A profusion of pianists / Cello-piano recital / Coming music events

The piano is apparently the favored instrument of aspiring musicians. The violin comes next and, perhaps, the cello after it. Winds and brasses have far less devotees.

The recent Opusfest, the Search for the Ultimate Pianist and the Piano Teachers’ Guild competitions were teeming with contestants.

For years, we have regarded among our foremost pianists Cecile Licad, the busiest abroad; Raul Sunico who amazes with his incomparably retentive memory; Nena Villanueva, who made her concert debut at ten; Rowena Arrieta, our lone laureate in a Tschaikovsky International Competition in Moscow; Jiovanney Emmanuel Cruz, the most internationally awarded; Regalado Jose, Cristine Coyuito, Ingrid Sta. Maria, Reynaldo Reyes, Albert Tiu, Aime Labra Makk, Fr. Manuel Maramba, Aries Caces.

Other pianists in random order, are Greg Zuniega, Jonathan Coo, Rene Dalandan (whatever happened to him?), Carminda Regala, Najib Ismail, Mary Anne Espina, Menchu Padilla, Amelita Guevarra, Della Besa who alternately plays with Anna Maria de Guzman and Mary Anne Armovit in duo recitals, and the younger ones like Oliver Salonga and Rudolf Golez. Fifteen-year old Elielle Viaje is in Vienna furthering her studies. There are scores more of budding virtuosos.

Sunico again amazed music lovers – this according to Sr. Annunciata – when he substituted for William Wolfram in the recent CCP concert conducted by Eugene Castillo. Sunico had only two days to learn Bernstein’s Concerto No. 3; he had it down pat to the last note within that short period, and used a score in actual performance only to make sure he would play in unison with the orchestra, and vice versa.

This is as incredible as Sunico’s last feat of committing to memory some 172 pages of F. Busoni’s work in a month or so, memorizing the rest on the plane which was flying him to Manila for the engagement. Incidentally, even as dean of the UST Conservatory, he has not slackened his performance pace here or abroad.

Cristine Coyuito continues to be "the pianists’ pianist" and as the late Jess Cruz pointed out, as "poetess of the piano". Ingrid Sta. Maria and Reynaldo Reyes have just finished their 12th "Romantic Journey" during which they bring romantic music throughout the archipelago. Jiovanney Cruz has put across his magnum Opusfest and "Search for the Ultimate Pianist".

In the meantime, what is in store for this profusion of young, earnest, hard-working and ambitious pianists who rigorously practise and rehearse for the big day that may never come? Most of the graduates will probably end up teaching, thereby adding to the aspirants. It is much more daunting to aspire for a concert career abroad. In New York, for instance virtuoso pianists are a dime-a-dozen. Further pianists need an agent, and an aggressive one. Pianists could join competitions via their foreign schools because winning makes it easier for them to find an agent and pursue a piano career. Cecile Licad, at 19, won the Leventritt Award at Curtis. Besides, she was the protege of Rudolf Serkin and Jews dominate New York’s musical and just about every other scene.

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Having attended the wake of Max V. Soliven in QC, I missed half of the cello-piano recital of Renato Lucas and Nena R. Villanueva at the residence of German Ambassador Dr. Axel Weishaupt: three romances by Mendelssohn, Elgar and Abelardo, and Dvorak’s Rondo.

Few local duos could have compared with the dazzling give-and-take between Lucas – his tones luminous, quiveringly vibrant and resonant – and Villanueva whose assistance was virtuosic throughout the Allegro moderato, Scherzo (Allegro con brio), Largo and Finale (Allegro). Bravura and dynamism characterized the lively movements; the Largo was as exquisitely lyrical as Chopin himself would have wanted it. The appreciative listeners were rewarded with a repeat of the Largo and the Scherzo.

Ambassador Weishaupt himself deserves applause for his continued diplomacy of promoting Filipino talent which interprets Western music, particularly German, and Philippine.

Forthcoming musical events

On Sunday, 22-year old Lorenzo Raval, student of virtuoso violinist Alfonso "Coke" Bolipata, and former MMCO concert master, will give a farewell recital at the F. Santiago Hall. Lorenzo leaves for Temple U. in Philadelphia on a scholarship.

Today. Dec. 9, pianist J. Grieg Zuniega and Japanese Kenji Watanabe will perform at 8:30 p.m. under the auspices of the International Visitors’ Program to mark the 50th year of RP-Japan Friendship.

It is becoming increasingly fashionable to have classic and pop singers perform together. Last year, the internationally acclaimed tenor Otoniel Gonzaga sang with Broadway star Lea Salonga. Tonight at 8, at the Philamlife, he will sing with Dulce. Also with sopranos Rachelle Gerodias, Camille Lopez-Molina and flutist Christopher Oracion, with the Manila Philharmonic assisting under Rodel Colmenar.

On Dec. 13, Russian pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy, Hong Kong International Competition first prize winner and prize winner of the Long-Thibaud Competition in Paris, will give a recital at 8 p.m., also at the Philamlife theater.

On Thursday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. the gala Christmas concert "Adeste Fidelis" will be held at Santuario de San Antonio with tenor Otoniel Gonzaga, sopranos Rachelle Gerodias and Camille Lopez Molina, tenor George Yang, organist Alejandro Consolacion II and three choirs. The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under Rodel Colmenar will assist.

Eddie Yap, who is avidly helping Fr. Tony Rosales promote the benefit concert, proudly announces that all tickets are sold out!

On Dec. 15, Ruggiero Barbieri will conduct a chamber orchestra at St. Paul’s U., at 7 p.m.

If you are at the Promenade in Greenhills Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 6 p.m., listen to the marvelous blind pianist Allan Gonzales play popular music.

Allan, a cancer survivor, was born with cancer of the eye. Despite his handicap, Allan is blessed with a light heart and tremendous musical talent. Says Allan: "God created me this way to show others that it is possible to do things that one had thought absolutely impossible." Allan also sings and plays the flute. You can contact him for his services through tels. 4189348 or 0920-9047486.