MSO celebrates 80 years of the Philippine Republic with Liberation concert on July 4

The Manila Symphony Orchestra's Centennial Season, apart from delivering noteworthy performances by one of Asia's oldest orchestras, has also been a refresher course on Philippine history.

The next concert of the season is no exception as the MSO commemorates the post World War II years with Liberation: 80 Years of the Philippine Republic, happening on July 4, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

The upcoming performance looks back on the MSO's Gala Symphony Concert back in July 5, 1946 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium celebrating the inauguration of the Philippine Republic.

Featured in this concert are violinist Jeanne Marquez, her brother clarinetist Jason Marquez, and guest conductor Jose Reyna, Jr.

Jeanne Marquez

Jeanne will be the soloist at the rarely heard Violin Concerto in D Minor by Lucio San Pedro. She is an MSJO-Standard Insurance International Music Scholar and a recent graduate of the Juilliard School with a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance.

Jason Marquez

On the other hand, Jason, who is a principal clarinetist at Michigan and Texas, gets the spotlight at Concerto for Clarinet by Artie Shaw.

Jose Reyna, Jr.

Jose Reyna, Jr. is an American Prize-winning Filipino conductor, hailed as the “Filipino Toscanini” (The Manila Bulletin) for his panache and artistry on the podium.

Also to be performed at the concert is the opener Youth by former MSO Assistant Conductor Col. Antonino Buenaventura. Premiered at the 1946 MSO Gala Symphony Concert and conducted by the composer himself, the work portrays the youth as the epitome of vigor, energy, and love, standing at the threshold of life's journey". The evening wraps up with Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture by George Gershwin arr. by Robert Russell Bennett.

MSO's Liberation concert brings together works by Filipino and American composers whose music reflects the artistic exchanges and cultural connections that have shaped both nations over the past eight decades.

Manila Symphony Orchestra

The concert venue, the Metropolitan Theater, also holds significance to the MSO. The orchestra performed at the Met's inauguration back in 1931 making the upcoming concert a sort of homecoming for the MSO.

The Manila Symphony Orchestra's Liberation: 80 Years of the Philippine Republic is presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. and Standard Insurance; co-presented by EastWest Bacnk and PAGCOR in partnership with Bagong Pilipinas, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Metropolitan Theater.

MSO goes from classical to romantic in From Mozart to Mahler concert this May 30

The Manila Symphony Orchestra goes from classical to romantic for the second concert of its Centennial Season this May 30, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati.

Joshua Dos Santos

Billed as From Mozart to Mahler, the concert sees the return of Venezuelan conductor Joshua Dos Santos to the Philippine stage. Joshua was trained in Venezuela’s trailblazing music program El Sistema and was part of the Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra (when it was still a youth orchestra) that went viral online for its Mambo encore at the BBC Proms back in 2007. He has been appointed associate conductor of the Simón Bolivar Chamber Orchestra in 2023.

The concert begins with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364 with violinist Emanuel John “EJ” Villarin and violist Christian Wrona as the featured duo taking center stage for this classical piece.

Emanuel John Villarin 

EJ, a student at the Universität für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, is an award-winning violinist gaining 1st prize at New York Yong Performers Prize in 2021 and the NAMCYA in 2020. He performs with a Gencer Cerit Eskisehir violin.

Christian Wrona

Christian Wrona is a Filipino-Canadian violist, who also studies at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. An Asian Youth Orchestra alumnus, Christian is mentored by renowned artists including Tabea Zimmermann and Kim Kashkashian.

Manila Symphony Orchestra

The MSO goes romantic for second part of the concert with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D major. For this Titan of a symphony that challenges both the orchestra and the audience, the MSO gets joined by select members of the UST Symphony Orchestra. This collaboration is in celebration of the UST Conservatory of Music’s 80th Anniversary and acknowledgment of the ties between MSO and UST. Many past and present members of the MSO have been students and faculty members at UST.

UST Symphony Orchestra

The evening is poised to showcase the precision, clarity, and refinement of the classical period along with the emotional, expansive, and richly textured music of the romantic period.

The Manila Symphony Orchestra’s Concert II – From Mozart to Mahler is presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation Inc. and Standard Insurance, along with EastWest Bank, and in partnership with the Austrian Embassy and the University of Sto. Tomas, and media partners the Manila Times, 98.7 DZFE-FM | The Master's Touch, and EON Group.

Manila Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Manila present joint season opener with Sleeping Beauty

The Manila Symphony Orchestra formally begins its Centennial Season by joining forces with Ballet Manila with the staging of the ballet Sleeping Beauty happening on March 13-15, 2026 at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex in Pasay.

Ballet Manila's Sleeping Beauty features the choreography of Lisa Macuja Elizalde, the company's Artistic Director and CEO Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and is the final installment of her Princess Trilogy following Cinderella and Snow White.

Shapira Drapete and Joshua Enciso

The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be brought to life by the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Alexander Vikulov. The MSO, BM, and Vikulov have been frequent collaborators since 2011.

Music highlights of the ballet include the Rose Adagio and the popular Waltz known to most as Once Upon a Dream from the animated feature by Disney. Both the Tchaikovsky music, completed in 1899, and the ballet, premiered in 1890, predate by six decades the Disney adaptation that was released in 1959.

Alexander Vikulov

Another music highlight to look out for is Aurora's Variation featuring a special violin passage to be performed by MSO's concertmaster Alessio Benvenuti.

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Below is Manila Symphony Orchestra's updated Centennial Season Lineup.

Concert I: Centennial Opening: Sleeping Beauty

March 13-15, 2026

Aliw Theater

Ballet Manila

Alexander Vikulov, conductor

Concert II: From Mozart to Mahler

May 30, 2026

Proscenium Theater

Emanuel John Villarin, violin

Christian Wrona, viola

Joshua Dos Santos, conductor

Concert III: Concert Celebration: 80 Years of Filipino-American Friendship

July 4, 2026

Metropolitan Theater

Jeanne Marquez, violin

Jason Marquez, clarinet

Jose Lorenzo Reyna, Jr., conductor

Concert IV: Opera and Kundiman: The Legacy of Maestra Conching Rosal

August 29, 2026

FEU Auditorium

Rachelle Gerodias-Park, soprano

Michelle Mariposa, mezzo-soprano

Byeong In Park, baritone

Marlon Chen, conductor

Concert V: Cellist Camille Thomas with the MSO

October 24, 2026

Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University

Camille Thomas, cello

Marlon Chen, conductor

Concert VI: World Premiere: Filipino Master Composers

January 2027

Venue: TBA

New works by Ryan Cayabyab

Marlon Chen, conductor

Pianists Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras, Inna Montesclaros join MSO for benefit concert

The music doesn't stop for the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO). Just a few days after the orchestra's 100th Anniversary Concert, the MSO gears up for Legacy on January 25, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Proscenium Theater at Rockwell, Makati.

Presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation Inc. and the HSTL Foundation, Legacy features pianists Carmen Sipin-Aspiras and Inna Montesclaros as well as conductor Darrell Ang performing works by Frédéric Chopin and Johannes Brahms.

Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras

Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras gave her first orchestral performance as soloist in Manila at the age of 10, and her subsequent performances earned her a scholarship grant from the Philippine government to study at the prestigious Vienna Musik Hochschule in Austria. She obtained her Concert Artist Diploma and pursued a concertizing career in various countries in Europe, the Philippines, and the United States, where she now resides. Her artistry has received critical acclaim, with the Stuttgart newspaper Rheinische Volksblatt describing her as “a pianist of extraordinary capabilities and refinement of taste.”

Inna Montesclaros

Filipina multi-awarded pianist, Inna Montesclaros, has made waves in the music scene since her premier recital at age 8 at the Molina Hall, and her orchestral debut at age 11, performing Mozart’s D minor Concerto with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. Noted for her warm tones and sincere musicality, the piano prodigy turned Promil Kid has developed her love for her craft into a fulfilling concert career.

Darrell Ang

One of Asia’s most sought-after conductors, Darrell Ang conducted orchestras in over twenty countries across the globe in just one season. He is the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of The Sichuan Orchestra of China since December 2016 and is a regular guest conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre by invitation of Maestro Valery Gergiev. Born in Singapore, Darrell has become the youngest Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra to date.

Legacy sees the MSO perform for the very first time at the Proscenium Theater in Makati. The concert's program, a combination of works for solo piano, piano with orchestra, and orchestra, is a perfect vehicle to experience the theater's highly touted natural acoustics designed by Müller-BBM.

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Pieces to be performed include Johannes Brahms' Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 118 No. 1, Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118 No. 2, Rhapsody in G minor, Op. 79 No. 2, and Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83 as well as Frédéric Chopin's Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55 No. 2 and Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60.

MSO's Legacy is for the benefit of the MSO Foundation’s Basilio Manalo Scholarship Program, supporting the next generation of young Filipino musicians.

MSO at 100 concert season: Looking back and beyond

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Back in January 22, 1926, a "Symphony Concert" was held at the Manila Grand Opera House by a newly organized orchestra made up of musicians from the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music and the Philippine Constabulary Orchestra with Dr. Alexander Lippay conducting. This orchestra eventually later came to be known as the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO). Exactly a century later, the MSO will celebrate this milestone with the 100th Anniversary Concert featuring the music of Ludwig van Beethoven and Ryan Cayabyab.

But one does not celebrate 100 years of existence with just one concert (or two since the MSO also has Legacy, a concert featuring pianists Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras and Inna Montesclaros along with conductor Darrell Ang happening just three days later).

Charmers Bersaba, Gabriel Paguirigan, and Michelle Mariposa

Enter the Manila Symphony Orchestra at 100: A Celebration (1926-2026) Concert Season, a year long series of concerts that looks back at key moments from a century's worth of history while also looking beyond with young talents and new compositions taking a share of the spotlight.

Highlights of the season include the return of previous guest conductors like Alexander Vikulov and Thanos Adamopoulos. MSO's pride, violinists Jeanne Rafaella Marquez and Emanuel John Villarin, and cellist Damodar Das Castillo, will once again showcase their growth as artists when they take to the stage this season.

Jeffrey Solares conducts the MSO

Mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa, whose Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition win was the talk of the Philippine classical music scene back in March 2025, joins opera veterans tenor Arthur Espiritu, baritone Byeong In Park, and soprano Rachelle Gerodias at a concert at the FEU Auditorium that will also pay tribute to soprano Conching Rosal.

This season will also feature Ballet Manila, Venezuelan conductor Joshua Dos Santos, and  Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas.

Michelle Mariposa

For the past century, the MSO has been through a lot in the past century, including World War II and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. But for MSO Executive Director Jeffrey Solares, the biggest challenge is the daily struggle to keep the orchestra going. He admits that the MSO still needs many things like salaries that allow the musicians to thrive and a concert hall that the orchestra can call its own.

MSO's history is prime material for a feature length film. In fact, the orchestra has already been a subject of the documentary An Orchestra in Search of a Home by Ida del Mundo, herself a former violinist at the MSO. The documentary narrated the struggles that the MSO encountered after getting evicted from St. Scholastica's College that has served as the orchestra's home base for several years.

Rachelle Gerodias

There is still so much to peel from MSO's storied past and more will be uncovered as the concert season unfolds. Here is the lineup of the Manila Symphony Orchestra at 100: A Celebration (1926-2026) Concert Season presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. and Standard Insurance.

Concert I: Centennial Opening: The Sleeping Beauty

March 13-15, 2026

Aliw Theater

Ballet Manila

Alexander Vikulov, conductor

RAd thoughts:

Not sure if this will be a full length Ballet Manila production with the orchestra at the pit or if this will be a usual orchestra concert with the added treat of Ballet Manila dancing key scenes from the ballet. If there will be different dancers per performance, then this can lead to multiple viewings.

Concert II: Centennial Rising Stars of the Philippines

May 30, 2026

Proscenium Theater

Jeanne Rafaella Marquez, violin

Damodar Das Castillo, cello

Joshua Dos Santos, conductor

RAd thoughts:

This will be Joshua Dos Santos' first time conducting the MSO. Trained under Venezuela's El Sistema, Dos Santos has played cello with the Simón Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra that went viral online for its festive encores. So it's fitting that Dos Santos leads this concert featuring two of the Philippines' rising stars: violinist Jeanne and cellist Damodar.

Concert III: Symphony of a Nation: 100 Years of Music, 80 Years of FilAm Friendship

July 4, 2026

Metropolitan Theater

Emanuel John Villarin, violin

Thanos Adamopoulos, conductor

RAd thoughts:

Also teased in this concert is a performance of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 but no pianist has been announced so far. Camille Saint-Saëns' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor Op. 28 is programmed in this one so it's safe to say that this will be EJ's piece.

Concert IV: Legacies in Song: MSO’s 100 Years and the Voice of Conching Rosal

August 29, 2026

FEU Auditorium, Far Eastern University

Rachelle Gerodias-Park, soprano

Michelle Mariposa, mezzo-soprano

Byeong In Park, baritone

Marlon Chen, conductor

RAd thoughts:

The concert date is exactly 70 years after the opening night of the MSO's staging of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen translated in Tagalog that starred soprano Conching Rosal in the title role. Expect this to be very much rooted in history. And for a more historic experience, a guided tour of the Far Eastern University campus before the concert is highly recommended.

Concert V: Centennial Finale Gala: Philippine Master Composers, Past, Present, and Future

October 24, 2026

Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University

Marlon Chen, conductor

RAd thoughts:

World premiere of a new work by Ryan Cayabyab, National Artist for Music. Need I say more?

Concert VI: MSO 100 Centennial Finale

January 2027

Venue TBA

Camille Thomas, cello

Marlon Chen, conductor

RAd thoughts:

Camille Thomas was previously scheduled to perform with the MSO for the 2020-2021 Concert Season, specifically in January 2021. We all know what happened with this one. So after what will be a six year wait, she will finally set foot in the Philippines.

The program, performers, date, and venue are subject to change.

Manila Symphony Orchestra's 100th Anniversary Concert program announced

As the holiday season fast approaches, so does the Manila Symphony Orchestra's grand centennial celebration. As the countdown continues for this momentous occasion, the orchestra recently announced the program for The MSO 100th Anniversary Concert happening on January 22, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Darrell Ang

The centennial concert begins with Ludwig van Beethoven's Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b, a throwback to exactly a hundred years ago, January 22, 1926, at the MSO's inaugural concert at the Manila Grand Opera House under the baton of founder Alexander Lippay. For the anniversary concert, conducting will be Singaporean Darrell Ang, a frequent collaborator of the MSO. Leonore Overture No. 3 is one of his most dramatic orchestral works, embodying themes of struggle, freedom, and triumph. Originally written for his only opera, Fidelio, the overture transforms the story’s emotional journey from darkness and conflict to light and redemption into a powerful symphonic form. 

Muyu Liu

Following the overture is another Beethoven gem, the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 with the returning Muyu Liu as the featured soloist. Also known as the Emperor Concerto, this work stands as his last completed piano concerto and one of the most majestic works in the repertoire. Written between 1809 and 1811 during Vienna’s turbulent wartime, the concerto opens with three commanding chords that set a heroic tone before the piano enters in a bold and unprecedented way. Its grand orchestration, virtuosic solo writing, and dialogue between piano and orchestra reveal Beethoven’s mature mastery.

Philippine Madrigal Singers

A couple of works by MSO Trustee and National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, Misa 2000 and Te Deum, comprise the other half of the program to be conducted by Mark Anthony Carpio that will also feature the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers. Cayabyab's Misa 2000 is a visionary and profoundly moving sacred work that unites Western liturgical form with Filipino musical identity. Written for dance and recognized by the Onassis International Cultural Competition, it combines chorus, orchestra, and indigenous instruments in a vibrant tapestry of sound and spirit.

Mark Anthony Carpio

On the other hand, Te Deum is a grand choral-orchestral work that radiates joy, gratitude, and praise. Setting the traditional Latin hymn to music, Cayabyab infuses the composition with his signature rhythmic vitality and harmonic richness, blending classical structure with contemporary sensibility. Celebratory and uplifting, Te Deum reflects both the universality of faith and the Filipino spirit of thanksgiving, a fitting conclusion to the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s centennial concert.

Along with the announcement of the upcoming centennial concert program comes the much awaited lineup of the MSO Season 100 for 2026-2027.

Concert I: Centennial Opening: The Sleeping Beauty

March 13-15, 2026

Aliw Theater

Concert II: Centennial Rising Stars of the Philippines

May 30, 2026

Proscenium Theatre

Concert III: Symphony of a Nation: 100 Years of Music, 80 Years of FilAm Friendship

July 4, 2026

Manila Metropolitan Theater

Concert IV: Legacies in Song: MSO’s 100 Years and the Voice of Conching Rosal

August 29, 2026

FEU Auditorium

Concert V: Centennial Finale Gala: Philippine Master Composers, Past, Present, and Future

October 2026

Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University

Concert VI: MSO 100 Centennial Finale

January 2027

Venue TBA

*program, artists, date, and venue subject to change

Tickets for The MSO 100th Anniversary Concert are currently available via Ticketworld. Prices are as follows:

Price Zone 1: P5,000

Price Zone 2: P4,700

Price Zone 3: P4,500

Price Zone 4: P4,000

Price Zone 5: P3,000

Price Zone 6: P2,000

Price Zone 7: P1,800

Special offers include 50% discount for students and 20% discount for senior citizens and PWDs. There is also a 20% Early Bird Discount Code: MSO100EB20 that remains valid untiil December 1, 2025 11:59PM.

Cellist Damodar Das Castillo, conductor Alexander Vikulov headline MSO's Tchaikovsky overload concert

A concert filled to the brim with Tchaikovsky music goodness is set to wrap up September as the Manila Symphony Orchestra presents Dancing with Tchaikovsky happening on September 27, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City.

Presented by the MSO Foundation Inc. and Standard Insurance, in partnership with EastWest Bank, this concert will feature Russian Romanticism at its core with timeless tunes composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky namely the Festival Coronation March in D major, Variations on a Rococo Theme, and the Sleeping Beauty Dance Suite.

Damodar Das Castillo

Performing the cello solo for the Rococo Variations is Damodar Das Castillo. He is a top prizewinner of five international competitions including The Young Musician (Tallinn, 2019), the International Anton Rubinstein Competition (Düsseldorf, 2020), The Young Ludwig Competition (Berlin, 2020), the Vienna International Music Competition (2020), and Musica Goritiensis (Italy, 2021), Damodar Das Castillo is one of the most promising young cellists today. He studied at the Pre-College of Mozarteum University Salzburg under Prof. Barbara Lübke-Herzl and, as a scholar of the MSJO–Standard Insurance International Scholarship Program, he performs on a George Gerl cello

Alexander Vikulov

Frequent Manila visitor and Manila Symphony Orchestra collaborator Alexander Vikulov takes to the podium as guest conductor Born in Saint Petersburg to renowned ballet dancers Sergey Vikulov and Tatiana Udalenkova, Vikulov has built an international career that bridges opera, ballet, and symphonic music. Since his 2002 Mariinsky Theater debut with Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, he has conducted at the Vienna State Opera, Finnish National Opera, Seoul Arts Center, Teatro Regio di Torino, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Currently permanent guest conductor of the Saint Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra “Klassika” and musical director at Manila’s Star and Aliw Theaters, Vikulov continues to unite cultures through the universal language of music. Damodar Das Castillo, cello

The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO), founded in 1926 by Alexander Lippay, is one of Asia’s oldest orchestras and the Philippines’ longest surviving artistic institution. A symbol of resistance during World War II, the MSO has since collaborated with legends under the batons of Andre Kostelanetz, Arthur Fiedler, Mendi Rodan, Robert Feist, Gareth Nair, Helen Quach, and Eduard Strauss II. Antonio Molina, Antonino Buenaventura, Lucio San Pedro, Ernani Cuenco, Levi Celerio, and Ryan Cayabyab have also graced its stage.

Now nearing its 100th year in 2026, the MSO remains one of the country’s most active artistic institutions, presenting world-class performances and nurturing young Filipino talent under Marlon Chen (Music Director) and Jeffrey Solares (Associate Conductor).

"Dois Fabios" headline MSO's Brazilian Guitar & Cello concert

Not just one, but two Fabios are set to bring Brazilian music to the Manila Symphony Orchestra's latest installment of its 2025-2026 season happening on August 9, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Bayanihan Hall, Creative Arts Centre of the British School Manila, BGC in Taguig.

The "dois Fabios" headlining the concert, billed as Brazilian Guitar & Cello, are guitarist Fábio Zanon and cellist Fabio Presgrave. Joining them at this concert is soprano Stefanie Quintin-Avila while MSO's music director and principal conductor Marlon Chen takes to the podium.

Music to be performed includes the Prelúdio (Ponteio) from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7 and the Ária and Dança from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Jeffrey Ching's Concerto da camera, Radamés Gnattali's Concerto No. 4 for Guitar and String Orchestra, and Astor Piazzolla's Le Grand Tango for Cello and String Orchestra.

Fábio Zanon

Guitarist Fábio Zanon earned his master’s from the University of London and rose to prominence by winning major guitar competitions in 1996, including the Francisco Tárrega, GFA, and Alessandria contests; he later received numerous honors, including an honorary doctorate from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario and awards such as the Carlos Gomes Prize and Bravo! Award.

Fabio Presgrave

Born in Rio, cellist Fabio Presgrave earned his degree from The Juilliard School and has performed as soloist with orchestras worldwide, including the Qatar Philharmonic and Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, under renowned conductors such as Rafael Payare and Lior Shambadal.

Stefanie Quintin-Avila

Praised for her vocal flexibility and commanding presence, Stefanie Quintin-Avila is a multi-awarded soprano, receiving honors such as the Delphic Lyra Award and the Presidential Award for Culture and the Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of the Philippines and a Master’s in Contemporary Music Performance from UC San Diego.

Marlon Chen

Known for his dynamic charisma and versatility, Marlon Chen has led performances across four continents in opera, ballet, and symphonic music. He was appointed Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Manila Symphony Orchestra in 2019 and holds guest conducting roles with leading ensembles worldwide.

Brazilian Guitar & Cello is presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation Inc. and Standard Insurance in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil through Guimarães Rosa Institute (IGR) and the Embassy of Brazil in Manila.

Film music galore at Manila Symphony Orchestra's A Night in Hollywood concert on June 28

Film music has made a significant mark in music history ever since sound got integrated in motion pictures. This has resulted in scores that not only provided soundtracks in countless movies but also material for orchestras to perform at concert halls all over the world. Renowned composers whose works have become part of the orchestral repertoire include Erich Korngold, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin, Miklós Rózsa, André Previn, Aaron Copland, Henry Mancini, Maurice Jarre, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Alan Menken, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, Joe Hisaishi, among many others.

Music composed for movies take centerstage as the curtain rises for the Manila Symphony Orchestra's A Night in Hollywood happening on June 28, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex in Pasay.

The second installment of the MSO's 2025-2026 concert season sees Hungarian cellist Zoltán Onczay, American conductor Angel Velez, as well as composers and conductors from the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive (LAFCI) gracing the event that will have some of the most iconic film scores as well as new music composed for cinema performed.

The evening's program includes David Popper's Hungarian Rhapsody with Onczay as the cello soloist. Seven original compositions by the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive (LAFCI) namely Heart of a Warrior by Sophia Bass, Seeming Chrysalis by Julia Sanchez, Theme from Stolen Realm by Jennifer Jolley, Sigh of Spring’s Farewell by Yuxuan Liu, Concert Prelude on "Chan Mali Chan" by Mohamad Rasull, Journey Through the Celestial Gate by Robin Raisch, Mosaic Mambo by Noah N. Zubia-Sanchez, to be conducted by Ricardo Reyna will be performed as well.

The concert also celebrates John Williams' music with performances of Tribute to the Film Composer, Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter, End Titles from Seven Years in Tibet with Onczay as cello soloist, Adventures on Earth from E.T., Theme from Schindler's List with Alessio Benvenuti as violin soloist, Theme from Superman; his arrangement of Carlos Gardel's Por Una Cabeza with Jeanne Rafaella Marquez as violin soloist, Theme from Jurassic Park, the Olympic Fanfare and Theme.

Below is more information about the guests artists for A Night in Hollywood.

Angel Velez

Angel Velez is one of today's most sought-after conductors for film and television and guest conducting for pop concerts around the world having given world premiere concert performances for hits such as Captain Marvel, Green Book, Tom and Jerry in New York, The Book of Boba Fett and many more. In addition to his work in the studios of Los Angeles and as conductor of the Hollywood Studio Chamber Orchestra, he has served as music director for the Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival, American Society of Cinematographers Awards, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Miss World 2022, one of the largest televised events in the world. He has produced concerts such as Silent Films LIVE, Star Wars: Past and Present and HBO's film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story LIVE IN CONCERT starring trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval. He has recorded for the Varese Sarabande and Sudwestrundfunk labels and continues to work in the entertainment industry on shows such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, Family Guy, Jane the Virgin, The Mandalorian and many others, including the recently released MGM superhero film Samaritan starring Sylvester Stallone.

Zoltan Onczay

Zoltán Onczay received his diploma at the Liszt Music Academy Budapest in 2004 in the class of László Mező, cellist of the famous Bartók Quartet. Afterwards, Zoltan received his soloist diploma as a Hindemith scholarship student in Berlin at the UDK in 2008, in the class of Wolfgang Boettcher. He received the Yamaha Award from the European Yamaha Music Foundation, one amongst his numerous awards. He also won the Martinu Award during the Semmering Summer Academy and the Wiener-Classic and Kodaly Award. He also received a prize at the international competition of European Music for Youth in Oslo. He considers his mission to be the promotion of Hungarian and contemporary music locally and abroad, as well as to teaching and supporting young talents. In addition to classical music, he is also engaged in electroacoustic and improvisational music.

Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive (LAFCI)

The Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive is dedicated to advancing the art of conducting by providing workshops and access to online resources to help media composers succeed on the podium. LAFCI is dedicated to providing exceptional training based on sound pedagogical practices, designed to create an opportunity for media composers to further their skills as conductors and to provide them with resources and training to help them grow as a conductor. They offer workshops with experienced professional faculty that allow for firsthand opportunities to work with some of the top professional musicians in Los Angeles. Programs are geared toward media composers (film/television/video games) to assist and provide free access to their online Resource Center, which includes "An Inside Look", a series of in-depth interviews with professional conductors sharing their personal perspective on the craft of conducting.

Violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr., conductor Olivier Ochanine highlight MSO 98th anniversary concert; 2024-2025 season lineup announced

The countdown to 100 years of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, one of Asia's oldest orchrestras, ever draws near. The MSO caps its In Pursuit of Excellence 2023-2024 season with the 98th anniversary concert this January 31, 2024, 7:00 PM at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati.

Headlining the concert are violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. and guest conductor Olivier Ochanine. Program for the evening includes Angel Peña's Trinity, Carl Nielsen's Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 7, FS 16, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 with Saraza as the featured soloist.

The Manila Symphony Orchestra has also announced its 2024-2025 concert series lineup. Below is the list of performances that will culminate with the 99th anniversary of the MSO.

Concert 1: Puccini at 100: Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi

March 16-17, 2024

Hyundai Hall, Arete Center for Performing Arts, Ateneo De Manila University

Rachelle Gerodias, soprano

Byeong In Park, baritone

Marlon Chen, conductor

(supported by the Embassy of Italy in the Philippines)

Concert 2: Mäkïlä in Manila: Sibelius 3 and Dvorak

May 4, 2024

Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit, Makati

Damodar Das Castillo, cello

Sasha Makila, conductor

(supported by the Finnish Embassy)

Concert 3: Triple Concerto: Ching Completes Mozart and Beethoven 8

July 27, 2024

Ayala Museum, Makati

EJ Villarin, violin

Jann Minn Mendoza, viola

Justin Vincent Louis Talusan, cello

Marlon Chen, conductor

Concert 4: Brahms Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky 6

August 24, 2024

Ayala Museum, Makati

Jeanne Rafaella Marquez, violin

Marlon Chen, conductor

Concert 5: Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3

October 5, 2024

Aliw Theater, Pasay

Mariel Ilusorio, piano

Alexander Vikulov, conductor

Concert 6: Mahler 5 and Shostakovich

January 25, 2025

Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit, Makati

Diomedes Saraza Jr., violin

Marlon Chen, conductor

*Dates and venues are subject to change.

MSO All-Access Memberships, offering discounted tickets and other benefits, for the 2024-2025 season are also now available through contacting Ms. Coeli via e-mail at marketing.manilasymphony@gmail.com or at cellphone number 09174613374.