‘A Classic Evening’/ ‘The Ultimate Pianist’

Marguerite M. Echaus, St. Scholastica College of Music piano graduate, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance (magna cum laude) from the Catholic U. of America, and a Master of Music Education Degree from Oakland’s Holy Names College, has undertaken the yeoman’s task of organizing — from Canada! — “A Classic Evening” set for July 19 at St. Cecilia’s Hall.

A benefit for the Baptista Battig Music Foundation and the Loyola School of Theology the piano-duo concert will be a confluence of artists from Canada and the Philippines: Marguerite herself and Martha Brickman, both of the Vancouver Academy of Music faculty, and guest artists J. Greg Zuniega and Priscilla de la Fuente-Sison, both with the SSC College of Music faculty.

The program will be E. Cuenco’s Bato sa Buhangin and M. Velarde Jr.’s Minamahal Kita with Echaus and Sison, Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances No. 2 with Echaus and Brickman, Rachmaninoff’s Suite No. 2 with Brickman and Echaus, Romance and Tarantella with Echaus and Zuniega.

Milhaud’s Scaramouche Suite for Two Pianos will be played by Brickman and Echaus as also Lecuona’s Malagueña. To follow are selections from Bizet’s Jeux D’ Enfants, Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm Variations, Benjamin’s Jamaica Rhumba and Infante’s El Vito from Danzas Andalouses.

Originally, Hann Nguyen, a guitarist from Saigon and a VAM faculty member, was to participate, but having fallen ill, she is instead donating 100 CDs for P250 each, proceeds to go to the concert beneficiaries.

SSC music dean Sr. Mary Placid invites music lovers to “A Classic Evening”; highly seasoned pianists with varying backgrounds but similar teaching careers will be interpreting widely diverse works offering something for every musical taste.

UP graduate Zuniega, who studied further at the Tchaikowsky Moscow State Conservatory, obtained post-graduate degrees at London’s Royal College of Music where he garnered first prize honors in the concerto, German leider interpretation and chamber music competitions. He received the prestigious Tagore Medal for Excellence from the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Zuniega has concertized in England, Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan and the USA.

Ticket prices for the July 19 concert are certainly affordable at P300 and P500.

The search for the “Ultimate Pianist 2008”, from July 21 to 26, aims “to discover and promote young pianists in the Philippines and identify their role in the world’s artistic and cultural map by providing performing opportunities and help in the enhancement of their careers.” 

The contest aims to simultaneously develop the Ultimate Pianist as solo recitalist, accompanist to singers, collaborative chamber musician and soloist with orchestra.

First round will be at the Lopez Museum July 21-22; semi-final, Miriam College Auditorium, QC, July 23; final round, awarding ceremonies and winner’s concert, Philamlife Theater, July 26.

The competition’s main incentive is the Lourdes L. Villanueva-Cruz memorial award (named after the noteworthy pianist-teacher) “with which to crown the Ultimate Pianist and bestow on him/her the responsibility of living a life of moral consciousness, righteousness, discipline, and service to others, country and God”.

The youngest of Lourdes Cruz’s ten children is concert pianist, professor and concert producer Emmanuel Jiovanney.

The competition is open to pianists of all nationalities residing here or abroad, born after July 1, 1968.

The awards are P100,000 first prize; P50,000 first laureate; P35,000, second laureate; P25,000 third laureate. Finalists will perform with the PPO under American guest conductor Jeffery Meyer.

Inquire from The Executive Director, The Ultimate Pianist, Unit T 3, Cluster 1, Woodside Homes, 101 Doña Hemady St., New Manila, QC.