CCP names 13 New Artists for 2012

Press Release:

 The Cultural Center of the Philippines has selected the winners for the 2012

Thirteen Artists Award (TAA). The list includes artists engaged in a variety of

contemporary visual arts forms such as painting, printmaking, photography,

sculpture, and video installation works. The 2012 Thirteen Artists awardees

include: Joey Cobcobo, Marina Cruz, Kiri Dalena, Riel Hilario, Robert Langenegger,

Michael Muñoz, Wawi Navarroza, Jan Leeroy New, Kaloy Olavides, Renan Ortiz,

Mark Salvatus, Rodel Tapaya, and Costantino Zicarelli.

The program was first conceived in 1970 initially as a curatorial guide for an

exhibition organized by then CCP Museum director Roberto Chabet. His intent was

to identify artists who took the “chance and risk to restructure, restrengthen, and

renew art making and art thinking….” It was later adopted as a biennial award by

Chabet’s successor, the late Raymundo Albano. This makes the TAA the oldest

award program conferred by the CCP, two years ahead of the National Artist Award

which started in 1972.

Since 2009, the TAA has been a triennial award. It is administered by the CCP Visual

Arts and Museum Division (VAMD) under the Production and Exhibition

Department. During the two and half month nomination period (between February

to mid‐April), 56 nominations were received from museum directors, gallerists,

independent curators, heads of art and cultural organizations, and former TAA

awardees. From these, 79 artists qualified for the selection process. This year’s

panel of jurors included past TAA winners namely Pandy Aviado (1970), Agnes

Arellano (1988), Elmer Borlongan (1994) and Ringo Bunoan (2003), with Boots

Herrera, VAMD Director, representing the CCP. 

This year’s trophy was designed by Gary Ross Pastrana,  former TAA awardees.

COS ZICARELLI

JOEY BOCOBO

KALOY OLAVIDES

KIRI DALENA

LEEROY NEW

MARINA CRUZ

MARK SALVATUS

MUNOZ

RENAN ORTIZ

RIEL HILARIO

ROBERT LANGENEGGER

RODEL TAPAYA

WAWI NAVAROZZA

Yoshikazu Fukumura Leads PPO in November 16 Concert

Press Announcement:

Japanese conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura leads the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in its third concert season on November 16, 2012, 8PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Theater. 

Entitled ‘Fukumura Conducts Brahms’, the program includes Delius' Irmelin Prelude, Kodaly's Dances of Galanta, and Brahms' Symphony No. 2. 

Yoshikazu Fukumura, recognized as one of the most famous maestros in Japan, is the former music director of the Tokyo Ballet, Kyoto Municipal Symphony, and Nagoya Philharmonic. He received a national recognition in Japan for conducting the NHK TV Concert Series entitled 'Music of the World’ in 1970. He has also conducted the Japan Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, Yomiuri Japan Symphony, Osaka Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, Gunma Symphony, Sapporo Symphony, Kyushu Symphony, and other well-acclaimed performances abroad including Europe, Latin America, and in Asia. He has found a huge satisfaction in working with Asian orchestras - from making recordings to conducting festivals and subscription concerts in almost all parts of Asia. He was assigned as the first chief conductor of ASEAN Symphony Orchestra - consisting of 80 musicians carefully selected from some of the ASEAN countries, at the 17th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on October 2010 as supported by the Nippon Foundation.

Fukumura has been the Honorary Principal Guest Conductor of the Cuba National Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He, under the support of the Japanese embassy in Cuba,   again collaborated with the Cuba National Symphony Orchestra on September 2011 for the Great East Japan Earthquake mourning concert along with violin soloist Ryu Goto and oboist Keisuke Wakao.

Popular for conducting charity concerts, Yoshikazu Fukumura was appointed as the music director for the charity concert of the special orchestra in support to the Association of the Blind in Phnohm Penh, Cambodia in the same year. The concert was the pioneer symphonic concert in Cambodia after the civil war took place. 

Ticket prices: P1000/P800/P350/P200, with discounts available to students, senior citizens, and groups. For inquiries and subscriptions, please call the CCP Marketing Department (832-3704) or Ticketworld at National Bookstore (891-9999).

Iraqi Oud Player, Naseer Shamma, performs at the CCP on Dec 3

Press Announcement:

Iraqi musican Naseer Shamma, who is one of the most esteemed and prolific Oud players today, will be in Manila for a concert on December 3, 2012, 7 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.  The concert entitled “An Oud Concert:  The Spirit of Naseer Shamma” is a presentation of the CCP, the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq and The Spouses of Head of Mission.

The Oud is an Arabian folk instrument, an ancestor of the guitar and parent of the European lute. Its name comes from the word al`ud, which means a tree.  The Oud is central to medieval and modern Islamic music.

Naseer Shamma was born in 1963 in Al-kut, a southern city in Iraq.  He studied at Baghdad’s Institute of Music and, in 1987, received a diploma in musical art.  Later, he specialized in the Oud.  Since he started his professional career, Shamma has been composing his own music.  Giving concerts in various parts of the world has become his main concern.  In addition to holding concerts, Shamma is currently director of the Beit Al-Oud Al-Arabi at Al-Harawi-Cairo, which was founded by him in 1998.

Shamma performs on the Oud in a manner which combines ancient methods with his own original modern compositions. Naseer Shamma is the only musician to have constructed an eight string Oud or lute following the manuscript of the famous 9th century music theorist Al-Farabi. This new design (eight instead of six strings) expanded the musical range of the Oud and gave it a distinct tonality.  His innovations go beyond that include a new method of playing the Oud using one hand.

Cairo newspaper Al Ahram has called Shamma the “guardian of sound”.  Serene Assir, in her article in Al Ahram, wrote of Shamma:  “As early as age five, Iraqi composer Naseer Shamma knew he was destined for the lute. Indeed since then he has spent his life learning, teaching and travelling in search of this instrument, giving endlessly of his imagination to listeners not only in the Middle East and North Africa but the world over. His technical prowess is bewitching, but rather than making for a dry performance, it transforms listening into a mystical experience."

    

For more information, please call the CCP Box Office at tel. No. 832-3704 and 832-3706 and Ticketworld at 891-9999 or visit www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

FORTE@40 - A Concert of 40 Pianos Set on Nov. 18 at CCP

Press Release:

 

In a Musical Multitude Never Before Heard with

40 PIANOS ON ONE STAGE

OVER 300 PIANISTS

AGES 8 - 80

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, The Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines together with The Cultural Center of the Philippines, LYRIC and KAWAI proudly presents “ FORTE@40 ” – a fund-raising concert to be held at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on November 18, 2012 – Sunday  at  3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

This historical concert which will be conducted by Dr. Herminigildo Ranera and Daniel Bartolome will feature over 300 pianists ages 8 to 80 comprising students, teachers/members, past and present PTGP board members, festival participants and competition winners on 40 pianos.

Special guest performers include: CCP President Dr. Raul Sunico, concert pianists Della Besa and Annie De Guzman, Fr. Manuel Maramba, OSB, Carmen Padilla, Nita Abrograr-Quinto, Philippine Madrigal Singers choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio, UST Singers’ conductor Fidel Calalang, Najib Ismail, Mary Anne Espina, and many more.

A special sneak preview of “ Forte@40 ” will be held on November 11, 2012 ( Sunday – 4 p.m. ) at Lucky Chinatown, located at Reina Regente St., Binondo, Manila.

The highlight of the concert is the world premiere of “ Mga Gintong Pamana ” by Augusto “Agot” Espino, commissioned by the Piano Teachers' Guild of the Philippines which will showcase “ 40 pianos, 80 players, 2 per piano ” playing the parts - a first of its kind in the history of Philippine music. This masterpiece pays tribute to the Great Filipino composers, namely: Nicanor Abelardo, Dr. Francisco Santiago, Francisco Buencamino, Sr., Dr. Antonio Molina, Rosendo Santos, Jr., Lucio San Pedro, Felipe De Leon, Sr., Ramon Tapales, Dr. Lucrecia Kasilag, and Rodolfo Cornejo who have made unparalleled contributions to the Philippine piano literature. 

Five genres of music - Baroque, Classical, 20th Century, Pop and Filipino will be represented in the repertoire as follows:

I.   “ Concertino on Familiar Tunes ” by Stanley R. Avery. (40 pianos, 40 players, 1 per piano)

II.  “ Grand Perpetual Motion Waltz ” by M. Cox. (10 pianos, 10 players, 1 per piano)

III.  “ Andante from Symphony No. 94 in G Major, Hob. VI:54 (“Surprise”) by Franz Josef Haydn. Arranged by E. Steiner.         Transcribed & adapted by George Ong. (10 pianos, 20 players, 2 per piano)

           

IV. “ Symphony No. 40 in G minor, KV. 550 ” (Allegro molto) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Arranged by Theodor Kirchner. (40 pianos, 40 players, 1 per piano)

           

V.     “ Harry Potter Fantasy and Super Mario Capriccio based on a theme by Koji Kondo ” by Kabaitan R. Bautista. (30 pianos, 30 players, 1 per piano)

           

VI.  “ Polonaise in A Major, Op. 40 No. 1 (Military)” by Frédéric François Chopin. Arranged by Carl Burchard. (40 pianos, 40 players, 1 per piano)

VII.  “ Contagion on a theme by Nirvana ” by Kabaitan R. Bautista. (20 pianos, 20 players, 1 per piano)

VIII.    “ Workin’ on the Railroad ” by Eugénie Rocherolle. (14 pianos, 28 players, 2 per piano); “ Perpetual Commotion ”  by K. Olson. (14 pianos, 28 players, 2 per piano)

IX.       “ Pop Medley ” Arranged by Ryan Cayabyab.  (20 pianos, 20 players, 1 per piano)

X.   “ Mga Gintong Pamana ” by Augusto Espino. (40 pianos, 80 players, 2 per piano).

The Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines (PTGP) was founded in November 2, 1972 by piano teachers namely National Artist Lucrecia Kasilag, Prof. Milagros de Ocampo, Sister Scholastica Benitez, OSB, Ms. Vilma Felipe, Mrs. Angeles C. Hernandez, Mrs. Alice A. Lim, Sister Mamie Martell, CIM, Sister Cecil Belen, OFM, Mrs. Lydia L. Bunag, and Mrs. Pilar B. Larracas who organized themselves mainly to uplift teaching and performance standards in the musical development and pianistic growth of their students.

Over the years, The Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines has brought our country’s top pianists to compete in international music festivals held in Europe, the United States and recently in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore.

Among the foremost names in the field of music who are PTGP members include the following: Fr. Manuel Maramba, OSB; Sr. Mary Placid Abejo, OSB (Dean, St. Scholastica College of Music); Prof. Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz; Former Dean Mauricia Borromeo (UP College of Music); Former Dean Erlinda Fule (UST Conservatory of Music); Former Dean Cecile B. Roxas and Dean Sr. Emilita Pacubas, DC (Sta. Isabel College of Music); Former Dean Harold Galang (PWU College of Music) and many more. Today, PTGP boasts of its 525 total membership covering the entire country.

The over-all production team of  “ FORTE @40 ” is led by Dennis Marasigan (Artistic Director and Lighting Director), Eric Cruz (Set Designer), Antonio Africa (Video Documentary), Ave Asuncion Uy (Stage Manager), Toots O. Tolentino (PR & Publicity) and Mari Yuda (Marketing).

“FORTE@40” is also supported by media partners Business World, Herword.com,  Chinoy TV and The Manila Bulletin.

For inquiries and details of show, special group discounts for schools, please email : askptgp@yahoo.com. Visit ptgpinc.wordpress.com. Add http://www.facebook.com/PTGPInc on Facebook.

Tickets are now available through Ticketworld at 8919999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph