Leljak in piano concert / TOPS' musical, Yang's gala / Events at Salon de Actos

Serbian pianist Dorian Leljak will give a concert on Monday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. at the Philamlife auditorium under the auspices of the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines.

Soloist, chamber musician, pedagogue, jurist and prize winner in prestigious international competitions in Europe and North America, including the Rachmaninov, Yale U. and Belgrade competitions, Leljak is a professor of piano at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sed, Serbia, and the College of Music in London.

On Nov. 14, Leljak will render Chopin’s Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Mazurka in C Sharp Minor, Mazurka in B Minor, Nocturne in B Major, Nocturne in E Major and Barcarolle, and Rachmaninov’s Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor (Second Version).

*      *      *

The Tahanan Outreach Projects and Services of the UP Law Class ’71 Foundation Inc. (TOPS) will present “An Evening of Broadway and Classical Music” on Nov. 25 at the Makati Sports Club, Ayala Banquet Hall.

Featured at the 7 p.m. dinner-musicale will be Cocoy and Denise Laurel and the Manila Klasika Quartet, composed of Leo Logdat, baritone; Gayle Norombaba, soprano; Nomer Nival, tenor; Poli Luarito, male alto; Belinda Salazar, assisting artist.

A raffle will follow the program.

TOPS was founded by CA Justice Corazon Agrava to lend assistance to street children. Ambassador Ma. Consuelo Puyat-Reyes is chair emeritus; Justice Carolina Grino-Aquino is chair. Emcees will be Diane Franco, Riza Vera and Maritess Sison-Co.

The concert committee is composed of Villaruz, Valerie Agrava, Fides Cordero-Tan, Diane Franco and Bong Maglaque. In the board of trustees are Franco and Nellie Reyes.

The musicale consists of Bella Figlia del Amore from Rigoletto by the Quartet, Meine Lippen Schweigen from Die Lustige Witwe by Gayle and Nomer; Broadway hits by Cocoy and Denise Laurel.

Wheels of the Dream from Ragtime by Gayle and Leo; Brindisi from La Traviata by the Quartet; Toreador from Carmen by the Trio; Flower Duet from Lakme by Gayle and Poli; Filipino medley by the Quartet; One More Time from Les Miserables by Cocoy (Markus), Denise (Epondine) and The Quartet.

*      *      *

Twenty-five scholars of the Klassikal Music Foundation will perform in a gala concert on Nov. 24 at the Philamlife Theater. Scholars and graduates of the KMF will showcase their talent that night.

The Klassikal Music Foundation was established by eminent tenor George T. Yang in December of 2008 to promote the understanding and appreciation of vocal classic music by supporting gifted students through financial assistance and the sponsor of their attendance at conferences and programs in the Philippines or abroad.

Currently, the KMF scholars come from some of the most prestigious institutions in the country: UP, UST, CEU, St. Paul U, and the PWU.

Tickets will be sold at P500; students with valid IDs can avail of them at P300. Outlets are all McDonald’s stores. For inquiries, contact Tina Valencia at 8178888.

*      *      *

Cantinflas and the Mexican comedy is a film cycle that showcases the best of the Mexican comedian known as Cantinflas. Once named the Charlie Chaplin of Mexico, his characters are seemingly normal people involved in unusual situations. The cycle will run every Saturday of November, 6 p.m. at Instituto Cervantes’ Salon de Actos.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m., Spanish writer Ruben Abella and Filipino writer Sarge Lacuesta will lecture on “Writing Fiction Today”, Salon de Actos.

Abella’s first novel received the Torrente Ballester Award. His next work consists of a set of micro-stories that condense almost 20 years of travel around the world. He just published his third novel.

Sarge Lacuesta’s first collection of short stories published in 2000 won the Madrigal-Gonzales Best First Book Award and the Manila Critics’ Circle National Book Award. His second collection also won the National Book Award. His third was published in 2009.