When music truly heals

There are voices that need to be heard, especially if they are for a good cause.

The UP Medical Alumni Foundation Inc. (UPMAF) proudly presents “Ang S>O>A>P Opera Ng Buhay Ko 2: Musika ni Ryan, Medisina ng Bayan” (Isang Pagpupugay ng Iskolar ng Bayan sa Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) on Sept. 21, Saturday, 7 p.m., at the Philippine International Convention Center Reception Hall in Pasay City.

The concert, featuring the music of National Artist for Music and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Ryan Cayabyab and headlined by world-renowned Filipino singers like Lea Salonga, will be mounted in cooperation with the UP College of Medicine Resource Generation Office, the UP Manila Chancellor’s Committee for Culture and the Arts, the UP Medical Alumni Society (UPMAS) and UP College of Medicine Class 1994 Homecoming Silver Jubilarians.

The concert is for the benefit of the UP College of Medicine as it embarks on its most ambitious infrastructure project to date — the construction of the 11-story Medical Sciences Building. A healing concert, not just for those who are soothed by the music of Cayabyab, but for those who will benefit from the services the proposed building will provide.

Featuring the 50-piece ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra playing an all-Cayabyab repertoire under the baton of maestro Jonathan Velasco, this special night of musical tribute will also bring together Jed Madela, Jaya, Rachel Alejandro, Pinky Marquez, Cris Villonco, Franco Laurel, Ima Castro, John Arcilla, Yasmien Kurdi, Arman Ferrer, Baihana, Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Cris Go, among others, as they join the community in a collective voice of healing. An 80-strong chorus composed of The Mass Appeal, Ateneo Chamber Singers, UPMAS Choir and UP Medicine Choir will also fill the grandiose ballroom with heavenly voices only a most “Wonderful Choir” can bring.

An artist’s rendition of the 11-story Medical Sciences Building of the UP College of Medicine.

“Our scholar and future doctor is committed to the service of the underserved Filipinos, starting with his or her stint at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine (UPCM), and later on, at the Philippine General Hospital,” says Dr. Melfred Hernandez, the over-all chairman of the project. “In fact, every UP medical student is committed to staying in and working for the health needs of the country for at least three years within five years after graduation, under the ground-breaking ‘Return Service Agreement program’ of the College and the University.”

“My life as a medical student was full of ups and downs then. Slaving away almost a decade of one’s life in the pursuit of earning the right to have somebody else’s life squarely on his or her shoulders is no small feat, and is the stuff soap operas are made of. In UP, this soap opera began in the near-decrepit building housing the Basic Sciences Learning Resource (BSLR) East and West rooms. And just like any protagonist in a teleserye, the Isko and Iska of today should not buckle down and accept defeat amid all odds and adversities medical school life (and their building) will have thrown in their way, not if we, medical alumni and their dear friends and benefactors, can help it. We were scholars ng bayan then, we just have to give back, and pay it forward, and make sure that the soap opera of the present scholars would have a happy ending after all,” Melfred shares.

“It takes countless sleepless nights and sleep-deprived duty days to aspire to perfect the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan), a documentation method utilized by doctors to complete a patient’s chart,” he adds, hence the title of the concert.

Melfred adds that all the participating artists waived their fees for this worthwhile project.

Now, that’s music to one’s ears.

(Tickets are available at Ticketworld (891-9999 or www.ticketworld.com.ph) and through UPMAS Office (525-3852) and UPMAF Office (526-4255). For other inquires, visit Musika ni Ryan, Medisina ng Ating Bayan Facebook page or call 0917-6327098.)

A taste of Provence at Raffles

The elegant ‘Afternoon Tea with L’Occitane’ three-tiered medley features savory and sweet delights, curated to perfectly complement the finest teas.

In keeping with its tradition of creating elegant and delightful afternoon tea experiences, Raffles Makati collaborates with Provencal beauty and wellness brand L’Occitane for its fourth themed afternoon tea series.

Rain or shine, one can savor the taste of Provence at the hotel’s Writers Bar with its refreshingly designed “Afternoon Tea with L’Occitane” daily, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., until Sept. 30. Guests who avail themselves of the afternoon tea set will receive a gift from L’Occitane.

Tea and confectionery lovers will enjoy finest teas that perfectly complement the sweet and savory delights that are inspired by the natural and breathtaking beauty of Provence, known for its picture-perfect and fragrant lavender fields.

The sumptuous three-tiered medley features savory treats like pissaladiere with Kalamata olives, fresh anchovies on focaccia bread, mini-brioche sandwich with chicken, pine nuts, roasted tomato, basil, goat cheese with honey, lavender and grapes on country bread; and nicoise salad in a crunchy cup.

The delightful medley also includes sweet divine pastries such as peach mirliton, pistachio religieuse, lavender macarons, white chocolate mousse tartlet with black currant cremeux, honey, lemon and almond madeleines; and calisson of orange and lemon confit, a must-try!

And of course, an afternoon tea will not be complete without scones. For this offering, one can enjoy freshly baked scones with dried apricots and almonds, accompanied by traditional clotted cream, strawberry preserves and lemon curd.

Raffles Makati director of communications Monique Toda said, “It is our pleasure to have L’Occitane as a brand partner for this afternoon tea series. With this partnership, we intend to bring the south of France by giving a French Mediterranean feel with the sweets and savories that we offer.”

For this collaboration, L’Occitane brings to the fore its iconic body care ingredient — almonds from Provence. According to the brand’s education manager Anna Grape, the almonds used by the brand for its products are from the Valensole plateau, a high-altitude area in Provence that is known not only for its stunning lavender fields but also for the high quality of almonds that are harvested there.

At the launch of the afternoon tea series, the Writers Bar was bedecked with lavender and immortelle blossoms set up in a vintage, rustic style. Guests, who sampled the afternoon tea’s gustatory delights, also enjoyed vanilla, lavender and lemon gelato, complete with choices of almond toppings — plain, sugar- or chocolate-covered — all of which were conceptualized and executed by the Raffles culinary team.

(You may e-mail me at [email protected].Follow me on Instagram @joanneraeramirez.)