Journey delights a romantic piano concerto with Dr. Ingrid Sala Santamaria

The Rotary Club of Cebu presents a romantic piano concerto titled Journey Delights with international concert pianist Dr. Ingrid Sala-Santamaria and Jonathan Arevalo Coo on February 12, Monday at the USPF Theatre for the Performing Arts in Salinas Drive Lahug.

In cooperation with the Rotaract Club of Cebu USPF Chapter and University of Southern Philippines Foundation, the Rotarians have come together in this concerto for the benefit of the Rotaract Club of Cebu-USPF Chapter Community Outreach and Literacy projects.

Interestingly, Dr. Sala-Santamaria is a true-blooded Cebuana, who had her mother as her first piano teacher, Pilar Blanco Sala had the pioneer piano school in the province.

Together with her mentor, Maestro Reynaldo Reyes, she had an annual project that started on January 2001, completing their 13th in the Romantic Piano Concerto Journey series.

"Dr. Ingrid Santamaria is indeed one of the best in the world when it comes to playing the piano and the Rotary Club is so proud of her," said John Domingo, U.S. Consular agent during a press conference last Thursday at Cebu Marriott Hotel.

Santamaria, together with Reyes, had completed a total of 240 concerts all over the Philippines, some cities in Asia and the United States.

The pieces in the RPCJ are based on the Romantic Period of Music, which was so popular in 1800-1900. The term concerto refers to a musical work in which an orchestra accompanies one solo instrument and it has one movement with three parts.

In the first presentation, it is done with piano soloists/orchestra part. Dr. Santamaria has commissioned the orchestral part of some concertos in a quartet arrangement, which will fit the Peace Philharmonic Philippines String Quartet who would be with her in the first part.

They will be performing the concerto No.1 in the G minor Opus 25 with Mendelssohn as the composer. Part two will have Dr. Santamaria with Jonathan Arevalo Coo performing the works of Rachmaninoff. Since the melodies of Rachmaninoff are so beautiful, lyricists had put to words to make songs through Concerto No. 2. The first part of Concerto No. 2 will have "Somewhere in Time", followed by "All Alone by Myself" and "Full Moon and Empty Arms" in the second and third parts, respectively.

Matinee is at 5:00 p.m.; gala at 7:00 p.m.

The matinee is for free, and intended for the students who are by their respective school presidents; students with the free invitational tickets only will be accommodated.

"We have invited the students from different schools in order to help them realize the beauty of classic music. We are doing this to reach out to all kinds of people the importance of appreciating and listening to classical music. This will develop the brain cells" said Santamaria.

She also added "It is not necessary that you must learn how to perform instruments. Even by just listening would really help and somehow give pleasure and a good mind-set."

Santamaria is so grateful for USPF in giving her the opportunity to have this concerto in Cebu. Other sponsors are: Holy Kettle Corn, Dunkin Donuts and Graphic Star.

For tickets and other inquiries please contact the Rotary Club of Cebu at 253-7365 and look for Ms. Marshia and for the free invitational tickets, contact 414-7773 and look for Odeth Jereza.