NY Philharmonic in two concerts / UST Choir triumphs

Shortly after the inauguration of the CCP in 1969, the London Philharmonic played there. Other world orchestras followed: St. Martin-in-the-Fields under Neville Marriner, and the Cleveland Orchestra under Lorin Maazel.

In 1998, coinciding with the Centennial year of Philippine Independence, the NY Philharmonic played at the CCP under Kurt Mazur. The ensemble will be featured again in the same venue on Oct. 18 and 19 under Maazel’s baton. Except for the coming concerts, I heard the aforementioned ones. Presumably, it would be another musical experience listening to the NY Philharmonic under the baton of Maazel. In any case, I won’t be expecting soporific or vapid music-making.

The following works will be rendered on Oct. 18, Citibank’s invitational concert: Beethoven’s Leonore Overture, Debussy’s La Mer and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2. On Oct. 19, a gala concert for the CCP’s Arts for the People Program will have a special appeal because the 19-year old, Chinese-born, Curtis-trained Lang Lang – described as "the biggest, most exciting talent in many years" will be the soloist in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Also to be interpreted are Mussorgsky’s Night on a Bald Mountain and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.

The man on the podium for both nights, the 72-year old Maazel, began as a prodigy and, I might add, an outstanding one since most prodigies peter or burn out before they reach adulthood.

Paris-born Maazel took his first violin lesson at five, and conducting lesson at seven, appearing publicly as a conductor of a university orchestra the following year. Toscanini invited him to conduct the NBC Symphony in 1941 at 11. Before then, he made his NY debut at the NY’s World Fair at 9, wielding the baton over the Interlochen Orchestra, and the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, performing in the same program, incredibly enough, with Leopold Stokowski!

By the time Maazel was 15, he had already conducted most of the major American orchestras. He was still a student when he was taken in as violinist by the Pittsburgh Symphony, serving as apprentice conductor during its 1949-50 season, while also organizing the Fine Arts Quartet. In 1951, at 21, Maazel studied baroque music in Italy, and two years later, substituting for a sick conductor, he made his European conducting debut at the Massimo Bellini Theater in Catania, Italy. Soon enough he was the first American to establish himself as a major artist, conducting at Bayreuth in 1960. He had engagements with the Boston Symphony in 1961 and conducted in Salzburg in 1963.

With such an incredible record behind him as a young conductor, it is inevitably presumed that he has – through almost 40 years – conducted in Europe, North and South America, Australia, Asia, the Soviet Union, in countless international festivals and opera houses.

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The performance fee of the orchestra and conductor is astronomical but the gala committee composed of chairperson Mariter J. Macapagal and Nedy R. Tantoco, co-chairperson, are "miracle workers", although Mariter confessed at the press luncheon that her husband, Arthur Macapagal, explained, "Wow, you don’t know what you’re getting into!"

Everyone’s pitching in. The amiable GM of Shangri-La, Richard Riley, graciously hosted the luncheon as Citibank’s Catherine M. Weir said that Citigroup is bringing in what CCP Chairman Baltazar N. Endriga called "New York’s premiere orchestra playing in Manila’s premier exhibition hall." Proceeds, according to CCP President Nes Jardin, will "help to mobilize the Filipino artists as a vital force for social and cultural transformation."

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The UST Choir, under the direction of Prof. Fidel Calalang, has triumphed again in Europe, bringing to the country fresh laurels. In the choral competition named "Tonem 2002 International Contest for Chamber Choirs," wherein 25 choral groups from all over the world participated, the UST Choir won three first prizes (for the sacred, secular and folklore categories) and two special prizes for best conductor and best choir.

The Philippine singers also won five first prizes: in the Czech Republic in Gorizia, Italy, in Miltenberg, Germany. Also in polyphony and as best interpreters of the contest piece Magnificat by Joseph Swidler. They also romped off with two first prizes, two public and two jury prizes.

On Nov. 12, the choir will head for NY where the tour will cover S.F., Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio. Interestingly, a performance is scheduled in the College of William and Mary, George Washington’s school no less. On Nov. 15, the choir will perform in the Actors’ (Catholic) Church on Broadway.

When the Filipino artist – has the motivation – the needed inspiration and impetus, he has no equal.