MSO to celebrate 98th anniversary concert
The final concert of the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) concert series In Pursuit Of Excellence will see the orchestra marking its 98th anniversary on Jan. 31, 2024, 7 p.m., at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Ayala corner Buendia Aves., Makati. The orchestra, under conductor Olivier Ochanine, and violinist Diomedes Saraza, Jr. take on Angel Peña’s Trinity, Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 1, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The concert is co-presented by Standard Insurance. Tickets, ranging from P800 to P2,000, are available via TicketWorld.
Indigent families upcycle plastics into belens
IN celebration of Christmas time, residents from various barangays in Pasay and Manila showcased their creativity and ingenuity in crafting three-dimensional depictions of the birth of Jesus Christ using upcycled single-use plastics. The initiative was organized by the Center for Social Action (CSA) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) in partnership with the Industrial Design Program, to further foster the inclusion and innovation mission of the college within the community. To equip them with the fundamentals and elements of design, the residents underwent a masterclass facilitated by industrial designer and educator Johann Mangussad. Barangay 44 Pasay received the Gold Prize for The Lamb of God, Barangay 46 Pasay nabbed the Silver award for Ecoglory Ensymbol Belen, and the bronze distinction was presented to Barangay 743 in Manila for Nativity of Love.
NCCA holds Culture, Arts, and Values Summit 2023
ON Dec. 13, the Culture, Arts, and Values Summit 2023 kicked off at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City, where Executive Council members of 19 National Committees of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) held extensive discussions. The summit was divided into two parts: “Taking Stock: National Developments that Impact on Philippine Culture, Arts, and Values,” and “Reflections: The Inter-Island and Regional Contexts and Philippine Culture, Arts, and Values.” In his closing remarks, NCCA Executive Director Oscar G. Casaysay underscored the pivotal role of culture in molding our national identity, promoting social cohesion, and propelling economic growth.
PPO serenades Bulakenyos
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) serenaded Bulakenyos at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan on Dec. 18. The free concert, dubbed Gabi ng Musika in Barasoain, saw the PPO, led by its conductor Herminigildo Ranera, performing classic pieces such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture and Georges Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite no. 2: Farandole. The orchestra also treated Bulakenyos to Christmas music from Jose Mari Chan, among others. Singers Gian Magdangal and Lara Maigue sang a Miss Saigon medley. Mr. Magdangal also performed “Go the Distance” from Disney’s Hercules while Maigue sang the “Queen of the Night Aria” from Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute.