SOUNDSCAPES: THE PPO 29TH CONCERT SEASON 2011-2012 OPENS IN SEPTEMBER

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) proudly announces the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s (PPO) 29th Concert Season 2011-2012 under the baton of its Music Director, Olivier Ochanine.

In a master classics season entitled Epic Evenings, Maestro Ochanine and the PPO open the season with “A Hero’s Life” on September 9. Noted Filipino cellist Renato Lucas performs Elgar’s Cello Concerto. The concert will also feature the Saint-Saens’ Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, and Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben.

Clarinetist Ariel Sta. Ana performs with the PPO on October 7 with Musical Landscapes of Revueltas’ Sensemayá, Mozart Clarinet Concerto, Respighi’s Feste Romane and Peña’s Igorot Rhapsody.

On November 11, renowned Korean conductor Jae Joon Lee returns to the CCP stage with one of Vietnam’s top violinists Bui Cong Duy to perform Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. The PPO will also perform Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture.

Maestro Olivier Ochanine once again wields the baton in a Christmas concert with the return of eminent Filipino pianist Ariel Dechosa on December 16, featuring Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, along with Christmas medleys and songs.

Japan’s prominent trombonist Takahiro Ono ushers in the New Year with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Trombone Concerto on January 20, 2012. The PPO will also perform Dvŏrák’s Czech Suite, and one of the signature works of Denmark’s most celebrated composer, Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 4 “Inextinguishable”.

Distinguished British born conductor James Judd conducts the PPO on February 17 in Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 “Italian” and Bernstein’s Overture to Candide. Finnish violinist and concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Vesa-Matti Leppänen, performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. The concert will be presented at the Philamlife Theater at 7:30 p.m.

Anton Bruckner Symphony No.4 “Romantic” will highlight the March 16 PPO concert under the baton of Maestro Olivier Ochanine. The concert also features one of the country’s top sopranos, Rachelle Gerodias in arias, kundimans and more.

On April 20, Leeds International Piano Competition winner renowned Russian pianist Sofya Gulyak ends the PPO season with Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is the country’s leading orchestra, and is widely regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific Region. It has performed with many of the world’s conductors and artists, as well as world premieres of Filipino compositions and international composers. Last August 13, the PPO performed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (more popularly known as the “Egg”), in Beijing, China to mark the 35th year anniversary celebration of the Philippines-China Diplomatic Relations. The Beijing concert was supported by the Rustia Tantoco Foundation spearheaded by Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco.

All concerts (except Feb. 17 concert) will be staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) at 8:00 pm.

Ticket prices: Php1000/Php800/Php500/Php350/Php200, with discounts available to students, senior citizens and groups. Subscription packages are also available for eight (8) or four (4) shows. For inquiries and subscriptions, please call the CCP Marketing Department at (02)832-1125 loc. 1806, the CCP Box Office at (02)832-3704 or Ticketworld at National Bookstore at (02)891-9999.

UP ORCHESTRA PLAYS AT THE CCP

The University of the Philippines Orchestra heralds the start of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the UP College of Music in 1916 with a concert at 8pm, September 1, 2011 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Billed Countdown to a Century, the concert will feature pianist Nina Abrogar-Quinto with the UP Orchestra with conductors Michi Martinez and Rodney Ambat.

The UP Orchestra was revitalized in 2003 by Dean Ramon Acoymo at the UP College of Music. It serves two purposes, that of a laboratory class for string and wind majors and as one of the University’s performing groups. The UP Orchestra has made significant contribution to the university by the uplifting the standard of training that students receive in orchestral performance studies. It gears itself towards developing more symphonic programs while striving to be the best training venue of the future professional orchestral musicians of the country. It has had many successful performances, some which have featured the country’s most distinguished artists.

The 65-strong UP Orchestra is under the shared directorship of Prof. Edna Marcil “Michi” Martinez and Prof. Rodney Ambat.

For the concert at the CCP, the UP Orchestra will perform two works by Beethoven, namely the Coriolan Overture and Symphony No. 1, under the baton of Prof. Rodney Ambat, in the first half of the program. Prof. Edna Marcil Martinez leads the Orchestra in the second half of the program feature Britten’s Simple Symphony for Strings, Abelardo’s Piano Concerto with Nina Abrogar-Quinto as soloist, and Antonino Buenaventura’s By the Hillside.

Countdown to a Century will raise funds for the UP College of Music Alumni Association (UPCMuAA) which promotes the development and training of young Filipino musicians. In particular, the concert is a fundraising effort for the UPCMuAA Students’ recital fund and the development of the UP Orchestra.

For tickets and information, please call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 or the CCP Music Division at (02)832-2314.

THE STORY OF JAZZ: 1ST CCP INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

The Cultural Center of the Philippines will be a-thumping with the sound and beat of jazz music when it holds The Story of Jazz: 1St CCP International Jazz Festival 2011 on August 23-28, 2011.

More than 150 jazz musicians from different jazz groups will converge at the CCP to jive and jam in various venues of the CCP that will be transformed into one big jazz club with intimate music lounges. Jazz players and singers from the Philippines and abroad will tell the story of jazz through talk and music. Lectures on and performances of jazz in all its variety of styles—-bebop, blues, ragtime, modal, experimental, big band and fusion will be held.

Leading the roster of performers is the world renowned royal hartigan and blood drum spirit from the USA. Percussionist and pianist royal hartigan and his blood drum spirit ensemble have performed all over the world, exploring the great music traditions of the world through live jazz performances. The group has been described by music reviewers as “the confluence of different musical traditions, combining non-Western rhythms with a standard jazz quartet to create a series of impressive originals”

Other performers include the Korean Soul and Beat Project Group from Korea, Stelzhamma from Austria, Shun Kikuta from Japan, Neris Gonzalez from Spain, Charito, Michael Bourne and the Bleu Rascals, Lowcal, Blue Rats, Faith Gospel Singers, the UP Jazz Ensemble, UST Jazz Ensemble, Cooky Chua and her band, Majam and Emi Munji and the AMP Band.

A video documentary on the Story of Jazz in the Philippines produced by Richie Quirino and Collis Davis Jr. will also be shown. Performance venues include the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater), Tanghalang Huseng Batute (Studio Theater), and the Silangan Hall. The MKP Multi-Purpose Hall will serve as the venue for all the lectures.

On August 28 at the CCP Main Theater, the Festival will come to a swinging finish in a concert headlined by the UP Jazz Ensemble, Charito with the AMP Band.

“The event will not only see the largest gathering of local and foreign jazz artists at the CCP for the first time. It will also be a time for these foreign and local artists bond together and collaborate, in this enjoyable language of musical expression.”, CCP Music Division head Menchi Mantaring said.

Tickets prices to the events at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) are Php800, Php600, Php400 and Php200. Ticket price to all concerts at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute and the Silangan Hall are at Php300. All lectures and workshops at the MKP Multi-Purpose Hall are at Php100. The standard 50% discount for students and 20% for senior citizens apply.

LIMITED Festival passes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Festival pass* - Php1,200
*Access to all shows at the Main Theater (TNA), TNA Stage, Silangan and Tanghalang Huseng Batute, and to all the lectures and workshops at MKP

Flexi pass* - Php 500
*Access to one (1) performance at the Main Theater (TNA) or Main Theater (TNA) Stage, one (1) performance at Tanghalang Huseng Batute, and one (1) access to a lecture or workshop at MKP

One day pass* - Php500
*Access to all shows in one day

To avail of the passes, contact at (02)832-3706.