The Cultural Center of the Philippines with the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation, Inc. presents pianists Rene Dalandan and Marites Fernandez, in “DANZAS: A Duo Piano Concert,” on Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m., at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, CCP Little Theater.
They will give the premiere performance of the three major works in the program: Points of Jazz: A Ballet by Dave Brubeck; Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein, arranged by John Musto; and Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Dalandan won first prize, Piano Category B, in the 1st National Music Competitions for Young Artists (Namcya). He has a Bachelor of Music degree, Major in Piano, magna cum laude, at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music, under Aida Sanz Gonzalez, and a Masters of Music in Piano degree at the Mannes College of Music under the tutelage of Nina Svetlanova. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano at the Manhattan School of Music and gave his solo debut recital at Carnegie Hall as winner of the 1984 Artists International Competition in New York.
The New York Times praised Dalandan’s “technical command”, where his “playing brought heady excitement, realized with sensitivity and spontaneity.”
Fernandez was known as “the child genius of the ivories” since she was three years old. Enjoying full scholarship from the Foundation of Gifted Children, she completed her Bachelor of Music in Piano and Artist’s Diploma at the UST Conservatory of Music under the virtuoso pianist Benjamin Tupas, with special coaching from Sanz Gonzalez. She earned Masters of Music in Piano at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, studying with Walter Hausig and Ellen Mack. While still at Peabody, Marites was awarded the Austin Conadi Piano Scholarship. According to critics such as The Review, Vancouver, Canada, Fernandez was praised for her “great display of technical skill and endurance” as well as “mesmerizing” performance.
Proceeds will benefit the Aida Sanz Gonzalez Memorial Fund to preserve and promote the legacy of a committed and dedicated piano mentor to the present and future pianists and teachers, thru sponsorships of scholarships, workshops and the production of a book on Piano Pedagogy based on her teachings.
Tickets are available at P500 and P1,000. For inquiries, call Cora at 0917-8327292 or Liene at 0917-3000755, 0998-5414531.