Sergio Esmilla honored by ‘reunion’ orchestra – truly world-class!

In the 60s, I reviewed in glowing terms the performances of Sergio Z. Esmilla, Jr. as concert violinist, and much later, as Manila Chamber Orchestra (MCO) conductor. To my mind, he was (and still is) a first-rate violinist and the best chamber orchestra conductor of his time.

Esmilla’s violin lessons began at age 7 under C. Jacobe, and later, under R. Tapales and the legendary Vallejo. After finishing at the UP Conservatory, he took post-graduate studies in violin, chamber music and conducting at Peabody and Juilliard. Although I am condensing Esmilla’s impressive career, I must add he became assistant concertmaster of the Manila Little Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Federico Elizalde who was then the country’s incomparable chamber orchestra conductor.

With Esmilla’s considerable inherent gifts fortified by such excellent background in chamber orchestra conducting, it seemed inevitable for him to have lived up to his enviable credentials as MCO conductor. Indeed, I like to believe that the initials MCO, which have been retained by the Foundation head Armando Baltazar, are a continuing tribute to Esmilla.

Last Sunday, in a richly deserved tribute to Esmilla entitled "A Celebration of a Legacy", Jeffrey Ching, Cecile Licad, the Kabayaos, Albert Tiu, National Artists Leonor O. Goquingco and Andrea O. Veneracion, former students and colleagues recalled their impressions of him verbally onstage or in print.

Director Baltazar summed up the layman’s remembrances by pointing to Esmilla’s "self-effacingness, quiet dignity, commitment to Excellence and Godliness".

Former students unanimously praised him for his integrity, patience, dedication (read unwavering fidelity to the score), and passion for music while also describing him as a caring father and devoted, one woman husband who tells his wife daily how beautiful she is.

From the musician’s point of view, a significant fact brought out by the speakers was that the Esmillas’ son Joseph is an astoundingly brilliant violinist whose career is on the ascent.

The most eloquent and revealing tribute came from the eminent Jeffrey Ching, the only living composer with whom the distinguished violinist-conductor-pedagogue has had a long, intimate relationship. Hereunder is Ching’s insightful evaluation of Esmilla both as musician and man:

My musical collaboration with Prof. Esmilla has been one of the most important in my nearly thirty years of composing life, and, among my collaborations with Filipino musicians, the oldest and most extensive. This fruitful union I owe in the first place to the Manila Chamber Orchestra Foundation established by Tony Ozaeta, and in particular, to Armando Baltazar, its far-sighted director, who first brought us together in 1987. Between that year and the orchestra’s untimely dissolution in 1993, no less than twenty-one of my works, large and small, vocal and instrumental, were performed, many of them, more than once. Of these twenty-one, seventeen were being given their world premieres. These figures alone must give no uncertain idea of how much this partnership meant to me, and should mean to all who value the encouragement of new music.

All were good performances; a few, more dependent than one might have liked on the technical limitations of the constituent players of the day; but many, truly outstanding – in accuracy of intonation, orchestral balance, structural clarity, uniformity of phrasing and ensemble, and choice of tempi. These were the Maestro’s own standards, the high and exacting standards of an intelligent, experienced musician with perfect pitch equally at home in symphonic and chamber repertoire, which, when they were met, inspired even the most timid or recalcitrant player to surpass himself.

Between the Maestro and myself was a solid and confident rapport, such as I have rarely enjoyed elsewhere, especially in a profession not known for including self-effacement in its job description. In no other colleague have I seen more fully incarnated the insight that great music-making is not about ego, or expedient compromise, but the heroic, even quixotic, quest for an abstract, Platonic perfection. He was, truly, in Erich Leinsdorf’s phrase, ‘the composer’s advocate.’

London, 23 February 2003

The program at F. Santiago Hall continued with Renato Lucas interpreting Ching’s avant-garde Chaconne which, in the composer’s characteristic manner, was singularly original and imaginative.

The speeches could have gone on and on but nothing compels more attention or produces more impact than music. Forthwith, the Philippine "Reunion" Orchestra, organized by Joseph Esmilla, rendered the following musical tribute:

Vivaldi’s Concerto in B Minor for Four Violins interpreted by Joseph, Reginald Pineda, Edwin Dollosa and Raul Castillo, with Joseph wielding the baton, Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, with Raul Castillo as concertmaster, and Dvorak’s New World Symphony, with Reginald Pineda as concertmaster.

Never had this reviewer heard such robust, solid, integrated sounds from an orchestra as she did that evening. The polish, sheen and cohesiveness of the string as well as their fiery zest and passionate ardor were complemented by resplendent, powerful unwavering blasts from the brasses, and exquisitely fluid tones from the woodwinds. Beyond doubt, the "dream" ensemble was an instant world-class orchestra. Why the magnificent performance?

The answer is simple. The players represented the best, finest, most talented and skilled instrumentalists of Metro Manila’s various orchestras. Further, they were receiving the unique, overwhelming inspiration, impetus and incentive provided by a very special, never-to-be-duplicated occasion. This meant each orchestra member was playing for a man they admire, love and hold in the highest esteem; they were, in fact, performing gratis!

Their performance was the towering as well as the memorable climax of the entire evening, and it signified Prof. Esmilla’s tremendous and lasting contribution to the country’s musical life, the players being former students, e.g., Arturo Molina or members of orchestras Prof. Esmilla had conducted – all of whom, in turn, would be passing on Prof. Esmilla’s legacy to future generations.

To complete his response, Prof. Esmilla wielded the baton for a repeat of the Egmont Overture, with Joseph as concertmaster. Who was the better conductor? One hazards this opinion: the father conveyed more stylistic nuances; the son, more dynamism.

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Fil-Spanish virtuoso Felipe M. Ramirez will interpret Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the formidable Oscar Yatco conducting the PPO. Other numbers are Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 and Wagner’s Rienzi Overture. Ramirez will be donating his fee to the CCP. On March 11, he will play at the F. Santiago Hall, with soprano Rachelle Gerodias giving a special performance.