Forging relations through the arts

In celebration of the Independence Days of both the Philippines and the United States, the Filfest Cultural Foundation mounted a concert called FIL-AMeriKA at the Insular Life Theatre in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The Embassy of the United States headed by Ambassador Kristie Kenney sponsored the concert as well as the cocktails that preceded it. The concert was also supported by the Insular Life Assurance Company, the Friends of Filfest, Filfest president Vicky Zubiri and her equally hardworking and committed board of trustees, that include Triccie Sison, Bettina Pou, Lina Racho, Denise Mañosa, Marilen Espiritu and Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz.

The concert began with the FILharmoniKA orchestra performing the national anthems, first of the Philippines conducted by guest conductor Jeffery Meyer followed by that of the United States as conducted by Gerard Salonga, musical director of the ensemble. Ambassador Kenney then spoke on the importance of forging Philippine-American relations through the arts.

The program as envisaged by artistic director Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz started with Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite conducted by Jeffery Meyer, founder and artistic director of the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic in Russia, the director of orchestras at the Ithaca College School of Music and the artistic director of the Water City Chamber Orchestra in Wisconsin. The following piece, the Concertino for Marimba in 3 movements by Paul Creston had Dena Fernandez as the soloist. Fernandez performed with such ease and dexterity. A first prize winner of the National Music Competition for Young Artists, her Carnegie Hall debut in 2000 elicited glowing reviews.

After the intermission, the program continued with Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, which Americans in a recent poll voted as the saddest piece of music, probably due to its association with the funerals of John F. Kennedy and other presidents. A change in program led to another Philippine premiere with the performance by American clarinetist Marian Liebowitz of the Concertante by Norman Dello Joio. Liebowitz won the US State Department/Kennedy Center 1997 Artistic Ambassador Competition and has since represented the United States in Latin America and the Philippines. The concert ended with the Philippine premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s Three Dance Episodes from On the Town.

Raul “Rollie” Guingona made the entire program so much more interesting and educational by sharing well-researched trivia about the pieces and the composers. Even students from San Beda and those sent by Mayor Aldrin San Pedro of Muntinlupa as well as the talented teenaged musicians from the Angono Chamber Orchestra, who earlier that afternoon received a lively and priceless Master Class from Maestro Meyer, appreciated the anecdotes.

FIL-AMeriKA was the second of five musical offerings this season themed Purpose, Passion & Pleasure. This second season continues on Aug. 8 with Pluck & Struck, a concert featuring the Filfest Festival Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Agripino Diestro, piano soloists Aries Caces from Vienna and Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, guitarists Ruben Reyes and Perfecto de Castro from Los Angeles and formerly with the rock band Rivermaya but now devotes his time to performing and promoting the Laudarra or 10-string guitar.

(For tickets and other information, call the Filfest office at 666-4095 or 0918-9419472. You may also e-mail [email protected].)

Presenting Nokia’s new N97

Fly high with the Nokia N97 and Globe Platinum.

Nokia and Globe Platinum hosted a dinner at the Red in Shangri-La Makati with drinks and music to present the new Nokia N97. Globe Platinum’s members were the first in the country to experience the endless Internet possibilities of the latest mobile device from Nokia.

The Nokia N97 has a large 3.5-inch touch display with a full QWERTY keyboard (as well as the normal keypad on the touch screen), which provides an “always open” window to favorite social networking sites and Internet destinations. It also has a 5-megapixel camera, GPS features, Nokia Maps and interesting widgets such as Accuweather and Clickthecity, perfect when you want to explore the city or a new destination.

Guests feasted on a dinner prepared by Red’s new German chef Thomas Linke. Singer Lyn Shermann entertained the guests while having their sumptuous dinner.

Raymundo Francisco was the lucky Globe Platinum subscriber who went home with the prized mobile phone in a raffle that also included 40,000 Asia Miles and a P20,000 pre-loaded Standard Chartered-Nokia credit card.

Kids take over the runway

Kids took the runway in stylish, adorable and bright outfits from Rustan’s at the department store’s Heaven on the 5th. The fun-filled event featured different looks from brands like Ralph Lauren Kids, Kiddos, Platypus, Spin, Gingersnaps, Periwinkle, Tarte Tatin, Barbie, Crocs and Superga.

Hosted by Tessa Valdes, the children’s fashion show featured the season’s breezy shorts, printed tees, bright colored skirts and dresses.

Prizes were also given away to lucky guests, including gift certificates from Ralph Lauren Kids, Superga, Periwinkle and Spin. Gift items packed with gadget cases, art sets and special collectibles from Barbie and Hot Wheels, Tarte Tatin, Crocs, Platypus, Kiddos and Gingersnaps were also given away. Completing the day’s celebration were food booths filled with children favorites like Krispy Kreme, Chuckie Chocolate Drink and assorted snack stations from Hungry Tykes.

Some of the cute little models who strutted on the runway were Athena Valdes, Allana Tantoco, sisters Natasha, Sylvia and Katya Zobel, twins Alonso and Matias Araneta, Monique Arroyo, Lian Binay-Alcantara, Solenne Santos, Simone Limjuco and Miel and Quint Mantecon. 

All brands are available at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Gateway, Robinsons Place, Alabang Town Center and Ayala Center Cebu.