Pinay Pianist Hila Performs with PPO Under Maestro Fukumura

Press Update:

FILIPINA pianist Hiyas A. Hila performs with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura in a matinee concert on June 11, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).  

The program consists of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s works, including the Overture from the opera Cosi fan tutte and Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551 “Jupiter”. Hiyas will render Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23 in A major (K.488).

Hiyas Hila performs regularly as a solo, orchestral and chamber music artist. She has been featured in concerts in the United States, Spain and the Philippines. Her orchestral appearances include performances with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, and the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra.

Hiyas earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of Minnesota School of Music, with Lydia Artymiw as her teacher, and her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in piano performance, with Mack McCray as her mentor, from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. A graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), she attended the University of the Philippines College of Music for two years, where she was a consistent university scholar before she moved to the United States. Her previous piano teachers were Regalado Jose, Leonor Kilayko, Ariel Dechosa and Cecile Basilio-Roxas. She has played in masterclasses given by Blanca Uribe, Faina Luzshtak, Roman Rudnytsky, Russel Brandon, Reynaldo Reyes, Ariel Dechosa, Boris Slutsky, Julian Martin, and Albert Tiu.

Dr. Hila received several scholarships and fellowship awards such as the Sergei Barsukov Scholarship for Piano at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Grant, the University of Minnesota Centennial Piano Fellowship, U.P. Concert Chorus Alumni Foundation, Inc. Scholarship, Cecile B. Licad Scholarship, GlaxoSmithKline Philippines Scholarship Grant, and the Sonny B. Reyes Foundation grant.

She garnered top prizes in several piano competitions including the 2005 University of Minnesota Concerto Competition; the 2006 and 2007 Elinor Bell Piano Competitions in Minneapolis; 2006 Schubert Club Piano Competition (Graduate Division) in St. Paul, Minnesota. In Manila, she won the 1995 Category B and 1992 Category A-2 NAMCYA piano competitions; 1995 Piano Concerto Competitions sponsored by the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines; 1991 Lyric Piano Competition, and 1991 Rosario Picazo Piano Competition.

Dr. Hila currently teaches piano, chamber music and piano ensemble at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, California and at Saint Brigid Catholic School in San Francisco, California. She previously taught applied piano and class piano at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Tickets are P1000, P800, P500 and P200.

For inquiries, please contact the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 or 832-1125 local 1409.

JC Santos, Annie, and Tribes Tops the 9th Gawad Buhay Awards

Press Update:

JC Santos, the young Dulaang UP-trained theater actor who became a TV sensation last year when he was cast as the third wheel to the James Reid-Nadine Lustre tandem in the ABS-CBN teleserye “Till I Met You,” won the Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Play for Red Turnip’s “Constellations” at the 9th Gawad Buhay, held at the CCP Little Theater this evening.

His co-star in “Constellations,” Cris Villonco, won the Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play honors, while the play itself, directed by Rem Zamora, was adjudged Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play.

The Gawad Buhay, the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, on its ninth year celebrated not only the best performance and technical achievements of its member-companies’ productions in 2016; it also conferred the Natatanging Gawad Buhay for Lifetime Achievement to stalwart actor-directors Soxie Topacio and Joy Virata.

Topacio and Virata are pioneering members and pillars of their respective theater companies, the Philippine Educational Theater Association and Repertory Philippines, both of which are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. The twin milestone achievement for Philippine theater was a focal point of celebration at the evening’s ceremonies, which also featured a segment jointly honoring Peta founder Cecile Guidote-Alvarez and Rep co-founder Baby Barredo.

The ceremonies were hosted by Jon Santos.

Krystal Brimner, the child actress who appeared as John Lloyd Cruz’ daughter in the Erik Matti thriller “Honor Thy Father,” was adjudged Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Musical for her turn in “Annie.” The classic Broadway musical, mounted by the Full House Theater Company of Resorts World Manila, won four other awards: Outstanding Female Featured Performance for Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical for director Michael Williams, and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical and Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical.

Jef Flores scored an unprecedented back-to-back Gawad Buhay win by copping the Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Musical for his turn as the young pre-“Rent” Jonathan Larson in 9 Works Theatrical’s “Tick, Tick... Boom!” Only last year, he was the Outstanding Male Lead recipient in the play counterpart for Red Turnip’s “This Is Our Youth.”

In dance, Rita Winder of Ballet Philippines also notched a rare double nomination—Outstanding Female Lead Performance in Modern Dance for “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko,” a dance-musical that featured the music of the 70’s band VST & Co; and Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance, for “Firebird and Other Ballets.”

The trophy for Outstanding Female Featured Performance for Modern Dance went to dance legend Edna Vida, for “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko,” eliciting some of the evening’s loudest cheers.

The most honored production of the night was also in dance—Ballet Philippines’ “Firebird and Other Ballets,” which went home with seven trophies.

Tying with “Annie’s” five wins was Red Turnip’s “Tribes,” which garnered nods for, among others, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play for Topper Fabregas, and for the featured performances of Angela Padilla and Teroy Guzman. Peta’s “3 Stars and a Sun,” meanwhile, a musical that employed the music of the late rap artist Francis Magalona, earned four wins, including Outstanding Original Musical and for its libretto by Mixkaela Villalon and Rody Vera.

COMPLETE LIST OF 2016 PHILSTAGE GAWAD BUHAY! WINNERS IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Original Libretto

Mixkaela Villalon and Rody Vera, “3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)

Outstanding Translation or Adaptation

Rolando Tinio, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Musical Direction

Myke Salomon, “3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)

Outstanding Original Musical Composition

Malek Lopez, “Opera” (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Choreography for a Dance Production

Carlo Pacis, “Weighted Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical

PJ Rebullida, “American Idiot” (9 Works Theatrical)

Outstanding Costume Design

Gino Gonzales, “3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)

Outstanding Lighting Design

John Batalla, “Almost, Maine” (Repertory Philippines)

Outstanding Sound Design

Teresa Barrozo, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)

Outstanding Set Design

Mio Infante, “American Idiot” (9 Works Theatrical)

Female Lead Performance in a Play

Cris Villonco, “Constellations” (Red Turnip Theater)

Male Lead Performance in a Play

JC Santos, “Constellations” (Red Turnip Theater)

Female Featured Performance in a Play

Angela Padilla, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)

Male Featured Performance in a Play

Teroy Guzman, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical

Krystal Brimner, “Annie” (Full House Theater Company)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical

Jef Flores, “Tick, Tick… Boom” (9 Works Theatrical)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical

Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, “Annie” (Full House Theater Company)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical

Ariel Reonal, “Tick, Tick…Boom” (9 Works Theatrical)

Female Lead Performance in Modern Dance

Rita Winder, “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” (Ballet Philippines)

Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance

JM Cordero, “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” (Ballet Philippines)

Female Featured Performance in Modern Dance

Edna Vida, “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” (Ballet Philippines)

Male Featured Performance in Modern Dance

Erl Sorilla, “Simoun” (Ballet Philippines)

Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance

Rita Winder, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance

Rudy de Dios, “Cinderella” (Ballet Manila)

Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance

Denise Parungao, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance

Cyril Fallar, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Modern Dance Production

“Weighted Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Classical Dance Production

“Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play

Topper Fabregas, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical

Michael Williams, “Annie” (Full House Theater Company)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play

“Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

“Annie” (Full House Theater Company)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Modern Dance

“Weighted Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play

“Constellations” (Red Turnip Theater)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical

“Annie” (Full House Theater Company)

Outstanding Musical—Original or Translation/Adaptation

“3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)

Natatanging Gawad Buhay

Joy Virata (Repertory Philippines)

Soxie Topacio (Peta)

Click here for photos of the event by Jaypee Maristaza : http://www.jaypeemaristaza.com/Project-Theater/9th-PhilStage-Gawad-Buhay/

ABOUT GAWAD BUHAY

Now on its ninth year, Gawad Buhay is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts.

It is juried by an independent panel of critics, scholars, artists and theater enthusiasts. Outstanding individual and group achievements in various artistic and technical aspects of play, musical and dance productions and performances are honored based on quarterly citations deliberated by the members of the jury, who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.

From the four quarterly citations (the first and second quarters are merged into the midyear citations), the jury selects the final nominees qualified to win the awards by the end of the performance season.

Philstage is the only alliance of professional performing arts organizations in the Philippines. Its members include 9 Works Theatrical, Actor’s Actors Inc., Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Full House Theater Company (Resorts World Manila), Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Peta, Philippine Ballet Theatre, Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Red Turnip Theater, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino and Trumpets.

Good Food, Coffee and Art Appreciation While Focusing on Society’s Abused Sectors

Press Announcement:
“Little steps can go a long way,” says Michiko Unso, artist and Managing Partner of Alek Cafe + Kitchen. Unso knows whereof she speaks.

Unso has been rabidly supporting BRAVE, a series of JCI Makati Princess Urduja Empowerment Project for Women, Abused Children, and LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) communities.

 Unso’s foremost passions include food and the performing arts. When she and some partners thought of putting up a restaurant business, they knew that it couldn’t be just any run-of-the-mill establishment.

Thus, Alek Café + Kitchen + Art Space was born which serves good coffee, food, and other beverages (try the Alchemist Coffee which is a winner) while supporting the arts in all its many forms and the advocacies that Unso champions. “When we conceptualized this space, I wanted to support local artists, ’yung mga gustong mag-exhibit. We (will) sell the art pieces and proceeds will go to the artist and to BRAVE,” recalls Unso.

The first artist featured at Alek Café + Kitchen + Art Space is Paul Anthony Gustilo who has held overseas exhibits most notably at the Art Square Gallery in Kuala Lumpur in 2013. Since he ventured into the visual art in 1992, Gustilo has had many combined solo and group exhibits overseas and in the Philippines in venues such as the Heritage Gallery in SM Megamall, Shangri-La Plaza mall, and the Ayala Mall in Cebu.  

Gustilo comes from a family of artists since his father is a doctor-slash-painter while his grandfather used to be a background artist at Walt Disney Studios in the ‘80s. Gustilo’s exhibit is dubbed “Van Gogh Pop Art” which features works that are an interpretation of the great but tortured Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh’s immortal works.

“Yung klase ng art n’ya (Gustilo), pop art pero based sa mga classics like Van Gogh’s works,” says Unso. Van Gogh’s works are characterized by bold colors and dramatic, impulsive, and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art.

Coffee beans come in three waves, says Unso --- the first wave, the second wave, and the third wave. Their beans at Alek belong to the third wave; they are not mass-produced and go under strict quality control. “We do our own blend, the roasting is fresh, and we use single origin beans, which means that every type of coffee bean comes from one country, one province, one city, and one farm.” Alek Café + Kitchen + Art Space also supports local farmers since Arabica beans which are pricey are only grown in high altitude places in the country like Benguet and Sagada.

Unso derives comfort from having happily welded all her passions --- food, the arts, and women’s, children’s and LGBTQ’s rights --- into one tastefully-designed space at the heart of a primarily business district that is Makati. Located at the Ground Floor of Builders Centre, 170 Salcedo St. in Legazpi Village, Makati, Alek Café + Kitchen + Art Space has begun “Brave Nights,” which started last April 17, with a new presentation this May 13 and every month afterwards.

“Brave Nights” are monologues and spoken word on issues of women and the LGBTQ community performed by different artists which some of them wrote themselves. “Kahit sa maliit na lugar, mahalaga na magkaroon sila ng boses,” stresses Unso.

The opening monologue during the April 17 showcase was Suffragette, written by Jose Victor Torres, it was about a "traditional" and "subservient" wife having a conversation with her congressman husband about the right of women to vote.

The next monologue, entitled Kiriring (from the play Kiriring, Aida, at Macaraig), an emotionally exhaustive take on physical, emotional and sexual abuse that resulted to her acquiring the dreaded HIV virus.

 The third featued monologue, This is My Life, is a bitter sweet representation on the life of an aging gay performer.It was one part nostalgia, one part laugh out loud moments. all part truthful. The many ups and downs of the performer's life mirrored through the Shirley Bassey pop aria.

Capping the first edition of "Brave Nights" was Petunia, a monologue of a woman in her twilight years, who made a vow to enjoy the best years of her life while doing the things she love - dancing, singing and loving herself more.

Unso is progressive-minded and is quick to clarify that AIDS is not the only issue that the LGBTQ community struggles with. “Discrimination is everywhere, most notably in the workplace. Hindi ka puwedeng magsuot-babae if you’re gay kapag sa isang kompanya ka nagta-trabaho.”

Named after Unso’s tall and lovely 14-year-old daughter Mikaelah Alekssandra, Alek Café + Kitchen + Art Space is a fusion of the things that affect us in our daily lives in both cerebral and visceral ways. “Hopefully, in our little way, we will be able to teach people to appreciate good food and care more for people and local artists,” concludes Unso. 

Nature and Music in PPO SUNSETS AT MAKILING

BRING picnic baskets and enjoy the sunset at the mountaintop venue as the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the country’s premier orchestra, serenades the public with classical strains from beloved operas on May 6, 2017, 5:00pm at the Tanghalang Maria Makiling of the National Arts Center in Los Baños, Laguna.  The event, presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc., is free to the public.  

Entitled PPO Sunsets at Makiling, the program includes overtures, arias and ensemble pieces from well-known operas including Verdi’s “La Traviata”, Bizet’s “Carmen”, De Leon’s “Noli Me Tangere,” among others. The concert’s Music Director and Vocal Coach is international Filipino Baritone Andrew Fernando.

PPO Sunsets at Makiling is one of the CCP’s flagship outreach programs in the arts that bring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) to audiences in Los Baños and other cities and towns outside Laguna for a rare experience of live orchestral music. Set in the beautiful backdrop of sunset in the mountains, the concert features light popular works written by the great Classical Music Masters. This year, the PPO will be joined by young talented opera singers in a performance of excerpts from well-loved operas.

Conducted by PPO Associate Conductor Herminigildo Ranera, the well-attended annual concert brings opera closer to its audience as it features up and coming opera singers including soprano Nerissa De Juan, mezzo soprano Ma. Krissan Manikan, tenor Lorenz Lapresca, and baritones Belford Mabunga and Joseleo Logdat.

An open theater located in the slopes of Mt. Makiling in Los Baños, Laguna, the Tanghalang Maria Makiling is a National Arts Center structure that can accommodate up to a thousand audiences complete with state of the art lights and sound system suitable for low, medium and large scale productions and performances.

Established in 1976 as a haven for young and aspiring artists, the National Arts Center is tucked away in mythical Mt. Makiling, Laguna. Its various buildings and facilities are scattered over 13.5 hectares of the Makiling Forest Reservation and also houses the Philippine High School for the Arts, a government-run secondary educational institution for gifted young artists. The NAC's unique location offers a perfect vacation hideaway and its laid-back and contemplative atmosphere sets the mood to relax, unwind and recharge one's energies.

Jeepneys to the National Arts Center will be available at the Baker Hall of the University of the Philippines Los Baños from 2:00 PM onward on May 6, 2017. Fare is Php50 (one way).