay, Rodolfo Cornejo, and Antonino Buenaventura.

To open the concert, the MSO paid homage to their roots by performing Variations on the Philippine National Hymn, composed by the orchestra’s founder, Dr. Alexander Lippay.  The main theme of this piece comprised only of the first two thirds of the Philippine National Anthem. The variations that followed suit had the theme passed on to various instruments in a call and response fashion, dissonant figurations accompanied the melody, tonalities shifted to minor, time signature switched to triple meter, and even the melody inverted.

As the piece went on, I was expecting that the final third would be heard at last during the finale. But it wasn’t so. I don’t know if this was a deliberate omission by Lippay’s part in order not to break any law concerning the usage of the Philippine National Anthem during his time.

After looking back to the past, the second piece, Philippine Rhapsody No. 2 by Rodolfo Cornejo, looked towards the future with Gabriel Paguirigan, a young pianist who has won numerous competitions including the most recent NAMCYA. The single movement piece featured passages from popular Filipino folk tunes that. The work didn’t fully explore the full range of heights and depths that one could make of folk tunes. Nonetheless, the work is labelled as a rhapsody so I shouldn’t expect the grandeur and the contrasts of say, a concerto. Gabriel performed with the command that made him the First Prize winner of the inaugural Henrietta S. Tayengco-Limjoco Piano Concerto Competition just a week before this concert.

Antonino Buenaventura's Symphony in C made up the second half of the concert. This symphony was made in the typical western form and structure but was steeped in folk/national idiom. The sprinkling of mordents throughout the piece gave the music a very Asian/Filipino feel. For an encore, another Buenaventura piece, the second part A Village Festival Dance from Mindanao Sketches, was performed. The shouting and the clapping make this piece a crowd pleaser and undoubtedly one of the most popular orchestral music by a Filipino composer.

Overall, this evening was for discovering and unearthing music that have gathered dust in the archives/libraries and are itching to be performed on stage. I wish that there were program notes regarding these pieces in the souvenir program so that I would’ve been armed with some background information before hearing them for the first time. I do find it very strange that resources such as recordings and other related literature are almost nonexistent considering that these are Filipino pieces. It should be the other way around but that is not the case in here. And this concert by the MSO is a step towards the goal of having Filipino music at the forefront of the concert scene in the country.

With the concert celebrating the 90^th anniversary of the Manila Symphony Orchestra wrapped up, it’s time to relish the orchestra’s rich history and also look to forward to the next decade as they inch closer towards their centennial.

MSO presents pre-Valentine's concert at Power Mac Center

February 6, 2016, 8:00 PM

Power Mac Center Spotlight

Circuit Makati

Featuring:

Camille Lopez Molina

Arthur Espiritu

Nonie Buencamino

Noel Azcona

Teenee Chan

Myramae Meneses

Michaela Fajardo

Viva Voce

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

The Manila Symphony Orchestra offers an early Valentine’s Day treat with music from the world of opera, musical theater and sarsuela with Love in the Time of Opera happening this February 6, 2016, 8:00 PM at the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati.

Music from the operas Carmen, Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni,  La bohème, Lakmé, and the Merry Widow Waltz, musicals Carousel and West Side Story, and the sarsuela Walang Sugat will be performed by special guests Arthur Espiritu, Nonie Buencamino, Noel Azcona, and Teenee Chan joining the group Viva Voce led by Camille Lopez-Molina.

The concert will also serve as the send-off for Myramae Meneses and Michaela Fajardo, who are bound to London as scholars at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Myramae and Michaela were recently seen as Maria Clara and Sisa respectively in Gantimpala Theater Foundation’s Kanser@35.

Ticket prices:

P2000

P1500

P1000

For inquiries:

CAEO (0920) 954-0053, (0918) 347-3027, 997-9483, 782-7164

TicketWorld 891-9999

Manila Symphony Orchestra partners with Solaire

March 28, 2015, 8:00 PM

The Theatre in Solaire

Solaire Resort & Casino

Featuring:

Ingrid Santamaria, piano

Bituin Escalante, vocal

Christian Yu, vocal

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

The Manila Symphony Orchestra had set to have Music Everywhere for its upcoming 2015-2016 concert season. And now, the country’s first orchestra is set to reach the sun and stars as they enter a partnership with Solaire Resort & Casino. This partnership will be highlighted through a free show, entitled Showcase, happening on March 28, 2015, 8:00 PM at The Theatre in Solaire.

Joining the orchestra in this production are vocalists Bituin Escalante and Christian Yu and legendary concert pianist Ingrid Santamaria. Conducting the MSO will be the orchestra’s principal conductor and music director Arturo Molina.

The free show will not only preview the upcoming events at The Theatre in Solaire, but it will be the first time for me to experience a concert focused mainly on the orchestra and ultimately hear the full range of the Constellation Acoustic System in a classical concert setting.

When the theater was launched, the orchestra at the show, the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, played on a raised platform that was further back the stage. For me to fully gauge the acoustics of the theater, the orchestra needs to be on stage level during symphony performances or at the pit when accompanying a ballet or an opera production.

An attempt to squeeze out more information regarding the concert lineup from MSO Executive Director Jefrey Solares proved to be futile. He said that it would be a surprise and that the show will also be the season launch of the orchestra.

All I know so far is that the concert will include an overture, song numbers by Bituin Escalante and Christian Yu, a four-string concerto by the beneficiaries of the Basilio Manalo Scholarship and a piano concerto with Ingrid Santamaria as the soloist. It remains a mystery as to which concerto will be performed and whether it will be a full one or just a movement.

I guess that I just have to go see Showcase to find out for myself what the Manila Symphony Orchestra and The Theatre in Solaire have in store as they enter into a new partnership. And the show is for free, so there’s no excuse for me (and everyone else for that matter) to miss this.

Ticket price:

Free admission

For inquiries:

Manila Symphony Orchestra 523-5712, info@manilasymphony.com

Manila Symphony Orchestra commemorates 70th anniversary of Liberation of Manila

March 13, 2015, 7:00 PM

Meralco Theater

Ortigas Avenue

Pasig City

Featuring:

Manila Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Ludwig van Beethoven

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

Antonín Dvořák

     Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, B. 178, From the New World

Back in May 1945, the Manila Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Herbert Zipper held a concert at the Santa Cruz Church which was in ruins. This historic concert, the first by the orchestra since the liberation of Manila saw them perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 Eroica and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, B. 178, From the New World in honor of those who perished during World War II and to usher in the new post-war era.

Almost 70 years later, the same music will be replayed by the Manila Symphony Orchestra, led by principal conductor/music director Arturo Molina in a concert presented by the Ortigas Foundation, Inc. to be held on March 13, 2015, 7:00 PM at the Meralco Theater. This commemorative concert entitled Music of Peace will also feature Katrina Legarda reading the introductory speech that was recited by her grandmother, Mrs Trinidad F. Legarda, who used to head the Manila Symphony Orchestra Society.

Ticket prices:

P700 Regular

P200 For first 100 students with valid ID, senior citizens, and PWD

For inquiries:

Ortigas Foundation Library 631-1231 local 187/228

Caces' electrifying Rach 3 amid an evening of gloomy, romantic music

Featuring:

Aries Caces, piano

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Richard Strauss

     Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24

Sergei Rachmaninoff

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

     Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

An electrifying Rach 3 by Aries Caces amid a dark and brooding lineup of late romantic music by Richard Strauss and Sergei Rachmaninoff was how the Manila Symphony Orchestra and their principal conductor/music director Arturo Molina wrapped up their 2014-2015 Sound of Life Season concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Performing to a packed theater, the MSO opened the concert with Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24 which I think is the most musically poetic depiction of death. The orchestra was able to weave an arc depicting the last moments of an artist, his final burst of reminiscence, his body finally succumbing to the inevitability of death, and ultimately, the immortality and triumph of the spirit. Such profound themes by Strauss could’ve made for a very emotional experience. Despite being the among the oldest orchestras in Asia, the MSO currently probably the youngest orchestra on average in here and this inexperience became a barrier for them. While they were able to go through the piece, I felt that it somehow lacked the punch needed to make the journey more moving.

The orchestra certainly needed the punch if ever they were to match pianist Aries Caces with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, a piece notorious for its difficulty and demands on the pianist’s stamina and endurance. But Caces seemed to breeze throughout the concerto as if everything was just as simple and easy as the unison passages that started the piece. The piano used at the concert was far from optimum but his brilliance was more than enough for me to look past the inferior sounding instrument. And the orchestra's level of playing was clearly more inspired in here than the previous piece. I was also relieved that the piano was able to bear the brunt of such a demanding piece which cannot be said by a member of the 2^nd violin section who broke a string during the Intermezzo. For an encore, Caces performed the mega popular 18^th Variation of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 34 with the orchestra which slowed down the pace after the concerto’s electrifying finish.

The concert ended the evening, Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 also by Rachmaninoff. The three movement piece offered the orchestra a chance to showcase their range and explore different moods, colors and textures. The first movement featured a bizarre march that contrasted with a serene middle section that had Rachmaninoff using the alto saxophone for the first time. For me, the movement that drummed up the most interest is the second with its twisted and somewhat perverted version of a Viennese waltz. The third movement was soaked in such dark, sinister gloom and a fascination with death. What’s even more ominous was that this eventually turned out to be Rachmaninoff’s final work. I guess that this piece tied up thematically with the opening Richard Strauss work.

Again with the dances, I felt that a lot of the young and newer members were more relieved to get through the piece instead of being totally in command. The discrepancy between the first and the last stands of the strings section, which has been one of the MSO’s strengths, is now more pronounced. In recent years, the MSO has had its share of veteran members transferring to other orchestras and moving on to other things and that left the newer and much younger members with not just a lot of catching up to do but also with very big shoes to fill. The MSO is clearly on a transitional period with the younger members still gaining more experience as they go on through every concert to be at par with their predecessors.

RAd with pianist Aries Caces

But on a very positive note, the MSO has managed to fill up the CCP Little Theater for most of the shows this season. And I’ve been very delighted to see a lot of new and unexpected faces at their concerts, which is very much welcomed in the classical music scene in here. I think that a lot of credit has to go to Carlos “Garch” Garchitorena, their new Marketing Manager, who has been successful in drawing people from the other side of the fence to watch the MSO concerts.

Manila Symphony Orchestra to take “Music Everywhere” in 2015-2016 Season

Arturo Molina conducting the Manila Symphony Orchestra

As one of the oldest orchestras in Asia, the Manila Symphony Orchestra has encountered a fair number of setbacks throughout the decades, most notable of them being the Second World War. Being able to survive a world war tucked under their belt, the orchestra remains steadfast to turn into opportunity the challenge they’re now facing when they lost their base of operations in the middle of 2014. As the orchestra searches for a new home, an idea was born that has eventually become their mission for the MSO's 89^th year: to take their Music Everywhere.

The MSO recently launched their Music Everywhere 2015-2016 Season at the Ayala Museum with a press conference that was followed shortly by a concert conducted by principal conductor and music director Arturo Molina and annotated by Executive Director Jeffrey Solares. During the press conference, Solares along with Ana de Villa-Singson, MSO Secretary and new Marketing Manager Carlos Garchitorena, told members of the press, events organizers, and other guests, the current situation of the orchestra and announced their plans for the upcoming season.

What could be more everywhere than the internet? The MSO intends to take advantage of the internet's power by being the only orchestra in the country to have professionally recorded videos of entire concerts (not just short clips) uploaded in their YouTube channel. They will also utilize the online music portal Spinnr that enables anyone to listen to the orchestra's performances. Of course, they remain present in other social media sites such as Facebook which is to be their main channel and also Twitter.

Music Everywhere also means taking the music beyond the concert halls and into any place imaginable like schools, the mountainside, jeepney terminals, orphanages and even in prisons.

Music Everywhere will also reflect the type of music that the orchestra will play. As well as continuing to play music from the standard orchestra repertoire, the MSO aims to continue collaborating with artists from other genres like the recent Life Rocks! show at the Resorts World Manila that had them collaborating with various rock music acts. Garchitorena also hinted at a possible collaboration with Up Dharma Down.

Aside from playing music, the MSO also has an educational arm through their newly formed MSO Music Academy which they hope to expand to other cities like Quezon City and Makati. They have also started inviting students and young kids to watch a free matinee concert before the evening season concerts for their Music for Young Minds program.

Not forgetting the core of the MSO which is performing symphonic works, Solares then gave a teaser on the orchestra's performances later this year. The Rush Hour Concerts in partnership with the Ayala Museum will continue, giving monthly performances at the museum lobby beginning on March. 

There will also be a concert commemorating the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II. This event will feature exactly the same music that the MSO played during their first post-war concert. Also returning this year is violinist/conductor Thanos Adamopoulos, a frequent guest artist, with a concert featuring music inspired by Romeo and Juliet. And there is also a possible collaboration with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra in the works that they plan to happen this June. The season concert lineup for 2015-2016 is yet to be announced.

Manila Symphony Orchestra goes Romantic in February concert

February 4, 2015, 8:00 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Aries Caces, piano

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Richard Strauss

     Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24

Sergei Rachmaninoff

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

     Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

The Manila Symphony Orchestra gears for a Romantic evening for the finale of their Sound of Life 2014-2015 Concert Season this February 4, 2015, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Pianist Aries Caces

Austria-based Filipino pianist Aries Caces joins the orchestra and principal conductor Arturo Molina in this concert that includes Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24 and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 and Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 in the program.

Born in Manila, Philippines, Aries Caces' formative years as a pianist began with his mother, which led him to study early on with eminent Filipino pedagogues Prof. Feliza Custodio, Prof. Ernestina Crisologo and Prof. Bernardino Custodio. It was during these early years that he garnered attention in the Philippines when he won First Prize in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Piano Category, and Second Prize in the Manila Symphony Orchestra Piano Concerto Competition.

Mr. Caces has given numerous concerts in the Philippines, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S.A. Mr. Caces is currently a faculty member of the University of Music and Performing Arts (formerly known as the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst) in Vienna, Austria.

Ticket prices:

P1200 Orchestra Center

P800 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

+applicable service charges

For inquiries:

MSO 523-5712, info@manilasymphony.com

TicketWorld 891-9999