Rondello-Caces; Cruz-Caces / Other significant events

A former prodigy, American Angelo Rondello started studying the piano at 13 and was concertizing in the same year.

Tomorrow, Sunday, at 7 p.m. he will give a concert at the Philamlife Theater, rendering Chopin’s Mazurka in A Minor and Mazurka in B Flat Minor, Ravel’s Sonatine, Barber’s Sonata in E Flat Minor, and ending with Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto.

Herewith, I am quoting notes on Rondello. “Coupling an inborn passion for music and speech, Rondello, 28, has developed a unique take on the piano recital. A natural performer, he has shunned the traditional concert’s often stuffy vibe through creating a form of presentation which leads listeners to new levels of enjoyment and understanding in music. He achieves this with an innate gift for communication, illuminating music’s many facets through engaging commentary and example. By a meticulous choice of repertoire and specially constructed programs, Rondello’s presentations range in topic from the delightfully wholesome to the downright racy.”

Since his NY debut in the Trinity/St. Paul Concert series in 2005 at age 24, Rondello has appeared on TV with Saint-Saens Piano Concerto in G Minor. His playing of Bach was featured in the award-winning film “Die Martins Passion”.

Rondello is also a teacher and dedicated advocate of music education. His thoughts on music education and philosophy of music have been widely published in the US.

He resides in Brooklyn, NY, actively engaged as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher.

Rondello studied at the Seattle Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music and the Brooklyn Conservatory.

In Rondello’s Sunday concert, Aries Caces, eminent Vienna-based pianist-conductor, will wield the baton over the UST Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven’s Concerto.

Caces studied piano under Walter Kamper in the Hocschule fur Musik in Graz, and under the world-renowned Mozart specialist Paul Badura-Skoda in Vienna. He obtained his master’s degree in piano performance under Roland Keller, and studied piano chamber music under Georg Ebert. He obtained his diploma in conducting under Uros Lajovic.

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Tonight at 8, Caces will perform as pianist with Emmanuel Jiovanney Cruz, the most internationally awarded Filipino in a Filfest concert at Alabang’s Insular Life Theater. Caces will open the program with Saint-Saens’ Africa, Op. 89; Cruz will close it with Liszt’s Concerto No. 1 in E Flat Major.

Agripino Diestro will conduct the Filfest Festival Orchestra.

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A sudden indisposition prevented me from attending the “Symphonic Virtuosity” concert of the Manila Symphony Orchestra at the Philamlife auditorium. Haydn’s Symphony in D Major (marking his 200th death anniversary) was under the baton of guest conductor Christopher Poppen, as also Beethoven’s Symphony in C Minor. The 19-year old violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr. performed Paganini’s Concerto in D Major.

I have heard Poppen and Saraza, both of whom are excellent, in previous concerts. Jeffrey Solares is MSO Associate Conductor.

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Cecile Guidote Alvarez, NCCA executive director, informs me that there will be a staging of Juana la Loca, a play by the Mexican Miguel Sabido who will be coming over to co-direct it with a Spanish composer and a local music team.

Cecile also strongly suggests a visit to Baguio’s “world-class” Urdaneta Monument Park. Its ship base and murals are by Abdul Mari Imao; the Urdaneta monument on top of the ship is by Napoleon Abueva; the landscape is by IP Santos; the ode to Urdaneta, written by Alejandro Roces, has been translated into four languages. NCCA chair Dr. Vilma Labrador and Cecile incredibly “synergized” the four national artists to work on the monument.