A passion for culture

Italy’s envoy to the Philippines, Ambassador Marco Clemente, is on a mission to help Filipinos, particularly the youth,  learn to appreciate culture and classical music.

Last Sunday, the Italian Embassy, along with Ateneo de Manila University and the Manila Symphony Orchestra, held a symphonic concert  at Ateneo’s Hyundai Hall of Arete featuring some of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi’s orchestral compositions, which are not as well appreciated as his more famous theatrical operas.

It was a refreshing way to spend a hot Sunday, listening and appreciating soothing classical music, as opposed to the normal Sundays spent by Filipino families who normally go to the  commercial shopping malls with its cacophony of blaring pop music, video game tunes, loud conversations, and the general hustle and bustle of families, children running and playing, eating, shopping and what have you.

It was also heartwarming to see the young (as well as more senior members), talented and earnest musicians of the MSO proudly and confidently perform a selection of Verdi’s compositions under the baton of Marlon Chen.

Likewise, aside from other guests from the various diplomatic corps, there were some young students who attended the concert, but sadly not enough to fill the Arete Hall, as compared to the screaming throngs of Filipino youth who attend pop concerts of foreign bands.

It is truly unfortunate that in Metro Manila, there is a serious dearth of places where one can learn and appreciate cultural activities. Museums are limited and not easily accessible to the public, aside from the fact that the government does not actively promote and publicize what they have to offer  – perhaps due to the lack of funding to support such activities.

Cultural events are few and far between, and such are normally held by foreign embassies or a small circle of people who truly appreciate  and support such affairs.

The lack of public parks in the city to enjoy nature, or perhaps to enjoy musical events, leaves the only option of heading to the air-conditioned malls to spend the weekend, as even heading out of the city can be a traumatizing and expensive venture, what with the traffic, expensive tollway fees, high gasoline prices and generally expensive cost of eating out.

Thus, most Filipinos end up in the malls, spending more time at the video and game arcades or just simply plopping down along the floors of the mall to enjoy the cool atmosphere instead of roasting at home with the increasingly hot weather.

Devoted to the younger generation

In his speech before the start of the concert, Ambassador Clemente clearly expressed how much he cares about the future of classical culture and the need to pass the torch to the younger generation. He pointed out that the older generation is still lucky that it knows “the combination of the safe inside which you find these treasures, these jewels, but if we don’t pass this combination to other people when we are not here, around here anymore, this combination will be forgotten and the safe will be locked forever, and this we cannot allow to happen.”

He, thus, appealed particularly to the media to help and share the responsibility of not only giving visibility to cultural events, but also to help inform the public, “be opinion makers” and “lead  the way and not led by public opinion.” Teach them what is really important.

Support artists

Ambassador Clemente also appealed for more support for artist and musicians, stressing that “performing artists need to perform to live audience.”

He pointed out the complex task of organizing such events, the logistical requirements, and specifically the financial cost of staging a cultural production.

He urged patrons, sponsors, cultural institutions, and members of the diplomatic community to work together to hold and organize more cultural events and allow artists and musicians to perform to further hone their skills and gain experience, and thus become better performers.

In an interview after the concert, it was surprising to learn from Ambassador Clemente that no local company extended support for the concert, although he was quick to explain that he had not actually sought support for Sunday’s concert, but in future may possibly do so.

The ambassador pointed out that “there are so many Filipino talented classical musicians who would like to be known and appreciated by the general public,” but are frustrated by the fact that most publications provide more exposure “to other forms of entertainment, which with all due respect, do not have the profundity and the intellectual challenge, and far-reaching effect for the spiritual well-being of the Philippine nation, of classical art, and in particular, music.”

He pointed out, based on his two years in the Philippines, “if you give the youth a taste of high culture, they will find it irresistible. But the problem is: how can they be exposed if they never read or hear about it through media.”

I tend to agree with Ambassador Clemente that given the opportunity, the Filipino youth will gladly embrace and learn to appreciate classical music if more effort is given to support, encourage and finance such events.

The number of young musicians of the MSO, sporting long hair, a pony-tail or perhaps even with a hidden tatoo under their suits and long gowns, but confidently performing Verdi’s composition was, indeed, a proud moment, realizing that we do not necessarily have to travel abroad to listen to great philharmonic performances as we already have competent local musicians who are eager to showcase their talent to fellow Filipinos.