World-class artists in Christmas concerts

Tonight at 8, a Spanish Christmas concert (Villancicos Españoles) at the RCBC theater will feature pianist Angelo Ortiz with De Novo Singers and the Banda 31 Orchestra.

Ortiz, who started playing the piano at six, trained at the UP under Nita Quinto. His many awards include two over-all world titles won at the 2006 World Championships of Performing Arts in Hollywood.

His four albums include an Awit Awards nomination for Best Christmas: his latest “Classical!”, contains his world winning compositions.

For his stunning performances, Angelo Ortiz is tagged as the new Liberace. At 24, he is the youngest musical director, taking charge of the new breed of classical singers “De Novo”.

Tomorrow, at 7:30 p.m., a unique musical journey to Vienna, the 200-year old mecca of culture, will be held at the F. Santiago Hall. Beautiful music by Mozart, Schubert, Brahms and Schoenberg will be interpreted by distinguished pianists Rudolf Pelaez Golez and Mary Ann Espina in their first collaboration.

A former child prodigy, Golez, the youngest student at 13, studied in NY’s Juilliard School under the eminent Seymor Lipkin. Since then, he has played in major concert halls in Europe, US and Asia where, in 2005, he was sole winner of Malaysia’s 1st Asean International Chopin Competition.

Espina, a sought-after collaborating artist, has teamed up with outstanding international artists: Israeli violinist Hagai Shaham, Anastacia Chebotareva, Stephen Framil, Angelo Bard and Alexandru Tomescu. Espina is the 2007 Aliw Awardee for Best Instrumentalist.

The Intramuros Administration under Anna Maria L. Harper, held a Children’s Choir Competition at Malate Church and San Agustin Church and will hold a third on Dec. 11 at the Manila Cathedral.

Participating public schools are from the old Intramuros suburbs: Tondo, Binondo, Sta. Cruz, Quiapo, Malate, Paco and Sta. Ana. “Mga Awit Pamasko” by Lucio San Pedro is the contest piece.

Alejandro Roces, Cecile G. Alvarez, Gemma Cruz-Araneta and UP Prof. Felipe de Leon are the judges.

The “Silver Bells” Christmas concert at the Peninsula Manila lobby on Dec. 13, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., will mark the hotel’s silver anniversary of this holiday event.

Flying from Milan will be Maestro Ruggero Barbieri who has been director of the Pen’s Christmas concerts since 1997, a year after his appointment as PPO music director.

Classical favorites, ending in Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, will showcase Filipino world-class performers: the PPO, sopranos Rachelle Gerodias and Camille Lopez, tenor Abdul Candao and the UP Concert Chorus.

Of the concert goers’ fees, 50 percent will go to Make-A-Wish Foundation, the world’s largest, which has fulfilled more than 130,000 children’s wishes since 1980. Says Pen GM Jonathan H. Crook: “The concert is designed to add beauty to the hotel and to enrich the lives of children.”

NAMCYA winners known

Young Filipino artists — pianist Ralph Carlo Monakil, violinist Sara Maria Gonzales, violinist Rey Casey Concepcion, cellist Giancarlo Gonzales, and contra bassist Paolo Alcantara, clarinet player Hernan Manalastas, flutist Crystal Milarose Rodis, oboist Franz Miguel Ramirez and bassoonist John Lei Nadurata — placed first in the 2008 National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) which ended Nov. 16 at the CCP.

The classically-trained youngsters continued the tradition started almost four decades ago under the leadership of National Artist Dr. Lucrecia Kasilag.

The contest, entitled “Shaping the Youth to Shape Humanity” was a tribute to Dr. Kasilag.

The Berlin Junior Kantorei — The Baao National High School Special Program in the Arts for Chorale from Region V — placed first in the choir category. Jared Jehowil Tan placed first in the senior ballet competition.

The traditional music ensemble category had four national winners — Beguas Festival of Baguio City National High School; Datu B. Balunto National High School; Amanat Ko Kalumbayan Ensemble of the Marogong National High School; and Sibol Theater Arts Group of Iligan City High School.

Chairperson Veronica Tapia-Merk said the tilt is no longer about winners and losers, but about encouraging the most promising and those “who need further nurturing.”