MUSIC-LOVERS from all walks of life flocked to Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last Sept. 28 for the Kabayao family concert featuring Gilopez Kabayao and his three children—Sicilienne, Farida and Gilberto—on the violin, and Corazon Kabayao on the piano.
Gilopez Kabayao is celebrating 65 years of an illustrious concert career as an international violinist and musical crusader this year. He turns 85 years old next month.
This year also marks the 40th wedding anniversary of Gilopez and the former Corazon Pineda, and the 45th year of their musical partnership that started in 1969.
Program consisted of the Cesar Franck Sonata for Violin and Piano, Scherzo Tarantelle by Wieniawski, Trio in D Minor by Mendelssohn, “The Swan” by Saint-Saens, “Nais Ko” by Ryan Cayabyab, “Lift Up the Lamb” by Clydesdale, and Pampeana No. 1 by Ginastera.
CCP President Raul Sunico, a longtime friend of the couple, told the audience that if some had failed to see the movie, “Sound of Music,” then they were missing half of their life. He added that the Kabayao family “is our version of the Von Trapp family of that movie.”
“The Kabayaos are the epitome and example of what CCP stands for: artistic excellence, musical integrity, honesty, faithfulness and discipline,” Sunico added.
Rosalinda Orosa, eminent writer and music critic, spoke of the proselyting spirit that drove Gilopez and Corazon to perform through the decades “in dilapidated theater houses, improvised stages, sports arenas and even cockpits in remote villages,” thus spreading classical music to the masses and to tens of thousands of youth.
“The Kabayaos have unprecedentedly and tremendously enriched and continue to enrich the country’s musical life,” added Orosa.
Carmencita Abella, president of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, recalled that since Gilopez was conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1972 for Outstanding Public Service, he had not stopped being a “musical missionary, with his passion to share the ennobling and uplifting impact of classical music, especially to the broad masses of the Filipino people.”
During the family concert, Gilopez gave a performance of Cesar Franck that still commanded respect and admiration.