As part of its Centennial Season, the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) commemorates a landmark event in both Philippine history. Eighty years ago, on July 5, 1946, following the inauguration of the Republic of the Philippines, the MSO presented a Gala Symphony Concert at the Rizal Memorial Stadium as part of the national celebrations marking Philippine independence.
This year’s program brings together works by Filipino and American composers whose music reflects the artistic exchanges and cultural connections that have shaped both nations over the past eight decades.
Opening the evening is former MSO Assistant Conductor Col. Antonino Buenaventura’s prize-winning composition, “Youth”, which received its premiere during the 1946 MSO Gala Symphony Concert. Conducted by the composer himself, the work portrays youth as “the epitome of vigor, energy, and love, standing at the threshold of life’s journey”. “Dedicated to the youth of the land whose faith in democracy and freedom has been kept inviolate even unto the gates of death,” the piece captures the optimism, resilience, and aspirations of a nation emerging from war.
The program continues with Lucio San Pedro’s “Concerto in D Minor” for Violin and Orchestra. Recognized as the first complete violin concerto written by a Filipino composer, the work was composed in 1948 as San Pedro’s final output upon completing his composition studies at the Juilliard School in New York. The concerto reflects the educational exchanges that have connected Filipino and American music while occupying an important place in the development of Philippine classical music. This work will be performed by violinist Jeanne Marquez, a recent graduate of the Juilliard School with a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance.
Representing the American tradition are Artie Shaw’s “Concerto for Clarinet”, featuring Jeanne’s older brother, Jason Marquez, a Filipino-American principal clarinetist in Michigan and Texas; and George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture for orchestra”, arranged by Robert Russell Bennett. Together, these works showcase the breadth of American music, drawing from jazz, popular music, and the symphonic tradition.
Under the baton of Jose Reyna, Jr., an American Prize-winning Filipino conductor, hailed as the “Filipino Toscanini” (The Manila Bulletin) for his panache and artistry on the podium, this concert celebrates not only 80 years of Filipino-American friendship but also the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s continuing role in marking important moments in the nation’s cultural life.
This celebration will be held at the Manila Metropolitan Theater, a venue associated with the MSO since the theater’s inauguration in 1931. The occasion also serves as a homecoming for the orchestra as it returns to its longtime artistic home and embarks on a partnership with the Metropolitan Theater in the seasons ahead.
TICKETS:
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