Burgeoning creativity

Thanks to our fellow columnist in this paper, Stephanie Zubiri, with whom we last shared distinctive sauces for diwal or angel wing clams and assorted seafood at a Capiztahan preview hosted by Judy Araneta Roxas, an SMS intro to her mom, Vicky Zubiri led to an invite to a wonderful music concert. 

Ma. Victoria F. Zubiri is a founding trustee and current president of the Fil Fest Cultural Foundation, which has been drawing up a series of fine musical performances at the Insular Life Corporate Center Auditorium in Insular Life Tower in Filinvest, Alabang. The series is on its fourth year. And to think that we had hardly heard about it; such has been the glut of arts and culture events in our country that even someone in media can easily lose track of the cornucopia.

If I were blissfully “retarded”  as some senior citizens say of themselves when they’ve actually retired  it would be a daily calendar of offerings I’d be scouring the papers and the Net for, and be assured that I can catch something every evening.

Then I wouldn’t have missed out on the Feb. 5 concert of Carlos Ibay, pianist-tenor, which began the Fil Fest’s series of six concerts for 2011. Thanks to a welcome alert from an Alabanger, I became aware of the second offering slated on April 9. And thanks to Stephanie and Vicky, the Alabanger and I got to enjoy Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons as performed by our eminent violinist Joseph Esmilla, together with the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Arturo Molina. 

Esmilla, who has taught at UP-Diliman, UST, Towson University and Elizabethtown College, has performed all over the world. He was a member of Shippensburg Festival Orchestra for seven seasons, and also served as concertmaster, as well as a violinist with the Harrisburg Symphony for nine seasons, playing concertmaster for its summer series.

Three classic gowns from Pitoy Moreno

Currently on extended leave, he has recorded three CDs: a collection of violin encore pieces titled Sentimyento produced by Bookmark Audio; Conciertio para Trio for Northbranch Records as violinist of Triode; and as featured guest artist on viola for Eaken Piano Trio + 1, a CD of Brahms and Schumann piano quarters released by Con Brio Records.   

That evening Joseph Esmilla was priceless, essaying through the four concertos with ease and aplomb. The orchestra was in equally sterling shape, with masterful handling by its music director and principal conductor. Himself a first-rate concert violinist and mentor to several of our emerging virtuosi, Prof. Molina “is also known as an excellent conductor when accompanying soloists, always striking collaborative support with the soloist”  as the program notes have it.

After the Intermission that followed Esmilla’s superb rendition of the popular Le Quattro Staggioni..., the audience was also treated to the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Serenade for Strings in E Major, Opus 22 by Antonin Dvorak. 

Next on tap for “Southsiders” and their guests as well as anyone who’d care to breeze through the Skyway from Makati is the May 21 concert featuring Willie Pasamba, cellist, with Jeffrey Solares conducting the PREDIS Chamber Orchestra. I will have to miss that this Saturday, unfortunately, as I’ll still be winding up duties and revelry in Dumaguete as the 50th Silliman University National Writers Workshop comes to a festive close.

Detail of Michael Cacnio’s fascinating metal works

But here’s the rest of the “All-Chestra” concert schedule for the year: on July 30, featured are pianist Rudolf Golez with the Clarion Chamber Ensemble; on Oct. 29, baritone Andrew Fernando and soprano Rachelle Gerodias, with Gerald Salonga conducting FILharmoniKA; and on Oct. 8 or 9, the Trio Guarneri Prague in a special end-of-season concert.

The Fil Fest Cultural Foundation must be commended for concentrating its efforts on sharing what’s often called “long-hair music”  to the appreciative delight of everyone partial to a soothing evening of the classics. The Insular Life Corporate Center Auditorium is particularly suited for such events, with its excellent acoustics and seating capacity of nearly 500.

Fil Fest is chaired by no less than Insular’s head honcho, Vicente R. Ayllon. Besides Ma’am Vicky, its founding trustees are Patricia C. Sison, vice-president; Tranquilina R. Racho, secretary; Beatriz H. Poe, treasurer; Marilen N. Espiritu, member; and Denise S. Manosa, member, with the youthful Martin Z. Lopez as director.

That evening proved to be a double-treat, as we were invited to partake of a viewing exhibit at what’s billed as Museo Walo on the 23rd Floor of Tower 2 of the Insular Life Corporate Center.

Clueless on what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised to discover an exemplary art gallery, showcasing as it does representative works of eight stalwarts of Philippine visual arts  in an elegant and somewhat unusual setting at that.

“The living legends” are architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, landscape architect Idelfonso “IP” Santos, interior designer Budji Layug, potter Augusto “Ugu” Bigyan, fashion designer José “Pitoy” Moreno, sculptor Michael Cacnio, furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue and visual artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera.

Ugu Bigyan’s organic works

Their works are spread out serially on the walls and floor space along a narrow lane that winds around to complete a circle. Informative boards detail the enviable CV of each artist, with photographs also enhancing the samplers of splendid lifeworks.

We learned that Museo Walo opened late last year for private viewing, but that the collection of the artists’ works came in piecemeal until these were completed only recently. 

The artists were individually selected to fuse art and wellness, involving each one in the creation of what is projected to become a new cultural landmark  the Batis Project on Mount Makiling, “where patrons will experience therapeutic baths through thermal/mineral waters (balneo therapy).”

As envisioned by Ricky Ocampo, CEO of Milrose’s Fusion of Arts and Wellness, the eight outstanding Filipino artists are expected to “translate the concepts of batis (spring water, stream) and life-nurturing environment into different art media.”

“In Batis, everyone can experience Philippine culture and see the highest standard of Philippine art as a perfect living experience,” says Ocampo, who adds that the Batis Project will be “the first true spa in the country.”

Mañosa will be the principal architect of Batis. The landscape requirements will be addressed by National Artist for Landscape Architecture IP Santos. Layug will oversee the interiors together with architect Royal Pineda. Bigyan and Cobonpue will provide furniture and other aesthetic amenities, while Cacnio’s and National Artist BenCab’s artworks are expected to enhance and complete the total environment that’s an inspired merging of art with recreational real estate development.  

Bedan Tony Raymundo’s sculpture on display at Museo Walo

Museo Walo will eventually be transferred to its permanent home at Batis, which is projected “to put the Philippines on the global map of the wellness industry and in the radar of international patrons of the arts, luxurious living, natural remedies and health havens.”

Curating Museo Walo is Joseph Renta, who also curates the PJ Lhuillier Museum and San Beda Alabang Museum. Teng Bustos serves as the museum’s interior designer, while architect Kristina “Ten” Ealdama is the museum copywriter. Other artworks, mostly sculptural, are currently displayed in another section.

I was particularly pleased to marvel at three pieces of sculpture by my Bedan classmate Antonino Raymundo, who by the by has recently completed a new sculpture of the Venerable St. Bede, which our SBC E.S. Class of 1956 and H.S. Class of 1960 are planning to install as a heroic donation to our beloved Mendiola campus sometime next month.

Everywhere you turn to in our homeland, indeed there is burgeoning creativity. Despite all our problems, or maybe sometimes because of them, creative expression leads the way in showing ourselves, let alone other citizens of the world, how truly gifted we are. And how generous that uplifting gift continues to be, in fact now even forging ahead by leaps and bounds.

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ERRATUM: It was Air China that co-sponsored our media group’s wonderful trip to Beijing, Chongqing and Yichang last month, inclusive of the memorable Yangzi River Cruise onboard the Sanctuary M.S. Yangzi Explorer. Thanks again to Air China, Sanctuary Retreats and Rajah Travel Corporation for the gorging treat that brought us to the monumental Three Gorges Dam.