MMCO, CCP, NCCA team up for new orchestra works

MANILA, Philippines - Six composers will present their new and original symphonic works for orchestra and choir on July 15 at 8 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. 

Interpreting all six compositions will be the AUIT Vocal Chamber Ensemble and the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, orchestra-in-residence of Miriam College, led by conductor Josefino “Chino” Toledo. 

A highlight of the concert billed as “Music Underkonstruction: Hearing the Symphonic Future” will be the repeat performance of “Ekontra: Kongruo: Iunktum,” a three-movement work for piano and orchestra composed by Josefino Chino Toledo with pianist Luci Magalit. Another high spot will be the repeat orchestra performance of   Nilo Alcala’s Diary of a Sinaesthete and the works for violin and orchestra: The Dream Catcher  by Kim Nimrod Cruz, and Le genou et l’épaule des tissées étoiles by Feliz Anne R. Macahis. Featured soloist will be noted violinist Alfonso Coke Bolipata. 

The six new works are the result of the Music Underkonstruction Orchestral Reading Project initiated by Chino Toledo for the Institute for Orchestral Development in the Philippines. Launched in August 2005, and supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Metrobank Foundation, Miriam College and Ayala Westgrove Heights for the first two years, the Music Underkonstruction project was designed to encourage the creation and performance of new works by young Filipino art-music composers and has produced within the last three years sixteen original new works: five for orchestra and five for orchestra and voice and six for orchestra and violin.

The works for orchestra and choir present poems of Philippine National Artists for Literature set to music. Louise L. Ybañez composed Ud from a poem of Jose Garcia Villa as well as Kabaitan R. Bautista for Villa’s “I can no more hear love’s voice.” Erwin Fajardo was inspired to create music from the poem “I Touched Her, Yes” by Franciso Arcellana. The poems “Elysia (Elysium),” “Pangunila” and “Pater Noster” by Rio Alma were sources of inspiration for composers Marie-Luise Calvero, Juro Kim Feliz and Roberto Gonzalo Sarreal.

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Tickets have been packaged at a special price of P100 with seats offered on a first-come-first served basis. Further discounts are available for students and senior citizens. The concert is supported by the NCCA, CCP and Miriam College. 

Tickets are available at all Ticket World outlets the CCP Box Office 832-1125 and the MMCO Music Center 426-1822.