Legarda, Drilon Bring Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in Antique and Iloilo
February 26, 2018To foster deeper music appreciation among Filipinos, Senator Loren Legarda and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon will bring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) to the provinces of Antique and Iloilo for a back-to-back outreach concert on March 1 and 2, respectively.
Under the 2018 national budget, Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, provided additional funding for the PPO’s outreach concerts. These outreach concerts in the provinces aim to promote music appreciation throughout the country.
Legarda said she was inspired by Senator Drilon, who brought the Manila Symphony Orchestra to Iloilo for a concert at the Molo Church and Iloilo Convention Center in 2017.
“Music is one way to re-energize the body, mind and soul. It not only brings entertainment but also increases creativity. Our support for the PPO outreach concerts is part of our efforts to evoke sense of pride among Filipinos and gradually bring about cultural renaissance in the country,” said Legarda, a staunch advocate of Philippine art and culture promotion.
The PPO, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) resident orchestra company, will have a music concert at the church ground of the San Juan Nepomuceno Parish Church (also known as the Anini-y Church) in the town of Anini-y in Antique on March 1, 6:00p.m.
“This is an important gathering for Antiqueños as this year marks the silver anniversary of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s first performance in Antique in 1993, also in Anini-y. Furthermore, this is the first major gathering in Anini-y Church following its successful restoration last year. I am very much excited to be with my kasimanwas on this very momentous occasion,” said Legarda, a daughter of Antique.
After the Antique concert, the orchestra will move to Iloilo for a musical performance on March 2, 7:00p.m., at the Iloilo Convention Center, located at the Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo City. The PPO concert in Iloilo is spearheaded by the Office of Senator Drilon.
Both concerts are free of charge and all citizens of Antique, Iloilo, and neighboring provinces, as well as Filipinos in other parts of the country and tourists, are invited to attend the concerts.
The Antique concert can also be viewed live via Senator Loren Legarda’s official Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/
Both concerts will be conducted by Maestro Herminildo Ranera. A conductor, composer, arranger, performer and educator, Dr. Ranera is the associate conductor of the PPO. He is also currently a faculty member of the UST Conservatory of Music, where he is the conductor of the UST Symphony Orchestra and UST Wind Orchestra.
The Western Visayas outreach concerts will be divided into two parts. For the first part, the PPO will perform classical pieces such as Johann Strauss’s Fledermaus Overture, Ivanovich’s Waves of the Danube Waltz, and Leroy Anderson’s Serenata.
The second part will feature well-known and popular Broadway and Filipino music including a Frank Sinatra Medley (arranged by Jerry Nowak), a Broadway Tonight Suite (arranged by Chase), Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, an Aegis Overture (arranged by J. Itugot), a well-known Visayan song Dandansoy (arranged by R. Cayabyab), Walang Angay (also arranged by R. Cayabyab), pop music Despacito (arranged by H. Ranera), and a VST Medley (arranged by R. Sarrel).
Established in 1973 as an accompaniment for the performing artists at the CCP Theater, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra has become the country’s leading orchestra and is widely regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific region.