Cecile Licad's Lisztian affair with the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra

When I first heard about this concert, my initial thoughts were, "Liszt... again?" I just came out of a concert featuring Liszt's 2nd concerto at the time, and being the borderline personality that I am, I figured I could do with some variety. But after factoring in several things, I eventually got swayed into watching it: 1) I've been hearing a lot of buzz about ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor, Gerard Salonga, and...

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Gabriel Allan Paguirigan's second bite of the cherry

After his amazing rendition of Saint-Saën's piano concerto no. 2 in G minor August of last year, Gabriel Allan Paguirigan once again took center stage with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra when he played Liszt's piano concerto no. 2 in A mjor during its "Mahler's Fifth" concert last April 4, 2013. This came after he won PPO's 2013 Young Pianist Competition, which I found not at all surprising. What I did find surprising,...

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PPO VIII: Mahler's Fifth

So why must you watch PPO's 2012-2013 season finale? Two words: MAHLER's FIFTH. Enough said. On April 4, 2013, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), under the baton of Olivier Ochanine, will cap off its 30th season with a concert billed as "Mahler's Fifth."  This is a momentous occasion for me, as it marks the end of my first season as a PPO regular (if I could actually call myself that). So this coming Friday, by...

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PTGP Seminar Series VI: The road towards the 2013 piano festival

On April 14, 2013, the Piano Teachers' Guild of the Philippines, Inc (PTGP) will host the sixth installment of its successful seminar series.  Themed "2013 Piano Festival: Composers of Nationalistic Themes," the seminar will be conducted by Prof. Mauricia Borromeo and will be held at the Rehearsal Hall of St. Scholastica's College, Manila. Dr. Mauricia Borromeo is widely known and respected for being a long-time professor and dean at the...

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The Maestro's Maestro: A night of French music with conductor Mark Gibson and violinist Gao Can

You've heard the maestro.  Now it's time to hear the teacher. As suggested by its theme, "The Maestro's Maestro," the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's latest concert features Mark Gibson, Olivier Ochanine's conducting mentor, as he leads the PPO in its upcoming performance on March 22, 2013, 8PM, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tangahalng Nicanor Abelardo. Image credit: http://ccmopera.com Mark Gibson boasts of an impressive...

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