Young Filipino musicians play at New York's Lincoln Center
MANILA, Philippines - Children playing musical instruments are always interesting to watch. But to witness very young preschoolers (ages 4 to 6) performing with more seasoned and older children (ages 12 to 18) and holding their own in a prestigious international venue is not an ordinary feat.
Such was the success of the Philippine Montessori Center Instrumental Ensemble (PMCIE) and the Temple Hill Marimba Ensemble (THISME), when they played with the Children’s Orchestra Society (COS), at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York last May 10. The formal musical event was the 16th Discovery Gala Concert of The Children’s Orchestra Society where the present batch of PMCIE and THISME members were invited to particularly enrich COS’s Young Symphonic Orchestra’s opening number, the “Sinulog Overture.”
A music review of the event which came out in the New York Times cited the mini-musicians as being based in Manila and how they indeed added “rhythmic interest and texture” to the overture which is inspired from a local ritual dance usually accompanied by drums. The “pint-size percussionists” as they were also fondly addressed to emphasize how much younger they were than the New York-based COS members, used a variety of mostly percussion instruments to create this dynamic and exciting musical measure and texture. Some of these instruments bring across the rich melodic heritage of the East such as the angklung (Indonesian bamboo instruments) and the native kulintang, which were played together with PMCIE’s standard musical ware, the marimba, xylophone, timpani, and drums.
COS’s Filipino conductor Michael Dadap, who also composed the “Sinulog Overture,” was actually instrumental in inviting the first batch of young instrumentalists (PMCIE 2007) to play with the Children’s Orchestra Society two years ago in a back-to-back concert at the Queens Theatre, New York. The amazing range of musicality, tonal sensitivity, focus and maturity Dadap saw the first time he heard them play during a visit in Manila merited this never-thought of possible tandem in New York.
Perhaps it was the eye-opening wonder of seeing preschoolers performing classical pieces like seasoned musicians that prompted a second invitation from COS. Whether it was good luck or the boost from the previous batch’s impressive performance two years ago, we look forward to this unique musical exchange to continue creating a lasting impression of our country’s impressive potential.
