Jonathan Emmanuel De La Paz Zaens Website
Official Website: http://www.geocities.com/jepzaens

FILIPINO ARTISTS SERIES 2001

(15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION)

The Filipino Artists Series (FAS) will kick off its 15th anniversary celebration this year with a special concert slated on July 31, 2001, 7:30 p.m. at the CCP Little Theater. Guest performers include pianist Mariel Ilusorio, flutist Antonio Maigue, cellist Wilfredo Pasamba and bass baritone Jonathan Zaens.

Repertoire includes: De Monteclair’s L’enlevement d’Orithie cantata for bass, Piazzolla’s Tango Etude No. 1 for solo flute, Bach’s Prelude and Fugue from Suite No. 5 in c minor, Chopin’s Ballade No. 3 in A flat Major, op. 47; Villa-Lobos’ Jet Whistle, Liszt’s Three Songs for Voice and Piano, the local premiere of Bohuslav’s Trio for flute, cello and piano as well as the world premiere of "Pinag-isa"- a medley of Filipino folk chants and children’s songs from Luzon to Mindanao arranged by Eudenice Palaruan.

Mariel started formal piano lessons at 8 with Marietta Baja in Manila. In 1985, she won first prize in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Piano Category A-II. She continued her studies at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, where she garnered several prizes including the Juilliard Pre-College Mozart Piano Concerto Competition (1st prize), and the Therese Kleppel Piano Prize. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance in 1994 with the Oberlain Conservatory in Ohio. In 1995, she moved to Germany to study with eminent pianist Prof. Arie Vardi in Hannover. She received several prizes in piano competitions in Italy such as the 14th Rina Sala Gallo International Piano Competition, Cantu Concerto Competition, and the 40th G.B. Viotti International Piano Competition. She also won a medal in the 45 Maria Canals Piano Competition in Barcelona and the East Friesland Piano Prize in Germany. Mariel received her master’s degree in 1998 with a highest grade of "1" and currently pursuing the highest performance degree in Germany, the Soloklasse.

Antonio won in the solo instrument (flute) division of NAMCYA. He was a university scholar of UP and represented the country at music camps in the US and Japan. He honed his talent at the National de Rueil-Malmaison in France as a scholar and earned his diploma of Superior Studies with highest honors. He has concertized all over the country as well in major cities in the US, Europe and Asia, playing a repertoire that ranges from classical to jazz and pop music. Antonio is one of the faculty members of UP and is principal flutist of the newly-organized San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Wilfredo, who received his degrees from the Moscow State Conservatory, Ithaca College and Juilliard School, is a recipient of some of the most illustrious international music competitions—the 1996 Jennings Butterfield Young Artists Competition, 1995 Reno Chamber Orchestra Competition, 1994 Juilliard Cello Concerto Competition and the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has done solo recitals at Merkin Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cornell University, and Carnegie Hall.

He has performed with cello master classes of Colin Carr, Bonnie Hampton, Aldo Parisot, Bion Tsang as well as collaborated with well-known artists Beaux Arts Trio, Argenta Trio Orion and Ying String Quartets. A co-founder of the Battig Piano Trio, Wilfredo is the Assistant Professor of Music and Chairman of the String Department of St. Scholastica’s College of Music, Senior lecturer and conductor of UP Chamber Orchestra of the UP’s College of Music and Associate Conductor of the Manila Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Jonathan was only 11 years when he won first prize in NAMCYA, which gave him the opportunity to be chosen as the first scholar in voice at the Philippine High School for the Arts. He graduated cum laude under Prof. Andrea Veneracion at the UP College of Music. A former member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, he represented the country in the World Youth Choir in Norway and South America. A much sought-after oratorio singer, Jonathan has performed operatic roles such as Dulcamara in L’elisir D’Amore, Alidoro in La Sorella Amante, King Xerxes in Temistocle, among other performances. He placed 6th among the 9 finalists chosen out of 131 participants who joined the Sylvia Geszty International Voice Competition in Luxembourg in May. Based in Berlin, Jonathan graduated from the Hochschule de Kunste (Academy for the Arts) with a Master’s degree in Voice and Music Theater under noted pedagogue, Prof. Dr. Herbert Brauer.

These remarkable artists will also have their commemorative concert tour to selected cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao this August. The tour is part of the CCP Lakbay Sining 2001 and in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

Back to Jonathan's Homepage 1