Three Filipino artists, one group featured in PPO’s 32nd season

The 32nd season of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), which opens on Friday, is highlighting the Filipino musicians’ artistry and expertise in classical music.
 

Maestro Olivier Ochanine, who is now on his 5th season with the PPO as its musical director and chief conductor, said this season, billed as “Sound Kaleidoscope,” will be remembered for showcasing the “most number” of Filipino musicians as guest soloists in one season.
 

Ochanine, a French national, was chosen after an international audition in June 2009. He had his debut with the PPO on its 28th concert season with a season theme: “Bold Strokes, New Growth."
 

“Having this number of Filipino soloists in one PPO season has not been done it in a long, long while. Maybe it had been done before, but not in recent years,” said Ochanine in an interview. “And for the 32nd season, I’ve selected pianist Albert Tiu, trumpetist Rommel Reyes, pianist Rowena Arrieta, and the PPO Woodwind Quartet as guests.” 
 

He added he is “exploring” the possibility of featuring several winners of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in PPO activities this season.
 

NAMCYA has been a major venue in the search for and discovering Filipino musical talents all over the country. Its projects involve hundreds of musicians, trainers, and administrators, whose main task is to select ‘the best artists from all regions of the Philippines.’

'Uncommon abilities'
 

Ochanine said Singapore-based pianist Tiu opens the 2014-2015 season on Friday with an all-Russian repertoire such as Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise,” Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” and Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2.”

           
Cebu-born Tiu has been described as “an artist of uncommon abilities” by the American Record Guide. “Nocturnal Fantasies,” his latest recording on Centaur Records, exhibits his interpretation of the music of Chopin and Skryabin.

           
As a student of Jerome Lowenthal at the Juilliard School in New York, he received the 1998 William Petschek Award, which led to a debut recital in Lincoln Center’s Tully Hall.

           
Tiu has performed as soloist, among others, with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hamburg Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Gstaad Festival Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Baden-Baden Philharmonic, and Calgary Philharmonic.

           
He is now an associate professor of Piano at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore. Before taking up his current post in 2003, he also taught in the Juilliard Pre-College Division. His students have won prizes in international competitions, and have been awarded scholarships for graduate studies in major institutions.

           
Tiu served as vice president of the Singapore Music Teachers’ Association from 2005 to 2009.

           
Stellar lineup

In the same interview, Ochanine said Professor Herminigildo Ranera will lead the PPO in performing the works of Gershwin, Telemann, and Borodin with trumpetist Rommel Reyes as guest soloist on Oct. 17.

           
The PPO Woodwind Quartet, composed of oboist Reynato Resureccion Jr., clarinetist Ariel Sta. Ana, bassoonist Adolfo Mendoza, and French horn player Jay-ar Mesa perform with the PPO on Nov. 14 the works of Mozart, Haydn, and Bartok, Ochanine said.

           
On Dec. 19, American conductor Jeffery Meyer leads the PPO in performing the outstanding pieces by Brahms, Stucky, and Debussy.

           
Pianist Rowena Arrieta joins the PPO in a New Year concert of the works by Haydn, Liszt, and Stravinsky on Jan. 23, 2015, with Ochanine conducting. The New Year PPO concert will be held at the Meralco Theater.

           
With Pei-Sian Ng, principal cellist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as guest soloist, Ochanine said he conducts the PPO on Feb. 13, featuring the works of Sibelius, Dvorak, and Haydn.

           
Japanese conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura performs the works of Rossini, Haydn, and Ravel together with the PPO on March 20.

           
Ochanine said the 32nd season ends with the concert on April 24 which presents National Artist Antonino Buenaventura’s “Mindanao Sketches,” works of P?rt, Ravel, and Respighi.

           
All concerts, except the Jan. 23, 2015 concert, will be at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater), at 8 p.m. — VC, GMA News


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