MSO premieres Ryan Cayabyab opus, welcomes cellist Camille Thomas

There is so much to be thankful for as the Manila Symphony Orchestra presents the fifth concert of its Centennial Season happening on October 22, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati.

Topping the reasons to be grateful in this concert is the World Premiere performance of Pasasalamat for choir and orchestra by National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab and National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.

Ryan Cayabyab

Commissioned by the MSO for its centennial, Pasasalamat reflects on the meaning of gratitude not only as a personal feeling, but as a responsibility to others and to the community. Almario’s text considers the values that shape a shared life, from compassion and respect for differences to freedom, justice, culture, knowledge, and the willingness to accept criticism and change. At its heart is the idea that being human is not simply a given, but something we become through our choices and actions.

For the MSO, the work is particularly fitting, offering an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities that come with being the longest surviving institution that has been part of Philippine musical life and history for a century. The text will be brought to life by MSO's featured choir, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Bagong Himig Serenata.

Camille Thomas

Another reason to be thankful is that Franco-Belgian Camille Thomas will finally grace the Philippine stage after a long five year delay. Her originally announced performance with the MSO scheduled back in January 2021 was among the numerous cancellations brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Known for her expressive performances and technical artistry, Thomas is an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist since 2017 who has performed with major orchestras and conductors across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Her recording Voice of Hope, released in partnership with UNICEF, reflects her belief in music as a means of creating connection and inspiring hope.

PUP Bagong Himig Serenata

Apart from Pasasalamat, the evening's program will also include Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 with Thomas as the featured soloist and Gabriel Fauré's Requiem in D minor, Op. 48. The award-wining PUP Bagong Himig Serenata joins the orchestra in the performance of the Cayabyab/Almario and Faure pieces while MSO Music Director conducts.

Marlon Chen

Cellist Camille Thomas with the MSO is presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. and Standard Insurance, co-presented by EastWest Bank and DENZA Alabang by ACMobility Premium Dealership Inc. and is sponsored by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, Grand Hyatt Manila, National Performing Arts Grantee, and SM Hotels and Conventions with special thanks to JTI ALL IN, The Laufey Foundation, Austrian Embassy Manila, HSTL Foundation, EON Group, 98.7 DZFE-FM | The Master's Touch, and The Manila Times.

Lenten concert of rarely performed sacred music at the Ayala Museum

The Cultural Arts Events Organizers presents a Lenten concert De Profundis, an evening of rarely performed sacred music happening on April 13, 2019, 7:00 PM at the Ayala Museum. 

The concert marks the Philippine premiere of Johann Sebastian Bach's Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131, one of his earliest cantatas and with text from Psalm 130, De Profundis, hence the concert's title (which translates to English as "out of the depths").

Also included in the program are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Laudate Dominum from Vesperae solennes de confessore, KV 339 and Gabriel Fauré's Requiem in D minor, Op. 48 which will be performed unabridged.

Leading the performers are soprano Stefanie Quintin andtheritone Cipriano "Zip" de Guzman, Jr. Both of them made waves last year with Quintin winning the Second Prize in the Professional Category at the 2nd ASEAN Vocal Competition in Singapore and De Guzman bagging the First Prize in the Open Category at the 17th Roma International Music Competition Grand Prize Virtuoso in Rome, Italy.

Joining them is the newly formed vocal ensemble PASIPO. Dedicated towards the art of virtuosic chamber music, the group will have its debut performance on this night. The ensemble is made up of Elle Tuason, Angelo Benipayo, Jasmin Salvo, Jane Wee, Leo Angelo Lanuza, Jan Briane Astom, John Philip Bautista, Airo Saret, and Carlo Miguel Bunyi. The multi-awarded Gabriel Paguirigan will be the evening's collaborating pianist.

Tickets are available at TicketWorld outlets, or through calling CAEO at 782-7164, (0918) 347-3027 or (0920) 954-0053.

RAd’s Playlist: Yuja Wang | Ravel

A performance of Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, M. 83 is on the horizon by the end of the month and that’s reason enough to put this jazz influenced piano concerto in heavy rotation once again. The cracking whip at the start of this piece always bring a smile to my face (when done right).

This piece was performed most recently by pianist Monique Duphil at the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s season opener that I sadly missed. Now, the Manila Symphony Orchestra is giving me another chance to have a go with this at their upcoming season finale concert with Victor Asuncion as the featured soloist.

The recording that I’m putting for a spin in preparation for the upcoming concert is Yuja Wang’s album of the two Ravel Piano Concertos with Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich under the baton of Lionel Bringuier. These pair of concertos (the other being the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major, M .82) couldn’t be more different. But it’s worth hearing them one after the other to grasp how great Ravel’s orchestration is and to explore fully the light and shade and the range of emotions and moods in these two works.