For winning second place in the 11th Summa Cum Laude International Youth Festival in Vienna last July 8, the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) under the baton of Jeffrey Solares is rightly the orchestral ensemble of the year 2017.
Possibly the first Filipino orchestral ensemble to set foot in the famous Golden Hall of the Musikverein, considered one of the best concert halls in the world, MSJO stunned the Austrian jury and audiences with its unique musicianship which easily set it apart from other participants.
“We all feel blessed just being here in Europe and having this opportunity to play in these historic venues. Winning in the competition is just a bonus for us,” said Solares, who noted that the founders of the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) all came from the city of Vienna which is synonymous with the names of Mozart and Beethoven.
The MSJO played a 25-minute program that included Mozart’s Divertimento in D (the contest piece), Bartok’s Rumanian Folk Dances, Cayabyab’s “Ondoy Ondoy” which was specially composed for MSJO’s European concert tour. The winning performance was capped by Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings.
Earlier, the members of the MSJO attended the opening ceremonies at the St. Stephen Cathedral where Mozart got married and where he received the last rites when he died at the age of 35. They also visited the Mozart house in the historic city.
Now on its 12th year, the Summa Cum Laude Youth Music Festival in Vienna aims to bring into focus the next global musical generation composed of the best choirs, orchestras and symphonic bands from Australia, Canada, United States, Israel, Japan, China, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Thailand, Denmark, Spain.
Solares reflected on their Vienna sojourn: “In 1924, a man from Vienna, Dr. Alexander Lippay, came to Manila to establish the tradition of symphonic music in our country, founding one of the first orchestras in Asia, the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
In 1939, he was succeeded by another Viennese, Dr. Herbert Zipper, who continued the leadership of this orchestra and establish its place in our country’s musical history. Setting foot in Vienna for the first time with young Filipino musicians, indeed we have come full circle. We come all the way from the Philippines representing our more than 7,000 islands, our great tourist attractions and our passion for the arts.”
New MSO season
MSO ushers in the New Year with its season final on Jan. 20, 8 p.m., at The Theater at Solaire.
The concert features the world premiere of Alejandro Consolacion II’s Dekada ’70 Suite and culminates in a special performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.
Featured soloists are soprano Rachelle Gerodias-Park, baritone Byeong In Park and tenor Nomher Nival with Coro Tomasino and Viva Voce, under the baton of MSO principal conductor and music director Arturo Molina. –CONTRIBUTED
For tickets, call 5235712, Ticketworld at 8919999.
