MANILA, Philippines - The Bamboo Organ Foundation Inc. will hold the 36th International Bamboo Organ Festival will be held from Feb. 17 to 23 in Las Piñas City.
Excerpts from some of Johann Sebastian Back’s more celebrated cantatas will be featured in the opening concert titled “Back to Bach” on Feb. 18. It will feature well-known choruses, sinfonias, and organ concertos.
Featured performers are organist Luc Ponet of Belgium; flutist Raphel Leone of Austria; titular organist of the Bamboo Organ Armando Salarza of the Philippines; organist Johann Trummer of Austria; trumpet player Guido Segers of Belgium; the UE Chorale, and the Festival Orchestra under the baton of two leading Filipino conductors Joel Navarro and Eudenice Palaruan. A commissioned work for two children’s choirs titled Jubilate! by Alejandro Consolacion II will be premiered on the same evening by the Las Piñas Boys Choir and the Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir.
The festival traditionally sets aside one less serious musical fare performed by noted popular artists in the inner courtyard of the church. Dubbed “Concert Under the Trees,” it features the Imusicapella Chamber Choir conducted by Tristan Ignacio on Feb. 19. Performing in the second half of the program are Juris Fernandez and Sitti Navarro.
On Feb. 20, the Las Piñas Boys Choir conducted by Armando Salarza and guest choir Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir led by Ma. Theresa Roldan will take center stage in “Pueri Concinite.”
Main musical selection will be the commissioned work Jubilate! by Alejandro Consolacion II, to be performed jointly by both choirs.
Guest artist Luc Ponet will be the featured organist in “An Evening of Organ Music,” which will be held on Feb. 22. He will be joined by Guido Segers.
On Feb. 23, chamber music from the Baroque and Classical period will be performed by Filipino and foreign artists in “An Evening of Chamber Music.”
Flutist Raphael Leone of Austria, violinist Gina Medina, violist Rey Casey Concepcion, cellist Renato Lucas, and organist Armando Salarza will perform three sonatas by JS Bach, Michel Blavet and Franz Benda, plus Haydn’s Divertimento in G major op. 38 no. 2 and Mozart’s Quartet in D major KV 285.
The International Bamboo Organ Festival of Las Piñas is no ordinary music festival; it may well be the only festival that has for its centerpiece a unique music instrument — the Bamboo Organ (crafted by Spanish priest Diego Cera) — that has been officially named a national treasure.
For tickets, call 820-0795, 825-7190, SMS 0999-5087838, e-mail at bambooorganfoundaiton@gmail.com or visit www.bambooorgan.org.