The Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo (ONT) will hold a series of concerts in Manila to celebrate the 40th year of the Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in February. The concerts are part of the Japan-Philippines Friendship Contemporary Music Festival.

 

The ONT performs in a chamber concert at the Philamlife Auditorium on Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m., featuring Ayumi Hirahara (piano); Hiroshi Shibayama (oboe); Japanese String Quartet composed of Takashi Hamano (violin I); Naoru Komiya (violin II); Go Tomono (viola); Ken’ichi Nishiyama (cello); the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) Woodwind Quartet composed of Rosemarie Poblete (flute); Ariel Sta. Ana (clarinet); Jose Jerry Samonte (bassoon); Ernani Pascual (horn); and the PPO String Quartet composed of Dino Akira Decena (violin I), Joanna Ruth Livioco (violin II), Joy Allan de La Cruz (viola), Herrick Ortiz (cello).

 

The musical pieces include “La Dance: Suite Pour Piano,” by Yasushi Akutagawa; “Nocturne in Eb Minor,” by Francisco Santiago; “North-Silver-Night (Winter) Op.93,” by Maki Ishii; “Maligayang Bati” (“Birthday Greeting”), by Francisco Buencamino; “Woodwind Boogie,” by Hal Goodman; “Violetango,” by Astor Piazzola; “Entre-Temps” (“Between Times”) for oboe and strings by Toru Takemitsu; “String Quartet Elegy,” by Tadashi Kubo; and “String Quartet,” by Manuel P. Maramba.

 

Under the baton of Japanese conductor Tatsuya Shimono, the ONT will perform Filipino and Japanese compositions in a special concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on Feb. 9, 8 p.m.

 

Program includes“ Symphonic Poem for Yokobue” (Japanese traditional transverse flute) and “Orchestra Op.60,” by Maki Ishii; “Symphony No. 1,” by Masashi Ishida; “Philippine Symphonic Folk Songs,” by Herminigildo G. Ranera; “By The Hillside,” by Antonino R. Buenaventura; and “Sinfonia Tapkaara,” by Akira Ifukube.

 

The ONT was established in September 2002 as an orchestra to succeed the aspirations of the late Yasushi Akutagawa, one of the most famous Japanese composers who left outstanding achievements in the music culture of modern Japan.

 

Aside from actively performing orchestral works of Japanese composers and introducing lost or long-forgotten works of both Japanese and foreign composers, another key activity of ONT is promoting international exchange at the grassroots level by widely interacting in various countries, mainly in Asia, and in various areas, not only through performances, but also through commissioning of new compositions.

 

The Orchestra Nipponica Tokyo concert event is endorsed by the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Embassy of the Philippines in Japan, Japan Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Manila Japanese Association, Manila Shinbun and South Japan Broadcasting.

 

Call CCP at 8321125 local 1409.