Pianist Cristine Coyiuto and conductor Josefino “Chino” Toledo of the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra (MMCO) will forge tandem again in Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F on Nov. 28, Friday, 8 p.m. at the Audi Global City Auditorium on 11th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Billed “Gershwin Plus,” the concert will feature works of other composers such as Bernstein, Copland and Dvorak.
Coyiuto says the spirited melodies of the late American composer inspired her to select the piece for the concert.
“After having performed the Khachaturian Concerto last year and the Mozart K488 this past July, I thought it would be quite interesting and fun to do a different genre this time with the MMCO—the Gershwin Concerto in F,” she says.
“What attracted me most to this piece was its exciting rhythms, with a touch of Charleston dance and blues, the unique combination of jazz and classical elements, interjected with a bit of the American Broadway theater, ” she adds.
Poetess of the Piano
Coyiuto is considered one of the country’s most outstanding and admired pianists. She continues to enjoy overwhelmingly critical acclaim.
Her concerts have earned her such titles as Pianist’s Pianist and Poetess of the Piano. She has been hailed a “virtuoso” for “carving out singing tones.”
A recipient of a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, New York, Coyiuto was a lauréate of the Académie Internationale de Musique “Maurice Ravel” in St. Jean-de-Luz, France, and Genève Conservatoire in Switzerland.
She has given numerous recitals and appeared as an orchestral soloist in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines.
Premiering Asian works
Toledo is founding music director and conductor of MMCO. He has been given the Outstanding Young Man award. He is noted for premiering works of Filipino and Asian composers.
As conductor of the MMCO, he has led orchestra in 14 concert seasons, all to critical acclaim.
In September 2013, his work, “Mga Sulyap sa Simbahan ng Quiapo mula sa Kalye Echague” (Glimpses of Quiapo Church from Echague Street) for 18 instruments was premiered by the New Juilliard Ensemble at the Juilliard’s Peter Sharp Theatre in New York City.
Completing the “Gershwin Plus” program are Bernstein’s “Candide Overture,” Copland’s “Rodeo,” and Dvorák’s “American Suite.”
“Gershwin Plus” will also be mounted at Santuario de La Salle in Bacolod on Nov. 19; Luce Auditorium at Silliman University, Dumaguete City, on Nov. 21-22, with selections from “Harry Potter” and the “Phantom of the Opera.”
Joining the MMCO in the Dumaguete concerts are flutist Crystal Rodis, who will be performing Griffes’ “Poem;” and violinist Kristine Claire Uchi-Galano, who will be performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto Third Movement.
The concert is presented with the support of Prudential Guarantee, PGA Cars, Air21, Cebu Pacific, Lyric Piano, and Lettered L.
For tickets and inquiries on the Nov. 28 concert, call tel. 8131866 or 0917-8226192 and MMCO at 5337629 or 0915-5244085.
