Ingrid dominates concert / On Kezzia, 15, Elielle, 17

Secretary Alfonso T. Yuchengco described in the printed program as a “sincere lover and benefactor of the arts”, was honored at the Yuchengco Museum with a concert featuring pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria, flutist Raymundo O. Sison and violinist Sara Maria Gonzales, with the Manila Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jeffrey R. Solares assisting.

Santamaria admirably dominated the program with her nearly impeccable rendition of two formidable concertos: Tschaikovsky’s in B Flat Minor and Rachmaninov’s in D Minor. Van Cliburn played the former in Moscow’s 1958 International Piano Competition, garnering first prize. The piece is doubtless for a virtuoso; so is the Rachmaninov Concerto.

Both works are passionate and romantic in essence, Rachmaninov’s craft being more florid and tortuous. Santamaria demonstrated unflagging vigor, power and keen musicianship through the torrential chords and deluge of runs covering the entire keyboard. Both concertos are full of sound, fury and substance and these Santamaria masterfully manifested, technically and artistically.

The MSO under Solares’ baton rose to the enormous demands of the scores, the strings energetic, cohesive and sensitive; the woodwinds and brasses alert and robust. Pianist and conductor paid meticulous attention to line and detail, to fluctuations of rhythm, pace and phrasing, the joint performance emerging with clarity, fluency and eloquence, with splendidly massive sounds in the fortissimo climaxes.

Flutist Sison interpreted the Bizet-Borne transcription of arias from Bizet’s opera Carmen with considerable skill, impressively undaunted by the challenging, complex, diverse, bewildering variations.

Gonzales was the evening’s revelation. A former scholar of the Salvador and Pilar Sala Music Foundation and member of the Cebu Youth and Peace Symphony Orchestra, the brilliant violinist showed admirable dexterity and aplomb. Her tones were full-bodied, sonorous and resonant, suggestive of force in reserve; her rendition of Sarasate’s Introduction and Tarantelle was vibrant and sparkling.

In sum, the concert proved ideal: the artists were highly inspired and inspiring; the acoustics and the Bosendorfer piano (loaned by flutist Sison) were perfect; the venue, comfortably accommodating a select audience, called to mind a salon in the palace of Prince Esterhazy who regularly commissioned Haydn and his chamber group to perform for him and his guests.

Pianists Raul Sunico, Nena R. Villanueva, Jonathan Coo and Mary Anne Espina honored Santamaria with their presence.

During intermission, Santamaria gave plaques of appreciation to her children and 16 grandchildren without whose avid and unwavering support, she said, her achievement — actually, tremendous — would not have been possible.

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The GSIS Museum will present 15-year old pianist Kezzia Leian Cordial and the AUP Young Voices choir in a free concert tomorrow, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Museum’s lower gallery.

Kezzia has participated in the Piano Teachers Guild-Philamlife Mozart Competition and NAMCYA contests. A graduating H.S. student of the Adventist U., she has given command performances, served as pianist of the AUP Choir in the Asian Choir Games in Korea, and as oboist of the Adventist Philharmonic Orchestra. A scholar of the late Mercedes Arevalo, Kezzia has performed in Concert at the Park and the Chopin Polonaises at F. Santiago Hall.

The 42-member AUP choir under Joel Punay topped the Championships Choir Games in South Korea last July, winning gold and silver medals.

Elielle Viaje, 17, left for Vienna in 2006, finishing high school with academic excellence at the Kreativ Musisch Mittelschule. In 2007, she represented Austria in Belgrade’s “Joy of Europe” Children’s Festival, and is currently studying in Vienna’s Praynor Conservatory.

Last August, she gave a resoundingly successful recital “An Afternoon to Remember” in La Salle Greenhills, playing works by Bach, Mozart, Liszt, Debussy and Chopin. Her progress has been marvelous.