F. Arcellana grandson leads young players / Makk, Hila in recitals

The mini-concert of 15-year old Liam Arcellana Hertzsprung was a tribute to his late grandfather, National Artist for Literature Francisco Arcellana.

Liam is the son of Evan Hertzsprung and Dr. Meren Arcellana, daughter of Francisco and Emy Yuvienco Arcellana, a UP summa cum laude graduate. Franz, for his part, was a Professor Emeritus of English Comparative Literature, and Founding Director of the UP Institute of Creative Writing. Inevitably all Arcellana sons and daughters became honor graduates and outstanding professionals, including the brilliant surgeon Frank Arcellana and the equally brilliant literary writer-STAR editor Juaniyo Arcellana – whom I have yet to meet personally!

Many of the Arcellana children and grandchildren were at the concert, and consequently, it turned out to be something of a family affair. Also present were UP officials (past and present) including President Emerlinda R. Roman who dropped in briefly, former V-P Oscar Alfonso, V-P Jing Pantoja Hidalgo, National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera and Virgilio Almario, Narita Gonzalez, widow of NVM, and Amelia Lapeña Bonifacio. Jimmy Abad delivered an eloquent and moving homage to Franz; Dr. Lydia Rodriguez Arcellana served as emcee; Vim Nadera gave the closing remarks. The 2nd F. Arcellana scholarship was awarded to Cornelius Asin.

The Praise Youth Orchestra under the young Korean Conductor Jung Yong Huan opened the concert. Violinist Joel Eugenio, great-grandson of Franz and Emy, was concert master, and completing the family picture by extension was my grandniece, violinist Stephanie del Rosario.

The ensemble rendered three simple pieces with care and close attention to tempo: Mozart’s Turkish March, Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire and Mancini’s Moon River, the latter featuring as soloist a female wind instrumentalist.

The slim, good-looking Liam, who has been studying piano for nine years, won first prize in two Canadian Kiwanis Festivals. He will receive his 10th grade certificate from Toronto’s Royal Conservatory in Jan. 2007.

Playing with a score, Liam demonstrated digital dexterity and strength, and admirable conversance with wide-ranging styles as he essayed Bach’s Prelude and Fugue No. 12, Gallop by Tsitisaros, Chopin’s Etude Op. 10, Liszt’s Oubliee, Rachmaninoff’s Melodie Op. 3, and the first two movements of Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 10.

After intermission, Liam interpreted Lyadow’s A Trifle, Bach’s French Suite No. 5, Allemande and Gigue, Rachmaninoff’s Prelude Opus 23, Debussy’s Arabesque, Myrow’s Autumn Nocturne, Ginestera’s Rondo on Argentine children’s folk tunes.

Liam will ultimately become a virtuoso if he pursues his piano career with devotion, dedication and determination. His mini-concert showed tremendous potential.

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Fourteen-year old pianist Noreen Paula Tan Ngo recently took her turn playing in the "MCO Young Artists Recital Series" at the F. Santiago Hall. At her solo recital in 2005, Noreen interpreted a formidable program: two Impromptus by Schubert, an Etude by Chopin, two concert Etudes by Liszt, a Toccata by Khatchaturian, Suggestion Diabolique by Prokofiev, and a Concerto by Haydn, with the UST Symphony Orchestra assisting.

At her latest performance, Noreen exhibited an acute sense of style, eloquently distinguishing one composer from another: Scarlatti in two sonatas, in E and D, Beethoven in the four-movement Sonata No. 3 in C, Debussy in Prelude, Sarabande and Toccata, Chopin in the F Sharp Nocturne, Etude in E and C, and Liszt in Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13.

Noreen’s renditions displayed a refined, precise, articulate, smooth and fluent technique. She conveyed artistic sensitivity in each piece. However, she seemed rather wanting in power and in tonal colors and nuances – all of which will come in due time. Her memory is marvelously retentive, playing as she did sans score. An auspicious future awaits her, as she joins the batch of vastly gifted confreres. Her past mentor Aida Sanz-Gonzalez and current one, Raul Sunico, can be justifiably proud of her.

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Vienna-based pianist Aima Labra Makk, whose recent performance with the MCCO Orchestra under conductor Josefino "Chino" Toledo garnered a "rave" review from this writer, will give a full-length concert tomorrow, Aug. 10, at the RCBC auditorium.

I listened to Aima again in Saturday’s "Soiree" presented by the Friends for Cultural Concerns – headed by Lulu Castañeda – at the residence of Chito Madrigal Collantes. The electrifying Aima deserves another "rave" review which I shall write later.

Meanwhile, I urge music lovers to attend Aima’s piano concert at the RCBC auditorium tomorrow.

At the aforementioned "Soiree", young violinist Jareena Inacay played Mozart’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in B Major and Suarez’s Katakataka arranged by R. Romero. Another young violinist Justin Texon rendered Kreisler’s Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven and Ernesto Vallejo’s Habanera Filipina No. 2. Both youngsters performed the duet Waltz by Brahms and A.E.M. Gretry’s Country Dance.

Distinguished concert pianist Grieg Zuniega provided seamless assistance while infusing the music with considerable sparkle and vibrancy. The violinists exhibited sterling talent honed by solid training, Inacay’s in Switzerland’s Academy of Music and Theater where she is a scholar; Texon’s in Berlin’s State Academy for Music "Hanns Fischer".

Previously, both violinists were scholars of PREDIs which was established at St. Scholastica College by Sr. Mary Placid and Basilio Manalo for young outstanding instrumentalists.

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On Friday, Hiyas Hila will give a solo recital at 8 p.m. in the Philamlife Theater. Hiyas is working for a doctorate degree at the U. of Minnesota under Leeds-Levintritt winner Lydia Artymiw. Hiyas won in the university’s concerto competition in 2005 playing Mozart’s Concerto in A Major.

She will interpret the same concerto in her recital, with the MSO assisting under Conductor Arturo Molina. Other numbers are Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C Minor, selections from Stephen Paulus’ Preludes and Debussy’s Images, Book 1.

Hiyas continues to retain her place among our admirably gifted young pianists.