More than just music to the ears in Odin Rathnam, Mariel Ilusorio concert

Violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio

While heavy rain poured over Metro Manila, I found myself delighted by the music performed by violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio at a benefit concert that was held recently at the St. Cecilia's Hall in St. Scholastica's College, Manila. 

The concert, billed as Music & Healing, served as a fund raiser for the World Surgical Foundation Philippines whose founder, Domingo Alvear, happens to be friends with Odin for around two decades already. During his opening remarks, Alvear revealed his surprise upon learning that Odin has already performed here a few times in in here including a couple of guests stints with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. This meant that having Odin back in the country once again all for a good cause was a no-brainer.

Violinist Odin Rathnam

Annotations from both Mariel and Odin provided superb introductions to each piece which was of great use for those who aren't familiar with the music. As for those who knew their music, the information provided not just context but added layer to the music and the performance.

This was why while listening to the performance of Jean-Marie Leclair's Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 9 No. 3 "Tombeau", a piece from the Baroque era, made me imagine how it was back then being a court musician playing for the enjoyment of royalty. The following piece, Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor L. 140, which was quite a departure from the Leclair, fascinated me knowing each note was written by a man who knew that his end was near. Those who know me can attest to my unusual interest in last compositions especially those written with the knowledge that this was going to be their final work before dying.

There was a sense of reverence when Odin performed Eugène Ysaÿe's Violin Sonata in D minor, Op 27 No. 3 "Ballade", a fiendishly difficult piece that Odin considers himself to be a grandson of some sort since one of his former teachers, Josef Gringold, premiered this work.

The marital life of Richard Strauss got me curious with his Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18, especially the 2nd movement that expressed his feelings towards Pauline de Anna who would later one become his wife. I also appreciated knowing that this was his last chamber work before composing solely larger, orchestral works afterwards. The contrasts between the intimate, tender moments with the heroic ones made up for a stimulating listening experience. And this was made possible by the wonderful annotations by Mariel that complemented Odin's extensive program notes.

Pianist Mariel Ilusorio

To the delight of the audience, the duo performed two encores, Nicanor Abelardo's Cavatina and Debussy's Claire de lune. I wondered how much awareness did Mariel have while accompanying Odin with the Debussy encore. With the violin taking on the melody, I would've struggled having to accompany on the piano a stripped version of a popular piece.

A nice bit of trivia is that this concert saw the Asian debut of the "Lady Caren" violin, a bench copy of a 1755 Calvarola crafted by master American luthier Scott W. Hershey.

The concert was indeed a night filled not just with music to the ears, but also information that enriched my brain as well. Most importantly, the event raised funds for the World Surgical Foundation Philippines benefitting the needy who couldn't afford surgical procedures that can vastly improve and even save their lives.

Violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio reunite for benefit concert

American Violinist Odin Rathnam and Filipina pianist Mariel Ilusorio reunite for a benefit concert happening this July 27, 2019, 6:00 PM at the St. Cecilia's Hall in St. Scholastica's College, Manila.

Billed as Music and Healing, this event is presented by the Philippine Chapter of World Surgical Foundation in close collaboration with Defending Family Values Foundation, Inc. with the mission to enhance the surgical healthcare capacity in the Philippines in an equitable manner and to help establish its sustainability focusing on the marginalized Filipinos.

At the concert, the pair of Rathnam and Ilusorio will perform a selection of violin sonatas rarely heard at the Manila concert scene namely Jean-Marie Leclair's Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 9 No. 3 "Tombeau", Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor L. 140, Eugène Ysaÿe's Violin Sonata in D minor, Op 27 No. 3 "Ballade, and Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18.

I was able to correspond with Mariel Ilusorio and got a few words from her regarding her working experience with Odin Rathnam and more.

Pianist Mariel Ilusorio

You first collaborated at a recital in Casa San Miguel, Zambales back in April 2016. How was working with each other like? And how did this upcoming repeat collaboration come about?

MI: If I remember correctly, that was a last minute plan, as Odin had come to perform the Korngold Violin Concerto with the PPO. Coke Bolipata called me on short notice to play a short light program with Odin in Casa San Miguel. It was too short, but there was not much time, and I thought how wonderful it would be if we could play together again!

You will be playing pieces that are rarely performed at concerts in here. What made you decide to choose these pieces?

MI: Odin already asked me to play this set of pieces many months back and I found it exciting. Leclair and Debussy are new works for me. I played the Debussy cello sonata many years ago and it belongs to the same set as the violin, having been composed just before Debussy died. In fact, it is the last composition Debussy wrote. It is very different from how we normally perceive Debussy to sound like. But it is a beautiful work! I was excited to relive the Strauss as I performed it in my senior year at Oberlin. I was so scared of this great piece then, and never found the opportunity to work through this wonderful music again until now. It is a wonderful way to grow as a musician to be able to work on this repertoire with a violinist like Odin.

The upcoming concert is billed as Music and Healing and will benefit the World Surgical Foundation and Defending Family Values Foundation. Can you recall any experiences wherein music has healed you in some way?

MI: Music heals me everyday. It is my therapy. It is my way to self-express. It is my way to see the beauty in life. I believe music can heal people in every level, physically, emotionally, spiritually, also intellectually.

The World Surgical Foundation was established by renowned Filipino surgeon, Dr. Domingo Alvear in Pennsylvania in 1997 and is committed to providing charitable surgical health care to the world’s poor and under served in developing nations regardless of race, color, religion, or creed. The foundation's Philippine chapter was established in 2017 with a commitment to regularly conduct free surgical missions, educate and help surgical capacity building in the poorest provinces in the country.

Defending Family Values Foundation, Inc. (DFVF) a PCNC and DSWD accredited non- government organization, established in 1994,  serves thousands of poor families and individuals through various socio-educational, nutrition and health programs and projects. DFVF currently assists handicapped (blind, deaf-mute) students to gain a better future through varied skills training programs and in improving their school’s facilities.

Music and Healing with violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio happening on July 27, 2019, 6:00 PM at St. Cecilia's Hall, St. Scholastica's College, Manila is sponsored by World Surigcal Foundation, Manila Bulletin, 98.7 DZFH, Baguio Country Club, MBLife, PE Capital Investment, Lin and Albert Bildner Foundation, Josie Cruz Natori, and EEI Corporation.

For concert inquiries, contact Sugar Ferre at wsfphilippines@gmail.com or (0995)954-5368. Tickets are also available for purchase at ticket2me.net.

Violin prodigy Chino Gutierrez in recital

November 30, 2013, 8:00 PM

Francisco Santiago Hall

South Tower, BDO Corporate Center

Makati

Featuring:

Joaquin Maria "Chino" Gutierrez, violin

Corazon Kabayao, piano 

Programme:
Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 27, No. 2 "Jacques Thibaud"

Cesar Franck Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano

Igor Stravinsky Suite Italienne for Violin and Piano

Antonín Dvořák Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op. 72

Henryk Wieniawski Polonaise Brillante No. 2, in A Major, Op. 21

Jose Rizal-Gilopez Kabayao La Deportacion

Maurice Ravel Tzigane 

Violin prodigy Joaquin Maria Gutierrez aka Chino will be performing at a one night concert entitled Revelry: Live Love Dance this November 30, 2013, 8:00 PM at the Santiago Francisco Hall, South Tower of the BDO Corporate Center. Pianist Corazon Kabayao will be the collaborating artist in this concert that will feature the music of Ysaÿe, Franck, Stravinsky, Dvořák, Wieniawski, Ravel, and Rizal-Kabayao.

Joaquin Gutierrez joins the emerging crop of young Filipino virtuosos who is carving a secure place in the international arena of classical music playing. A two-time winner of the National Competition for Young Artitsts (NAMCYA) in 1999 and 2002, Chino made his orchestral debut at the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the age of 10 in a performance of Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole and his first solo recital at the age of 10 to public and critical acclaim. His first violin teacher, Alfonso "Coke" Bolipata described him as "unusually gifted with a gifted ability and a sense of music-making that is uncanny for someone is age." Rosalinda Orosa of Philippine Star wrote, "Chino's performance was brilliant, manifesting an expressivity and sensitivity well beyond the soloist's tender years." Respected conductor and violinist Oscar Yatco made an assessment of Chino's gifts, thus, "Chino is the Cecile Licad of the violin."

At 12, Chino left for Germany to study with the renowned pedagogue Jens Ellermann, who instantly recognized him as "a major talent of the violin". He was admitted into the prestigious Hochschule for Musik und Theater Munchen (State Academy of Music and Theater in Munich) where he studied violin while simultaneously attending a regular German high school. He has been the recipient of German grants from the Dorian Stiftung in Stuttgart, and the Theodor-Rogler Stiftung in Munich. Multi-talented and gifted, Chino made splendid progress with the violin even as he reaped success in math, science and languages. At 14, he emerged Landdessieger (champion) in the state math competitions in Bavaria. In addition, because of his linguistic abilities, he was handpicked to co-author a book on etymology in five languages.

Chino has participated in master classes in the Philippines, Germany, Italy and USA, and has received personal coaching from noted violinists like Gilopez Kabayao, Oscar Yatco, Gina Medina, Joseph Esmilla, Alexander Tomescu, Gottfried Schneider and Weigang Li. He has performed as a soloist with the major orchestras in the Philippines under the baton of Ryan Cayabyab, Francisco Feliciano, Chino Toledo and Oscar Yatco. Currently, Chino is pursuing Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at the Hochschule fur Music und Theater Munchen under the tutelage of respected pedagogues Olga Voitova-Bloch and Christoph Poppen.

Ticket prices:

P2000

P1000

P850

-40% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

218-1864, (0915) 404-1290

MCOF Young Artists' Series 2012 I: Christian Tan

Violinist Christian Tan

Featuring:

Christian Tan, violin

Mary Anne Espina, piano

Programme:

Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 27 No. 2 Jacques Thibaud

Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75

Nicanor Abelardo Cavatina

Pablo de Sarasate Zapateado Op. 23 No. 2

Maurice Ravel Tzigane

I’ve been aware of who Christian Tan is for some years now. I’ve seen him perform as a member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra and I also saw him compete at the most recent NAMCYA wherein he was awarded an Honorable Mention. It’s amazing that after all this time, we only got acquainted just right after the MCO Foundation had its press launch of its Young Artists' Series 2012 which was just fairly recent. Now that Christian and I formally know each other, it gave me more incentive to catch his concert that was the first of three performances comprising the Young Artists Series' 2012 held at the Filipinas Heritage Library.

Christian prepared a programme consisting of pieces that were both familiar and unfamiliar to me. The unfamiliar pieces, Eugène Ysaÿe’s Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 27 No. 2 "Jacques Thibaud" and Camille Saint-Saëns' Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75 made up the first half of the concert. Christian was joined by pianist Mary Anne Espina during the Saint-Saëns piece. I haven’t heard these pieces before so I used this moment to increase my knowledge of the vast violin repertoire especially in chamber music. The second half consisted of pieces that are already very familiar with me: Nicanor Abelardo’s Cavatina, Pablo de Sarasate’s Zapateado Op. 23 No. 2 and Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane. It was during the performance of these pieces when I noticed that Christian’s demeanor changes and he shows some intensity and  emotion while playing compared to his shy and timid personality off stage.

Among the audience members at the intimate venue were a handful of members from the string section of the MSO who were in full support of Christian. Once he finished all of his pieces, his fellow musicians cheered him on prompting him to do an encore performance of Sa Kabukiran by Manuel Velez. Christian is still a very young musician who plans to gain scholarships so that he can further his studies abroad. Seeing his performance during this evening, I wouldn’t be surprised if I find out that he would have to leave temporarily the MSO to do just that.

The Young Artists' Series 2012 continues with soprano Elainne Vibal who will perform this July 19, 2012, 6:30 PM at the Filipinas Heritage Library. I last saw Elainne as part of the ensemble of the recent production of Madame Butterfly. She was also among the masterclass participants who performed at the Songs and Symphony Concert as well. Tickets are at P500 with student and senior discounts. For inquiries, contact the MCOF at 750-0768, (0920) 954-0053, the Filipinas Heritage Library  at 892-1801, and TicketWorld  at 891-9999.