Cebu is my comfort island once removed from Manila. The one-night-only show of Cecile Licad made it a double treat. Joy Onglatco produced the show, mixing the Old Guard society with 100 students from Sacred Heart School Alumni, Ateneo de Manila Alumni and Ateneo de Cebu Fund-Raiser for Sendong Survivors.

Fashion designer Oj Hofer, who’s into martial arts, best explained the lightning strikes of Licad on the baby grand piano’s keys, producing thunderous, rapturous and heart-wrenching interpretation of Chopin’s “Polonaise” and Liszt’s Sonata.

“Her music emanates from her core. She and her instrument are one, thus there exists full control of skill. Through the way she shifts her weight, I see how she channels energy from her core to her spine, shoulders, elbows, fingers, and to the keys,” said Oj.

“At one point, she lowered her right hand, lifted it in a large arch and struck the keys with the lightest touch, maintaining such lightness on preceding notes. This substantiated the idea of her ability to efficiently and effortlessly create soul-enriching music through her mastery of her own creative energy.”

Indeed it was some enchanted evening, the memory of which I will cherish. On this page are the lucky ladies who were part of that grand evening.