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BEST OF NCCA-CCP’S FILIPINO ARTISTS SERIES NATIONAL TOUR
As part of the Lakbay Sining 2001
and in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Cultural Center of the
Philippines (CCP) Filipino Artists Series, the CCP and the National Commission
for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will mount a commemorative concert tour to
Visayas and Mindanao areas in August. Billed as "Bravo Filipino",
featuring top caliber artists pianist Mariel Ilusorio, flutist Antonio Maigue,
cellist Wilfredo Pasamba and bass-baritone Jonathan Zaens.
The concerts will be held at the Mt. View College Auditorium in Valencia,
Bukidnon (Aug. 2), Pryce Plaza City Hall Arena in Cagayan de Oro City (Aug. 4
& 5), Kalibo, Aklan (Aug. 8), UP Visayas Auditorium in Iloilo City (Aug.
10), Negros Museum Lagoon in Bacolod City (Aug. 11), Victorias City (Aug. 12)
and Cebu Plaza (Aug. 14). The Regional performances are being made possible by
Mt. View College, Rotary Club of Kalayaan, Friends of UP Visayas for the Arts,
Negros Museum, Office of the Mayor and Arts Council of Cebu Foundation, Inc.
Repertoire for the show consists of Michel Pignolet de Monteclair’s
L’enlevement D’orithie cantata for bass, A. Piazolla’s Tango Etude No. 5
for solo flute, J.S. Bach’s Allemande and Courante from Suite No. in D Major,
H. Villa-Lobos’ Jet Whistle, Gioacchino Rossini’s Gia d’insoluto ardore
(Mustafa’s aria from The Italian in Algiers), Nicanor Abelardo’s Bituing
Marikit, Maury Yeston’s Unusual Way from the musicale "Nine",
Martinu Bohuslav’s Trio for flute, cello and piano, and Pinag-isa, a medley of
Filipino folksongs.
Zaens finished his Bachelor’s degree in Voice, cum laude, under Prof. Andrea
O. Veneracion at the University of the Philippines College of Music. A former
member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, he was part of the group when it won
major European Choral Competitions in 1989. He represented the Philippines in
the World Youth Choir in Norway (1993) and South America (1994). Now based in
Germany, he recently graduated from the Hochschule de Kunste with a Master’s
degree in Voice and Music Theater under noted pedagogue Prof. Dr. Herbert Brauer.
He placed 6th among the 9 finalists who were chosen out of 131 participants from
all over the world who joined the Sylvia Geszty International Voice Competition
in Luxembourg last May.
Maigue won first prize in the solo instrument (flute) division of the National
Music Competition for Young Artists. He was a university scholar at the
University of the Philippines, and was chosen to represent the country at music
camps in the US and Japan. In 1983, he left for France to study at the
Conservatoire National de Rueil-Malmaison as a scholar, winning the single slot
available for the school year. He later earned his diploma of Superior Studies
with highest honors at the same school. As one of the most sought-after local
performers, Maigue has concertized all over the Philippines playing a repertoire
that ranges from classical to jazz and pop music.
Pasamba has won top prizes in various international contests such as the 1996
Jennings Butterfield Young Artists Competition, 1995 Reno Chamber Orchestra
Competition, 1994 Juilliard Cello Concerto Competition and became a
semi-finalist in the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
Hailed by the New York Times for his audacity and brilliance, he has done solo
recitals at Merkin Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Cornell University,
including a concert debut at the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in the US.
Ilusorio earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance in 1994 from the
Oberlain Conservatory in Ohio. She moved to Germany in late 1995 where she
studied with eminent pianist Prof. Arie Vardi in Hannover. A participant in
various international piano competitions, she received a Special Prize in the
14th Rina Sala Gallo International Piano Competition in Monza, Italy in 1996;
semi-finalist in the 1997 Cantu Concerto Competition in Italy, and the like. In
March 2000, she won first prize "Masaaza Prize" in the 9th Carlo
Soliva International Music Competition held in Italy. She is currently pursuing
the highest performance degree attainable in Germany, the Soloklasse.