Philippine Philharmonic fundraising concert to feature 'Home Alone' songs

 

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

October 3, 2024 | 3:26pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra will be holding a fundraising concert next month featuring a line-up consisting of beloved tracks and pieces from cinematic history.

The orchestra will be led at the event aptly named "Music, Movies, Magic" by conductor Gerard Salonga.

Arman Ferrer, Lara Maigue, Cris Villonco, Diomedes Saraza, Camille Lopez-Molina, Jonathan Velasco, the Alice Reyes Dance Company, and the Philippine Madrigal Singers are also featured. 

Anton Huang, Chairman of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc. (PPOSI), said during a media event in Rustan's Makati last October 1 that "Music, Movies, Magic" would be a "celebration of the world's most beautiful conducted pieces, from the elegances of waltzes to operas and cinematic moments."

PPOSI Vice President Nestor Jardin shared some of his favorite musical compositions were actually theme songs or scores from films, citing examples like "My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic," "Now We Are Free" from "Gladiator," and "Gabriel's Oboe" from "The Mission."

Jardin revealed the songs that would be performed at the event, including the overture from "The Great Waltz," several singers for "Tonight" from "West Side Story," a Michel Legrand medley by Villonco, and three holiday songs from the "Home Alone" films.

The PPO will perform with Saraza in their rendition of "Thais: Meditation" from "Titanic," the Madrigal Singers with "Iduyan Mo" from "Agila," and with Ferrer in two musical numbers featuring George Canseco.

Jardin explained that time constraint was considered to fit a two-hour concert. Show director Alex Cortez said the selected songs had to transport audiences to a world that was magical, "These are also iconic pieces that never seem to die."

Asked by Philstar.com about the positive benefits the concert would bring to the PPO other than funding, Jardin said it would be good for the musicians to have a different set of repertoire outside of classical music and to have a chance working with Salonga.

He reiterated that the PPO is the sole beneficiary of the concert, with funds going to retirees, musical instruments, uniforms, and scholarships.

Chairperson of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and former Miss Universe titleholder Margie Moran-Floirendo added that funding is the biggest need for theater and musical arts today, followed by youth education or awareness.

"Music, Movies, Magic" will take place in Circuit Makati's Samsung Performing Arts Theater on November 22.

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra sets concerts for 40th season

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in front of the CCP.

CCP / Released

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) is prepared to perform its 40th concert season under the direction of principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.

Carrying the theme "Forte," the 40th season will see the PPO pay tribute to Filipino culture and the universal spirit of celebration through a diverse repertoire that takes audiences on a "journey through life's emotional spectrum."

The "Forte" season begins with "Concert I: Fiesta!" on September 27, where the resident orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines will perform Richard Strauss's "Ein Heldenleben" and premiere the composition of resident composer Jeffrey Ching, "Fiesta Contrapuntistica."

Guest violin virtuoso Shlomo Mintz will additionally join the PPO for a special performance of Max Bruch's "Violin Concerto No. 1, op. 26, G minor."

Two months later, "Concert II: Triumph" will take place on November 15 featuring the participation of Grammy-winning cellist Sara Sant’ Ambrogio for performances of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol, op. 34," Edward Elgar's "Cello Concerto, op. 85, E minor," and Robert Schumann's "Symphony No. 2, op. 61, C Major."

The holiday offering "Concert III: Fantasy" on December 6 will see the PPO perform Gioacchino Rossini's "William Tell Overture," Camille Saint-Saëns' "Violin Concerto no. 3, op. 61, B minor," and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky's "Symphony no. 5," featuring violin prodigy Andrea Obiso.

The season continues in the new year with "Concert IV: Europa" on January 17 as the Philippines' leading orchestra performs Zoltán Kodály's "Dance of Galanta," Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto No. 1," and Dvo?ák's "Symphony no. 8, op. 88, G Major" with Cleveland concertmaster David Radzynski.

"Concert V: Hope," the Valentine offering on February 14, will see a collaboration of the PPO with music from the Manila Peace Tribute, visuals by Adam Ustynowicz, singer Malgorzata Trojanowska, and pianist Konrad Binienda.

The Valentine concert includes Richard Addinsell's "Warsaw Concerto," Andrzej Panufnik's "Heroic Overture and Tragic Overture," Roxanna Panufnik's commissioned work "Wings of Hope," Chopin's "Allegro de concert," and Henryk Górecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs."

On March 14 during "Concert VI: Homecoming," the PPO and pianist Rowena Arrieta will pay tribute to Lithuanian composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis who marks his 150th anniversary with "Miške (In The Forest)" as well as perform Franz Liszt's "Totentanz" and Johannes Brahms' "Symphony no. 4, op. 98, E minor."

The finale concert of the season, aptly called "Concert VII: Finale," will include Dmitri Shostakovich's "Violin Concerto No. 1,"  Witold Lutoslawski's "Concerto for Orchestra," and another commissioned work by Ching, plus the participation of violinist Diomedes Sazara Jr., who serves as the PPO's Concertmaster and Artiste-in-Residence.

All the concerts will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Makati's Samsung Performing Arts Theater, except the Valentine concert, which will be at Manila's Metropolitan Theater.

Rod Stewart cancels several Asia concerts including Manila

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

February 9, 2024 | 1:37pm

MANILA, Philippines — Pop-rock singer-songwriter Rod Stewart canceled several of his concerts around Asia, including Manila, due to "unforeseen circumstances."

The Asia leg of Stewart's "Live In Concert, One Last Time" world tour had scheduled stops in Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Concert organizer Live Nation announced the concert cancellations in Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines, while the Singapore and Tokyo concerts are still set to continue.

Stewart will perform in Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom on March 16 and 17 then fly to Tokyo for a one-night concert in Ariake Arena on March 20.

The singer's Manila concert was supposed to take place in Mall of Asia Arena on March 13, his stop before Singapore and coincidentally the same night fellow Grammy winner Janet Jackson has a concert in Araneta Coliseum.

The Philippine divison of Live Nation assured fans who purchased tickets will receive a full refund through their original payment method.

Those who paid with cash are advised to register at smtickets.com/refunds or email email customercare@smtickets.com; the email option is also advised for card reversals.

Stewart still has concerts scheduled this February in the United States, a European tour beginning May, a short Las Vegas residency in July and August, then four more stops around the United States.

The singer began his music career in the 1960s. His hits include "Have I Told You Lately," "I Don't Want to Talk About It," "Forever Young," and "Sailing," to name a few.

'My Filipino lambs': Mariah Carey shouts out Pinoy fans as Christmas season starts

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos are always so eager to celebrate the Christmas season as soon as September rolls in, even the queen of Christmas songs herself Mariah Carey knows it!

Over the weekend, a fan account dedicated to Mariah posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the singer's 1994 holiday hit "All I Want for Christmas is You" had over 316,000 streams on Spotify on September 2, which was a 75% increase from the same day in 2022.

Mariah reposted the account's numbers and said it was too early to say Christmas was incoming, but made an exception for Filipino fans.

"Not yet!!!! I’ll allow it for my Filipino lambs though! (I don’t make the rules!)" Mariah wrote, "lambs" being the name for fans of the 54-year-old singer.

Filipino fans were quick to repost and reply to Mariah's tweet, further emphasizing how much of a Christmas icon she is in the Philippines alongside another Christmas carol royalty Jose Mari Chan.

It can be recalled last year that Mariah continued her streak of personally welcoming the Christmas season on her social media accounts, her most recent attempt transforming from a witch into Santa a day after Halloween.

Mariah last performed in the Philippines in 2018, and Pinoy lambs will be clamoring a return to come soon (preferably during the -Ber months, of course).

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra sets next season with new conductor

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) gears up for its 39th season under the leadership of a new music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.

Nowak previously worked with the PPO in the previous season in a concert held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater last October before the main building was closed for renovations.

In a press conference held last September 5, Novak said the musicians in the PPO responded well to his raising demands during their practices and sessions, something he found very encouraging.

"It's a big change and move, but the main thing is to build something to be recognized [globally] and we are on our way to achieve that," Nowak added.

Prior to joining the PPO, Nowak was the principal associate conductor of London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the music director of the Polish National Opera, and worked with other orchestras in Germany, Switzerland, the United States, and his native Poland.

For its 39th season bearing the theme "Switch," the PPO will move temporary homes from Manila's Metropolitan Theater to Makati's Samsung Performing Arts Theater while the CCP main building finishes rehabilitation.

All seven concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. with ticket prices ranging from P800 (Balcony 1) to P3,000 (Orchestra Center).

'Switch' rundown

The season begins with "Roman Carnival" on September 15 with Hecot Berlioz's overture of the same name, Edvard Grieg's "Piano Concerto, op.16, A minor," and Ottorino Respighi's "Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome)" featuring British pianist Mark Bebbington as a guest performer.

On October 13 will be "Italian Night" with Felix Mendelssohn's "Italian," Antonín Dvorák's "Cello Concerto," and selected Filipino composition, accompanied by guest Switzerland-based cellist Wen-Sinn Yang.

The third concert "Russian Masters" on November 17 is composed of Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin: Polonaise," Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto, no. 2, op.18, C minor," and selections of Serge Prokofiev's "Romeo & Juliet."

The PPO's holiday performance is "Ode to Joy" on December 8 with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Piano Concerto no. 21, K 467, C major" and Ludwig van Beethoven's "Symphony no. 9, op.125, D minor" — the composer's famous work that adapted Friedrich Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy" — featuring the Philippines' own Raul Sunico on the piano.

The 39th season carries on into 2024 with "Fate" on January 12 consisting of Johannes Brahms' "Piano Concerto no. 1, op.15, D minor," Tchaikovsky's "Symphony no. 4, op.36, F minor," and one commissioned Filipino work, with pianist Jerome Rose as a guest soloist.

The penultimate "Piano Rapture" concert on February 9 will have Poland's Krystian Zimerman as a guest soloist to help perform Stanislaw Maniuszko's "The Fairy Tale Overture," Beethoven's "Piano Concerto no. 4, op.19, Bb major," and Rachmaninoff's "Symphony no. 2, op.27."

As a Valentine's treat, there will be special performances on February 14 and 16 where Zimmerman will be conducting, performing as a soloist, and be part of an ensemble.

Wrapping up PPO's 39th season is "Fete Francaise" with a performance of Gaetano Donizetti's "Don Pasquale." Since it will be a semi-stage opera, auditions for the stage roles will be held in January.