‘Ten Pianos atbp’

Innovation and enterprise are more noticeable in the activities of the UST Music Department since international concertist-composer-arranger-pedagogue Raul Sunico took over as dean.

To be sure, the department has previously presented ten pianists playing on ten pianos. At any rate, the recent concert "Ten Pianos ATBP" (Ten Pianos and Some) was attended largely by the UST faculty, alumni and student body which seemed a pity because the program would have served as inspiration, impetus and incentive – as well as delightful entertainment – to the faculty, alumni and student body of other institutions and to music lovers in general.

The polished performers at the recent concert were clearly enjoying themselves, a fact which enhanced the pleasure of the audience as it listened to the following diverse groups: UST’s Coro Tomasino and Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Guitar Ensemble, Music Rondalla (with the bandurias predominating), Wind Orchestra, Symphony Band, Jazz Band, and the Conservatory’s various student choruses totalling 95 voices, these singing as one choir.

The list gives us an idea of the variety of instruments and ensembles the program included; what seemed particularly noteworthy were 1) the high performance quality demonstrated by each and 2) the rapport exhibited by any combination of instruments and, not the least, by the ten pianos.

Further, the audience did not miss the stylistic nuances distinguishing each of the selections: from Bartok’s Danse Roumaine (guitar ensemble), Lecuona’s Malagueña (students’ rendition on ten pianos), Tschaikowsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture (faculty-alumni on ten pianos with Wind Orchestra) to Morton Gould’s Jericho Rhapsody (Symphony Band and Dizzy Gillespie’s Manteca (Jazz Band).

Most of the numbers, whether classic or popular, were familiar favorites, but what heightened auditory pleasure was their being rendered, for the first time, by instruments in different, novel groupings, combinations and harmonizations. For instance, in the popular theme from The Apartment, arranged by Dean Sunico the Chamber Orchestra etched the melodic lines; the ten pianos, the chordal accompaniment. Being imaginatively original, that arrangement was most fascinating. Dean Sunico’s arrangements for Syncopated Clock and Tea for Two were similarly innovative.

However, certain arrangements by other participants lacked a richness of harmonization; that is, the ten pianos had occasionally identical scores through long passages. Consequently, except for the larger volume produced by ten pianos, little else was offered in those few instances.

Aside from this qualified observation, a minor one, the rest of the aspects were positive. For instance, the brasses of the Symphony Band would be the envy of other symphony orchestras whose brass section generally constitutes their weakest point.

The finale, Berodin’s Pelovetsian Dances from the opera Prince Igor), orchestrated for the concert by Fr. Manuel Maramba, was a towering climax. Interpreted by ten pianists (faculty), the collective student choir and the Symphony Orchestra, the overall effect was tremendous. One marvalled at the rapport (in view of the disparate elements), with Renato Lucas (PPO’s principal cellist) conducting.

Dean Sunico himself was one of the ten pianists. Taking a front seat onstage, he was the only player without a score – one pianist even had a page-turner – and what seemed incredible was that Dean Sunico’s powerful chords rose above the orchestra (even in tutti passages), the chorus and the nine other pianists playing fortissimo!

Besides Lucas, other conductors were Herminigildo G. Ranera, Arnel O. Feliciano and Rodel F. Colmenar (for the symphony orchestra), Rosa L. Puertollano (for the late Julio Esteban Anguita’s compelling UST Hymn orchestrated by Fr. Maramba), Ricardo Calubayan (rondalla), and Roger Lado (jazz band).

Summing up, the UST Music Department showcased a most impressive array of diverse music groups with resounding success while proving Dean Sunico’s contention that classic and popular music can co-exist and "be equally pleasing to all ears".

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Heading the special guests were British Ambassador Paul and Carolyn Dimond who graciously said with refreshing candor that it was the first time they had seen and heard ten pianos and ten pianists onstage anywhere in the world.