PPO presents concert at the Pines in campaign to bring its music to people

August 7, 2018 Community Billboard

BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra hopes to attract the young to like classical music when it staged its first concert at the University of Baguio Friday, Aug. 3 in 30 years.
“Music is the universal language of mankind, the language of the spirit, bringing peace, abolishing strife. A great uniter, an incredible force. Something people who differ on everything and anything can have in common,” the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tourism Promotions Board & Pine Cone Movement Inc. said in a release earlier this week.
CCP president Arsenio Lizaso said that the concert, PPOs first at UB after the 1988 event, is an outreach program to draw in youngsters to “serious music” as they undertook a two-pronged event Thursday and Friday at UB and at the Saint Louis University.
PPO conductor maestro on Thursday conducted workshop on “serious music” at SLU attended by some 270 musicians.
The CCP-Outreach program is aimed to introduce “classical music to the youth through Master Classes for 200 young musicians” on August 2, 2018. Through this, they hope the Baguio population may be exposed to culture & art outside the bounds of the city.
“It was a great experience having them with us. We learned much including what muscles to use,” said SLU Center for Culture and the Arts Ethan Ventura. Ventura said that it was also an opportune time as they want to rebuild the SLU orchestra its membership is down to 27 from 65.
Friday was a tour de force for PPO which opened the two hour show in front of some 4,000 audience mostly UB students with Gioachino Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide followed with Antonio Vivaldi’s Summer from Four Seasons and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony no. 40 in G minor Allegro. Gerry Graham Gonzales showcased his virtuosity with the cello as he frontacted for Lugi Boccherini’s Cello Concerto no. 9 in Bb Major Allegro moderato.
The first set concluded with Russian great Peter Ilyich Tchaikowsky’s Capriccio Italien, op. 45.
The short break saw Kieran Yangot leading Kadmang Layad in a three piece performance.
Ranera and ensemble returned with a more pop presentation with Kay Balajadia-Liggayu singing for them. The scion of the Balajadia-Reyes sang Charles Gounod’s Ah! Je Veoux Vivre from Romeo and Juliet and a less “histrionic” Kundiman ng Langit.
Then it was a medley of popular tunes, Philippine folksongs like Pamulinawen, Sitsiritsit, Ti Ayat ti Maysa ti Ubing, among others and was followed by the Celeste Legaspi popularized Saranggola ni Pepe.
Then it was Annie with Tomorrow by Charles Strouse. PPO then turned rock with Aegis Overture featuring hits of the Pinoy rock group hits Sayang na Sayang, Halik and Ulan. Then they drew applause with Star Wars by John Williams to cap the show.
But it was not over as PPO returned with Camila Cabello’s Havana, among others, that brought the house down.
Lizaso said that they will be touring the country after the Baguio sortie as they try “to bring the PPO and its music to the people.”
“It is quite difficult for you to come to us at the CCP and see the PPO play so we come to you,” he told reporters after the show.
On Aug. 29, the ensemble will be at the historic Malolos, Bulacan, prior to the main concert season of September with an opening at the CCP on Sept. 14.
On Oct. 2, the PPO will be in Tokyo, Japan for a two-city performance. “But it is more important for us to be touring the country to give public service to the people,” said Lizaso.
Furthermore, the CCP-Outreach programs seek to raise environmental consciousness due to the many threatening issues focused on the environment today. It added, “Come and witness an afternoon of world-class performers, culture, and community.”
The PPO Concert at the Pines free concert was presented in cooperation with UB, Soroptomist International of Pines City, and the Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region as well as the Pine Cone Movement. PML / ABN