Chino’s virtuosity / Kabayaos’ cultural work

After performing as soloist under Maestro Oscar Yatco conducting the PPO, Joaquin "Chino" Gutierrez, 15-year old violin prodigy, gave a concert at the RCBC Theater.

He interpreted Bach’s unaccompanied Sarabande from Partita No. 2 in D Minor, Beethoven’s Romance in F, Wieniawski’s Scherzo-Tarantelle, Paganini’s Caprice No. 10 in G Minor, Mutya ng Pasig by Abelardo-Kabayao and Paru-Parung Bukid transcribed by Kabayao (both compositions rendered with the arranger’s special permission), Paganini’s Caprice No. 10 in G Minor and Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E Minor Op. 64.

From whatever piece Chino rendered, his command of technique and understanding of style(s) surfaced.

The compositions were of widely varying lengths and schools, and Prof. Jens Ellermann of the Munich State Academy, on hearing Chino play as an 11-year old, was readily impressed by his "virtuoso style of performing, superb coordination and sense of musical ideas."

Chino infused vitality into the opening Sarabande by Bach, his tones fullbodied and sparkling, his left fingers moving with remarkable agility, his right hand firm and secure in its bowing.

He was unfazed by the technical fireworks of the Tarantelle, of the Paru-Parung Bukid into which Kabayao had injected complexities that conformed with his own virtuosity, and by the Caprice.

Sensitive lyricism moved the audience in Beethoven’s Romance in F, and in the Andante (second movement of the Concerto), while listeners were struck by the bristling approach to its Allegro Molto and Allegro Vivace (first and third movements), as well as to the daunting Caprice.

In years to come, Chino will surely imbue his playing with more intensity and fire. But as of now, his virtuosity already astounds considerably.

Impetuous and insistent applause – and a standing ovation – brought on Paganini’s Caprice No. 13 in E Flat Major and Vallejo’s Habanera. Chino’s shy manner of acknowledging applause was both engaging and endearing.

Collaborator was Mary Anne Espina whose own keen musicianship and dexterity served the violinist extremely well. A highly sought-after assisting artist, Espina recently made her much-awaited debut as concert pianist.

* * *

The indefatigable Kabayaos, violin virtuoso Gilopez and his richly talented pianist wife Corazon are enlivening cultural life in the South concertizing with their violinist children Sicilienne, Farida and Gilberto. In the past two years, the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation presented "My Fair Lady" and "The Miracle Worker", with Farida starring in both as principal player.

Last October, the Kabayaos launched Sayaw Diwa, a project funded by the Magsaysay Award Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund through the Program for Asian Projects granted only to past Magsaysay awardees like Gilopez, a 1972 Awardee for Outstanding Public Service. Sayaw Diwa provides a new dimension in teaching and promoting Philippine music and dance to teachers in both public and private schools in the country. The project objectives are:

1. To produce instructional materials in video and audio for teaching Philippine dances beyond the traditional dance steps and movements.

2. To encourage free and innovative approach to the interpretation and teaching of Philippine dances in intermediate and secondary schools.

3. To reintroduce Philippine folk songs and kundimans to various schools, providing an alternative to rock, disco and pop music prevalent nowadays. Set to the music of the Kabayao Family Quintet from the latest CD entitled Harana Filipina, 15 choreographed dances were commissioned for this project.

4. To promote nationalistic endeavors in teaching Philippine dance and music, encouraging free and unifying artistic expressions of the inherent Filipino culture and spirit.

Sayaw Diwa is a compilation of 15 dances by Iloilo choreographers Julius Martin Sollesta, Joan Paulette Marie Liboon, Sol Fernandez and Romel Flogen. Folk songs like Sampaguita, Pandanggo, Pamulinawen, Sarung Bangui, Ang Pispis nga Bukaw and compositions like Hatinggabi (Molina), Habanera No. 2 (Vallejo), Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (San Pedro), Sa Kabukiran (Velez), Bayan Ko (De Guzman) and Pakiusap (Santiago) were used for the choreography.

The project’s two-day workshop was attended by more than 450 physical education and music teachers from Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, Roxas and Guimaras. Regional Director Victoriano B. Tirol Jr. of the Department of Education, Western Visayas, endorsed the workshop.

Here are comments from teachers who attended the workshop:

1. "We learned how to motivate, create, explore and develop certain movements that are unusual/unconventional."

2. "Very informative. I learned techniques on how to choreograph dances in a very creative way."

3. "The workshop gave us the confidence and assurance that we ourselves can teach and choreograph to certain songs, saving our schools from hiring outside choreographers."

From November 16 to 19, the Kabayao Foundation, Inc. presented Malou Jacob’s Anatomiya ng Korupsyon (Anatomy of Corruption) in its Tagalog version. Touching on the prevalent corruption found in almost every government office, Anatomiya ng Korupsyon was a timely offering that may hopefully awaken its audiences from complacency. The Kabayao Foundation brought 1,200 students from seven national high schools in Iloilo City to watch the play, subsidizing the admission fees to expose the young to theater arts and to have them learn valuable lessons from the message of the play.

Some comments from the students follow:

"The play encouraged us to study hard and to be aware of what is happening in our country!"

"It was a beautiful play, filled with wonderful moral values and the right principles for our work."

"Through this play, I begin to question whether there is still a chance to eradicate corruption in our country. I also want to know what I can do to help the situation."

The Kabayaos feel comments like these make it worth all the expense and effort they exert as a family!

The Women Lawyers Association of the Philippines (Iloilo Chapter) and the Assembly of Resident Ombudsmen in Western Visayas and the Iloilo City Schools Division gave their support.

Anatomiya ng Korupsyon was staged in November at St. Anne’s Hall, Assumption, Iloilo City, with Dora Jane Balleras in her directorial debut. Lead roles were portrayed by Joan Paulette Marie Libo-on as Cely, Anthony Torres as Rick and Ariel Sogueco as Bok.

As a corollary to the above, Gilopez is developing the talent of promising violinists. Jim Jim, 14, started playing the violin at 11, and under Mitch Martinez of the UP Conservatory, he won second prize in NAMCYA Category A.

When he heard Gilopez in concert, he said, "I want to be a virtuoso like him." Gilopez does not usually accept pupils, but when he heard Jim Jim, he agreed to prepare the youngster for the NAMCYA contest after which Jim Jim emerged first-prize winner.