Pianist Santamaria and PPP Quartet at Paco Park

Santamaria is Founding Chair of the Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation (1989), Cebu Piano Teachers Guild (1990), Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO-1991-2000), and the Peace Philharmonic Philippines (PPP-2001 to present).

Simultaneous with the 2nd phase of orchestral development (2001-2010), Santamaria has gone back to piano performances as soloist with orchestra, solo piano recitals, and since January 2001, together with her mentor, US-based Prof. Reynaldo G. Reyes, they have mounted 176 2-piano educational concert tours both nationally and internationally in their "Romantic Piano Concerto Journey" project which emphasizes the importance of exposure to classic music in everyone's daily lives.

Violinists Cimafranca and Gonzalez and cellist Gonzalez were trained in Cebu by Prof. Jeffrey Solares under full scholarship thru Sala Foundation's 10-year (1991-2000) Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra Development Program since 1997 and have been consistent prize winners in the National Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) as well as having been participants in several programs abroad. As part of mutual cooperation and outreach, they are presently pursuing their Bachelor of Music degrees as Battig Music scholars at St. Scholastica's College of Music in Manila, and are concurrently members of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

Prof. Jeffrey Solares, upon his graduation from the St. Scholastica's College of Music, came to Cebu in 1996 to help train the string players of CYSO which evolved into the PPP. At present, he acts as the Resident Conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines while maintaining his connection with Cebu's Peace Philharmonic Philippines as its Director of Studies. He is also a licensed Suzuki Violin Instructor.

Thru Dr. Santamaria's initiative, Prof. Solares has transcribed the orchestral/2nd piano accompaniment versions of 2 major Romantic Period piano repertoire works into string quartet form, thereby producing a novel genre making these beloved works accessible in a unique, colorful and exciting rendition.

These 2 compositions, the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in e minor, Op. 11, and the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 in g minor, Op. 25, together with the Haydn Quartet in C major ("Emperor"), form the repertoire program for the group's concert at Paco Park.