Free concert series to launch new mini-theater of SHS-J

Top orchestral musicians and instrumental soloists will showcase to Cebuanos their world-class talents in a three-day free concert series at the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit in Canduman, Mandaue City. Dubbed “The Inaugural Concert Series: Virginia S. Chiongbian Auditorium,” in cooperation with The Peace Philharmonic Philippines and The Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation (SPSFI), it is held to launch the school’s new 360-seater auditorium.

The concert schedule is as follows: April 24, 7pm-9pm with Ingrid Sala Santamaria (piano), Harold Galang (piano) and Raymundo Sison (flute); April 26, 3:30 pm-5:30 pm, Rudolf Pelaez Golez will play the piano solo; and on April 29, 7pm-9pm will be with Dennis Sugarol (flute), the Mandaue City Children’s Choir, the Peace Philharmonic Philippines Ensemble, Luis Antonius and Karlo Cañete (violin), Ernie Vasquez, Anton Chua and Alexis Tecson (guitar), June Philip Ong and Darryl Leong (voice) and Christy Cañete, Jude Gitamondoc and Henry de Loyola (piano accompanists).

In a press conference at Ayala Terraces Laguna Garden Cafe, Jesuit director Fr. Ernesto Javier, SJ, stressed the need to re-introduce classical music to the younger generation as “this is part of our culture and our patrimony as a civilized people.”

He cited a study conducted which revealed that students who played instruments performed better academically compared to students who did not engage in music. “Music is a difficult art. It is just like Math; it requires focus and discipline. If you are part of an orchestra, then it also requires teamwork. And these are the traits needed to excel,” said Fr. Javier.

With the new auditorium, Fr. Javier is hoping it will become a venue for more classical music events.

Those familiar with the Philippine orchestra scene know that these are some big names performing for the concert series. Here’s a quick look at the award-winning and international performers:

Celebrated concert pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria, more than a decade ago, developed a youth orchestra by seeking out gifted and deserving children who would benefit from scholarships from the SPSFI. On Youtube, Santamaria has over a hundred videos featuring a wide selection of her piano concerts over the years.

Harold Galang, acting dean of the Philippine Women’s University College of Music, is a concert pianist, choir conductor, music educator and piano accompanist who has given solo recitals and guest-performed in various music concerts and festivals abroad.

Flutist Raymundo Sison has performed initially as the guest flutist of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus World Tour of 10 European countries, USA and Canada and is the principal flutist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. He has also played with Andrea Bocelli in his Asian Concert tour in 2004 in Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Rudolf Golez was awarded the sole prize winner of the Chopin Competition held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and a “Garbo sa Sugbu” awardee in Classical Music.

Cebuano composer Jude Gitamondoc, known for his ballads for the hopelessly romantic, has had his songs being performed by Gary Valenciano, and has also written hits for artists like Toni Gonzaga, Piolo Pascual, Chad Peralta, Raki Vega, KC Concepcion and Ariel Rivera.

June Philippe Ong, a graduate of the Mandaue School for the Arts, was a national finalist in the Solo Voice Category of the National Artist Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) and a state champion artist in the Solo Voice Category last April 2007 at the Northridge High in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Cebuano musician Dennis Sugarol is passionately dedicated to choral art. Under his tutelage, the Mandaue School for the Arts Children’s Choir won First Place in the 2004 National Music Competition for Young Artists, the most prestigious musicale art competition in the Philippines. The choir’s immense success is attributed to his excellence in the field of choral music as an outstanding choral trainor and conductor.

The Mandaue Children’s Choir is a group of 30 boys and girls, ages 8 to 16, which drew its membership from the Mandaue School for the Arts, a school for artistically inclined children. It won First Place in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists in 2004 and participated in the 1st Asian Choir Games in 2007 in Jakarta, Indonesia where it won three golds in the Children’s Choir, Folklore and in Music of the Religions categories.

A prestigious line-up, indeed, for a musical extravaganza that Cebuanos should not miss.