PHILIPPINE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF MUSIC

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), the resident orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is now on its 40th concert season, Forte, an inspiring series of performances.

Under the baton of acclaimed music director and principal conductor, Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, the milestone season pays tribute to Filipino culture and the universal spirit of celebration, featuring a diverse repertoire that takes audiences on a profound journey through life’s emotional spectrum.

Experience the exuberance of Filipino festivities with the PPO’s season opener, Concert I: Fiesta!, slated for 27 September, 7:30 p.m. Guest violin virtuoso Shlomo Mintz joins the orchestra for a thrilling performance of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, op. 26, G minor. The Philippines’s leading orchestra will premiere the composition of its resident composer Jeffrey Ching’s “Fiesta Contrapuntistica.” They will also perform Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben.

Bask in the astounding feeling of success and grandeur with Concert II: Triumph on 15 November at 7:30 p.m. Grammy Award-winning cellist Sara Sant’ Ambrogio joins the orchestra in a program featuring Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, op. 34, Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto, op. 85, E minor, and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2, op. 61, C Major.

Embark on a journey of imagination with Concert III: Fantasy, on 6 December 6 at 7:30 p.m. Featuring violin prodigy Andrea Obiso, the PPO concert presents Gioacchino Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto no. 3, op. 61, B minor, and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 5.

Wander through European sensibilities with Concert IV: Europa, slated for 17 January 2025, 7:30 p.m. The PPO plays majestic melodies with Cleveland concertmaster David Radzynski. The program includes Zoltán Kodály’s Dance of Galanta, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Dvořák’s Symphony no. 8, op. 88, G Major.

Concert V: Hope, on 14 February 2025, at 7:30 p.m., blooms with optimism with music from the Manila Peace Tribute and captivating visuals by Adam Ustynowicz. Soloist Malgorzata Trojanowska lends her golden voice, with Konrad Binienda playing the piano. Hope begins with Richard Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto and Andrzej Panufnik’s Heroic Overture and Tragic Overture. Wings of Hope, a commissioned work by Roxanna Panufnik, also takes the spotlight. The hopeful night culminates with Chopin’s Allegro de concert and Henryk Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs.

Laureate pianist Rowena Arrieta and the PPO share the warmth and comfort of home with Concert VI: Homecoming on 14 March 2025, at 7:30 p.m. The concert pays tribute to Lithuanian composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, celebrating his 150th birth anniversary, with Miške (In The Forest). Emphasizing the innate need to celebrate with loved ones, the night flourishes with Franz Liszt’s Totentanz and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony no. 4, op. 98, E minor.

Forte concludes with Concert VII: Finale, featuring another commissioned work by Ching. The PPO seizes the momentum with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Witold Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra on 11 April 2025, at 7:30 p.m. Celebrated Filipino violinist Diomedes Sazara Jr. joins the PPO as its resident artist for this much-awaited finale.

For the 40th concert season, Sazara is also the PPO’s concertmaster and artiste-in-residence. Aside from being a performer, he is also an educator promoting Philippine culture and arts. For Forte, he teams up with Nowak, promising a contemplative musical journey through life.

Forte delivers a captivating exploration of human emotions, and how these emotions relate to one’s culture. Under Maestro Nowak’s guidance and expertise, the PPO continues to celebrate the essence of music and its profound impact on our lives and explore the depth of human emotions.

All concerts, except Concert V, will be at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati, Makati City. Concert V: Hope will be staged at the Manila Metropolitan Theater. Tickets are priced at P3,000, P2,500, P2,000, P1,500, P800, and P500. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the CCP’s official website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) or follow the CCP on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.