A new work for a century-old orchestra
The title ‘Pasasalamat’ means thanksgiving, but the piece will go beyond a simple thank you.
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The title ‘Pasasalamat’ means thanksgiving, but the piece will go beyond a simple thank you.
RYAN Cayabyab
Photograph courtesy of maestroryancayabyab.com
MARLON Chen
Photograph courtesy of alike.com.ph
CAMILLE Thomas
Photograph courtesy of camille thomas/ig
The Manila Symphony Orchestra will mark another milestone in its 100th anniversary season with Centennial Concert V on Thursday, 22 October 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Proscenium Theater. The upcoming show will feature Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas, two National Artists, a new Filipino work, and classical staples from Europe.
The main event will be the world premiere of “Pasasalamat,” a new choir-and-orchestra piece commissioned by the MSO for its centennial. National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab composed the music, set to words by National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario. MSO Principal Conductor Marlon Chen will lead the orchestra, joined by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Bagong Himig Serenata.
This project will bring together two prominent figures in Philippine culture. Cayabyab spent decades in composition, arrangement, conduct, choral music, film scores and pop. He became a National Artist for Music in 2018 and received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2019 for his work to guide and inspire younger generations. Almario is a top figure in local literature, with a long history in poetry, criticism, editorial work, translation and research. Their collaboration will give “Pasasalamat” a direct link between Philippine writing and orchestral music.
The weight of a century
The title “Pasasalamat” means thanksgiving, but the piece will go beyond a simple thank you. Almario’s text looks at gratitude as an obligation to others and the community. It will touch on empathy, respect, freedom, justice, culture and openness to criticism and change. At its core, the piece will focus on how our daily choices define our humanity.
That message will fit an ensemble at the 100-year mark.
Alexander Lippay founded the MSO in 1926 under the Asociación Musical de Filipinas. Today, the MSO stands as one of Asia’s oldest active orchestras and the oldest surviving performing arts group in the Philippines.
Its centennial season will serve as more than a look back at the past. Throughout the 2026–2027 lineup, the orchestra will highlight different eras of local music, with young players alongside veteran performers and composers. Centennial Concert V will put a brand-new local composition front and center. Instead of just a retrospective, the MSO will add a new chapter to its history.
Two masters, one new work
The program will pair this new Filipino piece with an international soloist. Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas will join the MSO for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33. A Deutsche Grammophon artist since 2017, Thomas has played with major orchestras across Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Outside the usual concert halls, Thomas recorded Voice of Hope with UNICEF to use music as a bridge between people. That approach will match the themes inside “Pasasalamat,” even if the musical styles are completely different. Written in 1876, Tchaikovsky’s piece channels 18th-century elegance, which gives Thomas room for both fast technical work and clear, simple melodies.
The night will wrap up with Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, Op. 48, performed by the MSO and PUP Bagong Himig Serenata. Fauré’s version is quiet and understated, with a focus on peace and rest instead of judgment or fear.
The full program will tie together a central theme: music as a tool for connection and reflection. Classical works by Tchaikovsky and Fauré will bring proven longevity, while Cayabyab and Almario’s piece will start its run on the MSO stage.
A night to remember
MSO Centennial Concert V will take place on Thursday, 22 October, at 7:30 p.m. at the Proscenium Theater. Tickets run from P1,000 to P5,000 via TicketWorld, with discounts available for students, seniors and PWDs.
The event will be presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation Inc. and Standard Insurance, co-presented by EastWest Bank and DENZA Alabang by ACMobility Premium Dealership Inc., and sponsored by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, Grand Hyatt Manila, National Performing Arts Grantee, and SM Hotels and Conventions.
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