Sound of music fills Cebu

THERE'S been lots of music in Cebu lately, and there'll be more to come.

From Canada came the Toronto Cantata Chorus. Honorary consul Robert and Anna Lee had been preparing for this for a year. Their daughter Aileen Lee, who sings like an angel, is the chorus president. It meant a lot to them to perform here.

The chorus' first concert was held at the Children's Shelter, an orphanage that also receives abandoned babies, many of them disabled, which is also the beneficiary.

The gala, held in cooperation with the Arts Council at the ballroom of the Cebu Plaza Hotel, was standing-room-only. Conducting the chorus and the chamber ensemble from the Peace Philharmonic Philippines (PPP) was Professor Tak-Ng Lai, who wore the unmistakable attire of a Rizal Knight. He is a member of the Canada chapter.

The following evening, the Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort and the Canadian Embassy presented the chorus during a dinner gala, which was part of a Canada food festival. The occasion was excellently planned by general managerBen Bousnina, marketing director Maggie Garcia, press relations manager Neil Rumbaoa, food and beverage director Mark Kirk, and Europa's Markus Stern.

Aileen brought the house down with "Sa Kabukiran". She also did a duet with Valentin Uy. The program included Cebuano songs, familiar tunes from "Phantom of the Opera" and "Sound of Music", the world premiere of "Earth Voices" and John Rutter's "Magnificat".

The audience was thrilled to meet Philip McConnell who composed "Earth Voices" specially for this tour, with lyrics from a poem of the same title by Canada's unofficial poet laureate, Bliss Carman (1861-1929). Another SRO performance was held one morning at the Ayala Center's Cinema 1 for students. It was sponsored by the Arts Council whose chair for this activity was Elvira Lu Ym.

To and from HK

Cathay Pacific, which brought the Toronto Cantata Chorus to Cebu from Canada, flew the group to Hong Kong where it performed a program of strictly religious music at the Roman Catholic Cathedral.

From the Czech Republic, via Hong Kong -- and also on Cathay Pacific -- came one of the world's best, the Suk Chamber Orchestra named after Josef Suk, Dvorak's son-in-law and regarded as one of the brightest stars of Czech music. The orchestra's visit coincided with the celebration of the Czech Republic's National Day bringing to Cebu Ambassador Stanislav Slavichy and his wife Binh, their son Mark, and the Embassy's charming second secretary, Katerina Vovkova.

A pre-performance reception was held at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel sponsored by the Cheese & Wine Club, with Dondi and Corinne Joseph, and attended by Mayor Tommy and Margot Osmeña. It was another brilliant event for the Arts Council. Vice presidents Maxwell Espina and Vivina Yrastorza were very much in evidence, as was the event's chair Francis Onglatco, who was with wife Joyvic.

Venue for the Suk Chamber Orchestra concert was the ballroom of the City Sports Complex. The performance started with Josef Suk's "The Meditation on St. Wenceslas Choral", followed by a breathtaking rendition of Dvorak's "Serenade for Strings Op. 22". A brief intermission followed. Everyone rushed to the front desk to buy CDs of the group.

What followed was even more astounding-- Vivaldi's four seasons concertos that celebrate Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. The exquisite Hong Kong violinist Jue Yao was soloist. Her violin was definitely magical. The greast master Isaac Stern gave it to her knowing full well it would be used to great advantage.

After a well-applauded performance, Ms Yao obliged with an encore, the second movement from "Winter", then the last movement from "Summer" as the applause increased even more. Kudos to Ludmila Vybiralova, violin and manager; Martin Kos, violin and orchestra leader; violins Dana Klimakova, Tomas Brummel, Jakub Jansky, Martina Zuzlakova, Jaroslav Simacek; David Fendrych, double bass and viola; violas Filip Kimel, Vladimir Kroupa and Vilem Kijonka; cellos Tomas Strasil and Hana Hasplova; Jaroslav Prikryl, continuo; and Dr. Vaclav Bechyne, manager.

From our very own Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation came the 10th annual Music Festival in honor of Pilar Blanco Sala. Among the various events of the festival three stand out for their significance.

First is the Young Pianists Recital at the Cebu Provincial Capitol's social hall, in association with the Piano Teachers Guild of Cebu headed by Pilar Cusi, president.

Ingrid Sala Santamaria, chair of the Sala Foundation, recalled how her late mother Pilar founded the Battig Piano School in 1945. Hence the development of piano excellence in the young is something she would have approved very much. Mila Nadala, the event director, presented the best of her group--Ghiyll Pangan, Frances Oyao, Abner Bono, Efren Pangan, Donna Bugarin and Jovelyn Yu.

Fe Reynes presented Charmaine Varquez, Daryl Lim, Rina Lim, Mario Romano and Miracle Romano; Jose Mari Formoso, Abigail Dizon; and Remedios Luardo, Christine Marie Uy.

Good start

The Peace Philharmonic (PPP) Chamber Classic Series was off to a good start at the grand ballroom of the Cebu City Marriott Hotel. Sala Foundation president Susan M. Sala welcomed guests. The hotel's general manager Christinane Wasfy, addressing a full house audience, said it was a dream come true for her. Those of us listening to the orchestra were stunned by the beauty of the sounds brought about by an excellent conductor, Jeffrey Solares.

In the first part, the group played Grieg's "Aus Holberg Zeit Op. 40", Telemann's "Concerto for 4 Violins", a score-perfect "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3" by Bach. The finale was Mozart's "Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola". Excellent soloists were teenage prodigies Brian Cimafranca (violin) and Gerry Varona (viola).

"They play better than I," said their teacher Jeffrey Solares, who admitted that they did not expect the deafening applause, shouts of Bravo, and enthusiastic requests for an encore. "We have not prepared one," he apologized. Maybe next time when the PPP Chamber Classics has its Christmas concert at the Marriott on Dec. 17.

The entire PPP showed up in their 3rd World Peace Concert that closed the music festival at the grand lobby of the Cebu Plaza Hotel conducted by their music director, Prof. Chino Toledo. The event was dedicated to the friendship between the Philippines and the Netherlands. Cebu City's Dutch sister, Haarlemmermeer, sent a magnificent golden harp to the PPP.

Madonna Punsalang, by special arrangement with the San Miguel Philharmonic, did solo numbers with that harp. The audience rose to its feet with the PPP's rendition of the "Ave Maria" as a prayer for peace on Earth. The program also included Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony", Telemann's "Concerto for Viola in G Major", Milhaud's "Le Beouf Sur Le Toit", and "Prairie Night" and "Celebration Dance" from Aaron Copland's "Billy the Kid". The PPP's next World Peace Concert is on Dec. 7 at the same venue.