THE 2016 Baguio Summer Music Festival ended with a well-received clarinet spectacular featuring Namcya winner Andrew Constantino with pianist Gabriel Paguirigan.

 

As if by coincidence, the movements from Paul Reade’s Suite from “The Victorian Kitchen Garden”—as brilliantly interpreted by clarinetist Andrew Constantino at the Hill Station in Baguio City last week—reflected very much what you like about the highland city.

 

It was an apt opener and it showed how a clarinet can fare beside other instruments in terms of doing justice to highly lyrical pieces.

 

The Richard Stolzman arrangement of Bach’s Largo (from “Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra”) and the clarinet reading of Saint-Saens’ The Swan (known in the ballet circuit as the “Dying Swan”) further defined Constantino’s lyrical side and the effort I would deem heroic as producing those sounds is not as easy as producing them on a piano or violin.

 

From Gershwin’s “Three Preludes” arranged by Jay Gach to the Frank Bannet arrangement of “Fascinatin’ Rhythm,” “Embraceable You” and “I Got Rhythm,” Constantino, accompanied by pianist Paguirigan, gave us a worthy showcase of the clarinet as a formidable instrument.

 

From what one could sense in the clarinet recital, the interpreter should have the basic things to pull up a one-hour performance. Indeed, you need a lot of air to articulate notes and change dynamics.

 

Egged on by a highly responsive crowd, Constantino and Paguirigan obliged with two encores: Ernani Cuenco’s “Nahan” and “Gaano Kita Kamahal” one of which which he dedicated to the indefatigable Elizabeth Lolarga who is one of the active organizers of the concert series in this highland city.

 

The summer music treat was made possible by Cultural Arts Events Organizer, Hill Station, NCCA, Smart and Genesis Transport.