Japanese orchestra premieres Filipino compositions in two day concert series

The Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo will premiere two new Filipino compositions especially commissioned for the group’s maiden visit to the Philippines, the president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines said.

 

The orchestra will unveil Fr. Manuel P. Maramba’s latest composition for “string quartet for chamber music” today, February 8 (Friday), according to Dr. Raul M. Sunico. The concert will be held at the Philamlife Auditorium, at United Nations Avenue, from 7:30 P.M.

 

In the same interview, Sunico said the orchestra will perform “Philippine Symphonic Folk Songs” by Prof. Herminigildo Ranera, of the UST Conservatory of Music, at the Main Theater of the CCP tomorrow, February 9 (Saturday), at 8 P.M. 

 

“What is special for these two concerts is that two new Filipino musical compositions will make their world premiere with performances by a foreign orchestra company,” said Sunico.”The 70-member group is an excellent orchestra despite their semi-professional status. We hope that the audience who will watch [these] shows will be able to validate what I am saying.” 
 

   

For its Friday event, the orchestra performs in a chamber concert featuring Ayumi Hirahara (piano), Hiroshi Shibayama (oboe), and the orchestra’s string quartet composed of Takashi Hamano (violin I), Naoru Komiya (violin II), Go Tomono (viola), Kenichi Nishiyama (cello).

 

The Japanese musicians will perform back-to-back with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s woodwind quartet composed of Rosemarie Poblete (flute), Ariel Sta. Ana (clarinet), Jose Jerry Samonte (bassoon), Ernani Pascual (horn), and the PPO string quartet composed of Dino Akira Decena (violin I), Joanna Ruth Livioco (violin II), Joy Allan de La Cruz (viola), and Herrick Ortiz (cello). Neither Dr. Sunico or Prof. Ranera will be taking part in either concert, however. 

 

Repertoire for the Friday concert includes “La Dance: Suite Pour Piano” by Yasushi Akutagawa, “Nocturne in Eb Minor” by Francisco Santiago, “North-Silver-Night (Winter) Op.93” by Maki Ishii, “Maligayang Bati (Birthday Greeting)” by Francisco Buencamino, “Woodwind Boogie” by Hal Goodman, “Violetango” by Astor Piazzola, “Entre-Temps (Between Times)” for oboe and strings by Toru Takemitsu, and String Quartet “Elegy” by Tadashi Kubo.

 

With Tatsuya Shimono conducting, Sunico said the CCP concert includes “Symphonic Poem” for yokobue (Japanese traditional transverse flute) and “Orchestra Op.60” by Maki Ishii, “Symphony No. 1” by Masashi Ishida, “By The Hillside” by Antonino Buenaventura, and “Sinfonia Tapkaara” by Akira Ifukube.

 

Sunico said that informal talks for the concerts started several years ago, while the orchestra has been promoting cultural exchanges through its visits and performances throughout Asia.

 

In a separate interview, Ranera said his 10-minute “Philippine Symphonic Folk Songs” used 25 folk songs from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. “People who will hear of or listen to this music will feel like is as if they were traveling from Luzon to Mindanao.”

 

“What is interesting in this three-movement composition is that the first movement, which is called Luzon, will only use wind and percussion instruments. For the second movement, titled Visayas, only strings will be featured, and for the third and final movement, called 'Mindanao', the full orchestra will perform,” Ranera said.

 

Ranera confessed that he has not heard the orchestra’s rendition of his work, adding that the musicians showed the “meticulousness and attention to detail for which the Japanese are famous.”

 

“I received constant communication from them asking about small details. They made long distance calls or sent emails inquiring about pauses. If I forgot to put a period, they would ask is it staccato? It is good because they want perfection. Their performance will surely be excellent,” Ranera said.

 

The “Philippine Symphonic Folk Songs” will show how contemporary techniques coupled with old materials such as folk tunes cab produce music which is like “a woven piece of cloth,” Ranera said. “I composed a contemporary piece because the concert on Saturday deals with contemporary music, not Mozart or Beethoven.”

 

Ranera emphasized the practice of the Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo to request for new works to perform from countries it will visit is a good avenue to promote local compositions and to recognize local composers.

 

The Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo was established in September 2002 as a musical group to commemorate the aspirations of the late Yasushi Akutagawa, one of Japan’s most prolific composers and is noted for his contributions in the music culture of modern Japan. – KDM, GMA News 

Tickets for both concert dates are available at the CCP Box Office or at TicketWorld.  

All photos courtesy of the CCP.