A Musical Night at the Museum

Multi-awarded NAMCYA Winners top bill symphonic band concert 

PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA (July 25, 2018)— Outstanding winners of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists will captivate our hearts with “Serenata sa Ayala” on August 29, 2018 6:30pm at the Ayala Museum. Bask in a night of classical, contemporary and Filipino music featuring the 2016 NAMCYA Youth Symphonic Band First prize winner Cardona Ocho Band conducted by 2008 NAMCYA Oboe Category First prize winner Franz Ramirez, 2011 and 2015 NAMCYA Piano Category First prize winner Gabriel Allan Paguirigan, and 5-time NAMCYA Flute Category First prize winner John Raymond Sarreal. The concert is part of NAMCYA’s 45th Anniversary celebration, presented in partnership with Ayala Museum.

Throughout the years, NAMCYA has been at the helm of discovering and nurturing our young Filipino musicians to become successful world-class artists, and this year in celebration of their 45th Anniversary, they will highlight four of their most successful alumni.

2012 ALIW Awards Best Instrumentalist Nominee, and Sarreal Music Academy founder, John Raymond Sarreal is one of the few NAMCYA multiple category winners, bagging the 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2008 Flute category first prize on every age group he competed in. He has been featured twice as a soloist of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed with the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra (as principal flutist from 2004-2012), the Manila Symphony Orchestra, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. Raymond has been a part of both the South East Asian Youth Orchestra and the Asian Youth Orchestra which performed around Asia and Australia.

Another NAMCYA history maker is Gabriel Allan Paguirigan bagging the 2011 and 2015 Top Prizes in the piano category. The young virtuoso is now a sought-after piano instructor, concert pianist and collaborator featured several times by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. He was invited to perform in different venues around the Philippines, Asia, and Europe. Most recently, Gabby together with 2017 NAMCYA Flute Category 2nd Prize winner John Owen Castro, won the coveted Grand Prize at the Princess Galyani Vadhana International Chamber Music Competition in Thailand.

Cardona Ocho is a Brass Band started as a group of self-taught musicians from a fishing village in the eastern part of Rizal Province. The group was pioneered in the 1920’s by Jose Francisco, popularly known as Joseng Bombardino, aptly named for his mastery and musical eloquence with his “bombardino” {Euphonium}. Amando San Jose, also a self-taught musician, took over the reins and shaped the music of the band by both the discipline and the expressiveness of his character. In the 1980’s Cardona Ocho continued to grow musically capping the prestigious Serenata ’84 National Championship held at the Folk Arts Theater under the baton of Romeo San Jose, eldest son of Amando San Jose. In 2016, the group reigned supreme after winning the Grand Prize in the NAMCYA Youth Symphonic Band Competitions held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). For the coming concert, the group will be conducted by Franz Miguel Ramirez; 2008 NAMCYA Oboe Category First prize winner, ABS-CBN Philharmonic orchestra Principal Oboist, and Great Grandson of Amando San Jose.

The concert will be at the Ayala Museum on August 29, 2018, 6:30 PM and tickets are available via Ticketworld and Ayala Museum. Ticket prices are Php 1000, Php 700, Php 560 (Ayala Museum Members), Php 500 (Senior Citizens), and Php 300 (Students). 

NAMCYA has been a principal instrument in discovering major music talents from all over the country. Its projects have involved and continue to involve countless musicians, trainers, and administrators, all serving in the difficult but fulfilling process of selecting the best artists from all seventeen regions of the nation annually. The Foundation carries out a three-fold program: discovering outstanding young Filipino musicians from every region of the country through annual competitions; developing these musicians through Workshops and Training Programs, and enhancing and expanding the appreciation for and performance of Filipino music by way of mandated competition repertoire programs and commissioning of new works. (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/programs/the-namcya/) 

For more information, please call the NAMCYA Secretariat at +632 836 4928 to 29, +63 949 9932592, or email us at namcyainfo@gmail.com.

Plucking the Heartstrings

Symphony Orchestra, Rondalla Ensemble to open NAMCYA 2018 Concert Series

PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA (July 25, 2018) — A world premiere and choral works transcribed for strings will highlight the first concert in celebration of the NAMCYA 45th Anniversary. The National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA), in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines brings the strings on center stage as they kick-off the celebration with “Minsan Lang Kami Maging Musiko” at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The concert featuring NAMCYA winners, the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra, and Kuwerdas Filipinas (Philippine Rondalla Ensemble) will be staged on August 15, 2018 at 8:00 pm. Guests performers will include world-renowned Filipino choir Novo Concertante Manila, and International opera singers Jonathan Badon and Stefanie Quintin.

Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra

Stefanie Quintin

Jonathan Badon

Novo Concertante Manila

CEU Manila Singers 

“Performing in a prestigious venue such as the CCP comes in once in a lifetime for these young musicians,” says Dr. Renato B. Lucas, Secretary-General of the NAMCYA. “The NAMCYA provides platforms for them to experience musical excellence.”

The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) is the youth orchestra program of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. The group placed first, ex aequo, at the recently concluded Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival held in Vienna, Austria. The group is composed of the most advanced students of the MSO Music Academy and other qualified students ages 8 to 18 years old, some of which have participated and won prizes in the NAMCYA. MSJO is under the baton of Prof. Jeffrey Solares (NAMCYA 1990 Violin Category B 2nd Prize and 1993 Violin Category C 3rd Prize). Emanuel John Villarin (2016 Strings Semifinalist), Jeanne Rafaella Marquez (2016 Strings Second Place), and Damodar Das Castillo (2016 Strings Second Place), all members of the MSJO, will be featured soloists. They are presenting works by Vivaldi, Haydn, and selections from their competition repertoire including Nilo Alcala’s Dayo-dayo Kupita, and Benny Castillon’s Kruhay, both choral works transcribed for the string ensemble.

The newly-organized Kuwerdas Filipinas (Philippine Rondalla Ensemble) is a national rondalla ensemble composed of the participants of the First Rondalla Music Camp held in Baguio City in July 2017. Kuwerdas Filipinas presents a selection of rondalla-transcribed works by Mendelssohn, Abelardo, Brahms, among others. The ensemble will have a World Premiere of “Dambana,” composed by National Artist for Music Dr. Ramon Santos for rondalla and choir. To join the ensemble are NAMCYA Winners Nelson Quirit (2012 Solo Rondalla Instrument Third Prize), CEU Manila Singers (2017 Adult Choir Second Prize), plus soprano Stefanie Quintin, tenor Jonathan Badon, and Novo Concertante Manila. Under the directorship of National Artist for Music Dr. Ramon Santos, the Rondalla Music Camp and this year's 5th International Rondalla Festival is a project of the Musicological Society of the Philippines and the NAMCYA. The program seeks to elevate the Filipino rondalla into a state of prominence in the artistic realm of Philippine music and their public debut on August 15 will definitely usher in a new era for Philippine rondalla.

Tickets are now available at Ticketworld, CCP Box Office, and the NAMCYA Office and are priced at P800, P600, P400, P300, with 50% discount for students and 20% discount for PWD / Senior Citizens, Military and Government Employees. Call 891-9999 (Ticketworld), 836-4928 or 0917-7500107 (NAMCYA),www.namcya.com or www.ticketworld.com.ph for inquiries and purchase. 

NAMCYA has been a principal instrument in discovering major music talents from all over the country. Its projects have involved and continue to involve countless musicians, trainers, and administrators, all serving in the difficult but fulfilling process of selecting the best artists from all seventeen regions of the nation annually. The Foundation carries out a three-fold program: discovering outstanding young Filipino musicians from every region of the country through annual competitions; developing these musicians through Workshops and Training Programs, and enhancing and expanding the appreciation for and performance of Filipino music by way of mandated competition repertoire programs and commissioning of new works. (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/programs/the-namcya/) 

For more information, please call the NAMCYA Secretariat at +632 836 4928 to 29, +63 949 9932592, or email us at namcyainfo@gmail.com.