Israeli pianist Yossi Reshef concert/ Marimbist De la Cruz performs/ Rep Phl, PETA presentations

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra performs with Israeli pianist Yossi Reshef on November 14, 8 pm under the baton of PPO music director Olivier Ochanine at the CCP, Main Theater. The concert is jointly presented by the Embassy of Israel.  

The program includes R. Strauss’ Don Juan, R. V. Williams’ Norfolk Rhapsody, Schumann’s Manfred Overture and Piano Concerto in A Minor, and Verdi’s Overture to La Forza del Destino.

Reshef holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Southern California U., where he was assistant to Prof. Norman Krieger. He studied under the legendary Pnina Salzman at the Tel Aviv’s Rubin Academy of Music. He is a faculty member at the Apple Hill Chamber music festival in New Hampshire, and a professor at the “Upbeat Hvar” International summer school in Croatia since 2001. He has conducted master classes in the U.S.  and such prestigious venues as the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow, the Lodz Academy in Poland, the Baku Academy in Azerbaijan, and the Zagreb Academy in Croatia. He has collaborated with such renowned artists as Nino Ruzevic, Nikolaj Znaider, Yuval Gotlibovich and Jonathan Gotlibovich, Dora Schwarzberg, the Serenata of Santa Fe wind players and the Apple Hill chamber players.  Alongside his performing and teaching career, Reshef has also worked in Hollywood as a Film Composer and Musical Director. His recent collaboration as Musical Director with Director Andrew W. Chan on the independent feature “Ivory” will be released next year. Reshef coached the actors, and plays the main character Andreas. The actors include Tim Draxl, Martin Landau, Erika Marozsan, Peter Stormare, and Travis Fimmel.

A native of Israel, Reshef has won numerous prizes and awards including the America Israel Cultural Foundation Excellency scholarship award; the Zilbermann first prize award for the best interpretation of Israeli piano music; the second prize in the Rubin Academy Competition; the Apple Hill Playing for Peace Scholarship; the Tel Aviv University Dean’s Excellency Award; the John Tesh Scholar; the Adele Marcus Foundation Music Scholarship; the John Green Endowed Music Scholarship; the David Nowakowsky Music Scholarship; the Alice Ray Catalyne Music scholarship in piano; the Michael Feinstein music scholarship and the Ann and Gordon Getty Music Foundation Scholarship. Reshef currently lives and works in Germany.

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Noted Filipino percussionist-marimbist Aimee Mina-De la Cruz will perform in a Special Concert Series on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 pm at the CCP Little Theater.

Aimee was a representative to the SE Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in 2004 and 2005, and one of five Filipino delegates to the ASEAN-China Joint Cultural Performance and Symphony Orchestra for Young Musicians in Cambodia in 2006.

She has performed with the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, UP Percussion Ensemble and the UP Symphonic Band.  She was featured soloist at Bel-Air Village in 2009 as part of its activities for National Arts Month. As a PPO member, Aimee performed Ravel’s Tziganne for Marimba and Orchestra under Maestro Yatco, PPO conductor laureate, drawing critical praise.

Aimee is an active member of the newly formed Philippine Band Association.  She has performed Saint-Saens’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Marimba accompanied by PhilBanda Winda Orchestra in Singapore, 2012.  Her forthcoming program: Sarasate’s Carmen, Bach’s Concerto in D minor for two violins BWV1043 (Vivace), Milhaud’s Concerto for Percussion, Zivkovic’s Trio per Uno (Meccanico), Levita’s Concerto for Percussion, Cruz’s Sana’y Maghintay ang Walang Hanggan, and Ewazen’s Concerto for Marimba.       

The concert will also include pianist Fe Marsha V. Nicolas, guest artists marimbist Mikaela Natasha J. Ley, percussionists Leodivino Roque and Gomer Giron, and violist Joy Allan De la Cruz.

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To celebrate its 46th year, Repertory Philippines will present its last production for its 76th theater season, the hilarious Broadway musical The Producers based on the 1968 Mel Brooks film of the same name.

Written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, with songs arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman, the original Broadway production which opened at the St. James Theater on April 19, 2001 and starred Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, won an unprecedented 12 Tony Awards, running for 2,502 performances. It spawned a successful London production which ran for just over two years, US national tours, many productions worldwide, and a 2005 film version.        

THE PRODUCERS is about two wily theatrical producers who cook up a scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. The humor of the show draws on ridiculous accents, homosexual stereotypes, and Nazis, along with many show business in-jokes. It is a satirical comedy that will be enjoyed by everyone inside or outside the theatre industry.

Directed by Jaime del Mundo, the Manila premier of THE PRODUCERS will feature  caliber actors Carlo Orosa and Robie Zialcita alternating as Max Bialystock.  The show will run from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 in Onstage, Greenbelt 1.

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Maxie the Musicale a screen-to-stage adaptation of “Maximo Oliveros,” featuring book and lyrics by Nicolas B. Pichay, music by William Elvin Manzano, JJ Pimpinio, and Janine Santos, and direction and choreography by Dexter M. Santos, tells the story of Maxie, a gay teen, who belongs to a family of crooks living in a downtown community where daily living has been a struggle to its settlers.

Joining the lead cast are Aaron Ching (Nar), Nomer Limatog, Jr. (Leslie), Teetin Villanueva (Monique), Eo De Guzman and Merdin Mojica (alternating as Peter), and Greg de Leon (Chief Dominguez), Ruth Alferez, John Paul Basco, Jules Dela Paz, Irene Delarmente, Elliot Eustacio, Karyl Factora, Jim Andrew Ferrer, Francelle Fetalvero, Al Bernard Garcia, Jeffrey Hernandez, Ronah Rostata, and Christian Velarde. The premiere of “Maxie the Musicale” is on Saturday, Nov. 9; it will run until Dec. 8 at PETA Theater Center, Quezon City.