Poulenc, San Pedro, Verdi / St. Paul U’s Music Festivals / Unsolicited Christmas advice

St. Scholastica’s College School of Music under dean Sr. Mary Placid Abejo presented its students and alumni in works by Poulenc, San Pedro and Verdi. It was gratifying to have included a Filipino composer, especially on his 100th death anniversary, because in most concerts, only foreign composers are interpreted.

Grace Quioyo Garcia (Piano 1) and Rica Manas de los Angeles (Piano 2) vividly reflected Poulenc’s whimsicality and innovativeness in his Sonata for Four Hands; Felicito Sacdalan admirably delineated in liquid, flowing lines the composer’s lyricism in Sonata for Clarinet, with pianist Josue Greg Zuniega as remarkable assisting artist.

Soprano Myramae Meneses, replacing Rica Nepomuceno, enthralled with Caro Nome from Verdi’s opera Rigoletto, the pyrotechnics unwaveringly executed, the lyrical lines beautifully fluid, the words deeply moving. Tenor Angelo Falci interpreted Lunge da lei from La Traviata, with De los Angeles as piano accompanist.

The Guitar Ensemble played San Pedro’s Ugoy ng Duyan, its exquisite melody surfacing cohesively; however one expected a bigger, more vibrant volume. Romance and Lulay interpreted by Gerry Graham on the cello and Kim Hirandilla-Ng on the violin (replacing Christian Tan) and assisted by Zuniega, Ako’y Pobreng Alindahaw sung by soprano Marianne Miguel, and Sampatak ng Hamog sung by tenor James Doak, proved San Pedro’s rich melodic vein as did Manalig Ka, written on the composer’s 60th wedding anniversary.

Members of his family stood up to acknowledge the tribute being given the composer, a National Artist for Music.

His Magsiawit Kayo sa Panginoon and Simbang Gabi, highly appropriate for the holiday season, were rendered by the Choir conducted by Maria Lourdes Hermo, assisted by pianists Zuniega and Judy Tan, percussion player Embradura and the String Quartet. The range in dynamics could have been wider but the vocal ensemble conveyed the season’s joyous spirit while demonstrating further San Pedro’s proclivity for melody typical of most Filipino composers.

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To inspire music graduates of St. Paul U. Manila College of Music and the Performing Arts, and to provide a venue for their piano students, the Paulinian Piano Festival, the first in the growing tradition of Paulinian Festivals, was launched in 2005.

In 2010, the Festival was initiated to give instrument and voice students the same opportunity given piano students.

Within nine years, the 9th and 4th Festivals expanded to include not only graduates and music teachers of SPU Manila but also other music teachers wishing to join in the hope of inspiring more piano teachers to present high quality performances to their students.

Nurturing musical gifts is a challenge — a long process requiring the teacher’s kindness, understanding and, above all, patience, and the student’s dedication, diligence, perseverance and determination to transcend obstacles.

The Music Festivals, held from Dec. 7  to 8 at the Fleur de Lis Theater, had no age limit. Participants included children and adult beginners, piano majors, winners of competitions and faculty participants.

Unsolicited Christmas advice

It must have been George Bernard Shaw who said that all good things in life are either fattening or immoral. Do enjoy the holidays by living life to the full.

Self-control is defined as the ability to eat one salted peanut. Do practice self-control this holiday season.

Either of the above advice is given in jest.