Int'l pianist Aima Labra-Makk to perform at SM City Cebu

St. Theresa's College presents one of its alumna, Aima Maria Briones Labra-Makk, high school class of 1981 in a piano concert at SM Theater One and on September 19, 2008, 8p.m. (Gala).

Makk has made a name for herself in Europe as a highly sought-after pianist. Her playing has been described by European critics as “peerless, marked by highly musical intelligence, colorful expression with physical robustness, to sound with elegant ease of touch and never for the sake of display.” She has been praised for her expressiveness and emotional depth of playing by no other than the famous pianist and pedagogue Tatjana Nikolaeva.

Born in 1965 in Cebu City, Philippines, she started playing the piano at the early age of three under the tutelage of her mother, Aida Briones Labra. After graduating from St. Theresa's College, Cebu, Aima continued her piano studies at the University of the Philippines College of Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts major in Music degree under Perla Z. Suazo.

In 1985, she won the first prize of the National Music Competition for Young Artists' (NAMCYA) Piano Category C. She proceeded to Austria in 1986 to study under Prof. Eugen Jakab at the University of Music and dramatic Arts in Graz.

In 1990, she earned her Concert Diplomate with highest honors from the University of Music in Graz. She later received a recognition award from the Ministry of Education of the Austrian government.

Aima Maria Labra was a prize winner at international piano competitions. 1989 saw a major step forward in her pianistic career when she won the third prize at the First International Competition Franz Shubert and 20th Century Music in Graz, Australia. She was then invited to perform in recitals and in radio and television recordings. Concert tours have taken her to various venues such as the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Haydnsaal in Eisenstadt, Mirabell Palace in Salzburg, Stefaniensaal in Graz, to name a few. She also performed in international festival and concert series such as the Vienna International Festival, the 1st Women's Festival in Eisenstadt, Lieszt-Beethoven Sympjonies for Piano Series in Wiesbaden, Germany. In 1999, she was the featured pianist at the Easter Concert of the Liszt Society in Raiding, Austria (Liszt's birthplace). In November 2001, she successfully made her United States debut in Washington D.C.

She is the first pianist ever to record the complete piano worked so the Austrian composer, Jeno Takkacs, on four CD's Since 1991 she has been teaching the Piano Preparatory class at the University of Music in Graz. Her students have also been prize winners in local piano competitions. Some of her students have had the opportunity to perform with the late Yehudi Menuhi. She has also given master classes in Austria, Hungary and the Philippines.

This rare musical event is made possible by Smart Communications, Marriott Hotel, SM City Cebu, Ma. Luisa Properties, Bigfoot Global Solutions Inc., Yvette and Monique Lhuillier for the benefit of the STC Auditorium renovation.

For tickets and more information, one may contact STAA Office at tel. no. 253-4928, Arts Council at tel. no. 2330236 or 233-0452 or SM Cinema at tel. no. 231-4852. Ticket prizes are P300, P500 and P1,000.