Internationally acclaimed Filipino American tenor Arthur Espiritu takes center stage in his first-ever concert of “kundiman,” or Filipino love songs, on May 14 at Gallery MiraNila in Quezon City. Award-winning soprano Stefanie Quintin‑Avila and celebrated pianist Najib Ismail are also featured in the one-night-only “Mga Awit ng Pag-ibig at Kundiman,” which honors the legacy of...
Tag: concert
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International Chopin Competition laureate Kate Liu performs on May 2
The pianist Kate Liu, a winner at the International Chopin Competition, makes her Philippine debut on May 2 at the Ayala Museum, where she will perform the works of Chopin, Schumann and Brahms. This production by Veniccio.com in partnership with MA Piano Academy continues the effort of bringing internationally acclaimed artists to Philippine audiences. Liu...
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When Cup of Joe came home
BAGUIO CITY—In the intimate venue of University of Baguio’s multipurpose hall early this month, I joined the youthful crowd in watching Cup of Joe, a local act and homegrown favorite. A technical delay tested our patience but when the five members of the band—Gian Bernardino, Rapha Ridao, CJ Fernandez, Gabriel Fernandez, and Xen Gareza—finally appeared,...
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Early Valentine treat: Al fresco screening of ‘Cinema Paradiso’ and live music
There’s a pre-Valentine al fresco screening of the 1988 film “Cinema Paradiso” at MiraNila Heritage House on Feb. 5. The night of romance, nostalgia and artistry will be made more special by Alessio Benvenuti and Mariel Ilusorio on violin and piano, respectively. The concert and film start at 6:30 p.m. on MiraNila’s front lawn. House tours...
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The Manila Symphony Orchestra marks 100 years with a concert in January
On Jan. 22, 1926, the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) conducted by founder Alexander Lippay performed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 in its inaugural concert at the Manila Grand Opera House. Exactly 100 years later, on Jan. 22, 2026, as a reminder of its enduring legacy, the MSO will perform Leonore Overture No. 3...
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Italian violinist Alessio Benvenuti is at home in the Philippines
Holding their violins and bows, Alessio Benvenuti and Sara Gonzales walked to the “stage” cordoned off by retractable belt barriers. Within minutes they were playing Antonio Molina’s “Hating Gabi,” weaving a blanket of serenity over those present. They segued to Niccolò Paganini’s “Violin Duo,” a piece said to be not the composer’s best-known piece but...
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Cecile Licad plays romantic and early modern works in a one-night-only concert at Gallery MiraNila
Cecile Licad plays in the garden-surrounded Gallery MiraNila at the MiraNila Heritage House & Library on Oct. 1—her only solo performance in Metro Manila this year. The “pianist’s pianist,” as she has been described by The New Yorker, chose romantic and early modern works for her one-night-only concert: Beethoven’s famous Piano Sonata No. 14 (“Moonlight”)...
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Why some middle-aged Filipino women attend K-pop concerts
Korean pop music, or K-pop, has been a favorite of many Filipinos since “Answer the Phone” by Shim Mina became viral in the Philippines in the early 2000s. It was quickly followed by the megahit “Nobody” by the Wonder Girls, a song-and-dance routine that became a most-requested Christmas-party number in 2008. The first major K-pop...
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Young award-winners collaborate in music-making in celebration concert
If the Visayan word “duyog” means “to accompany” and is used in the context of collaborative music-making, it is only fitting that an important music event is thus named. “Duyog: The 1st International Youth Orchestra Festival 2025 Celebration Concert” is one of the culminating activities of the festival that is ongoing in Bohol until...
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Gary V wears his faith on his sleeve
Unbowed by a health challenge that forced him to cut short the opening night of his concert “Pure Energy: One More Time” on Friday, Gary Valenciano delivered a powerhouse performance on Sunday, proving why he remains one of the Philippines’ most enduring icons. On Saturday night at the hospital where Gary was being treated for dehydration, his wife,...