Jeanne Marquez, first prize winner of the 2022 New York Laureate International Music Competition and the 2022 New York Young Performers Prize Competition, is all set for her outreach concert in Iloilo City July 26 with pianist Gabriel Allan Paguirigan.
Marquez was soloist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra under sensational Filipino-Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski in the fiendishly difficult Sibelius violin concerto in 2019.
The good news is that Marquez is Juilliard-bound this school year after passing auditions in four other distinguished music schools.
Of the five schools, she admits the Juilliard audition was really tough. “Juilliard is probably the hardest school to get into in an audition. I did not make it when I auditioned in 2016 and 2020 for my precollege studies. This year when I tried again, it was a now-or-never moment. I am happy I finally made it.”
Before leaving for Juilliard in New York Aug. 7, Marquez will give a full recital at the Performing Arts Hall of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas in Iloilo City at 4 p.m. on July 26. The concert is part of the cultural series that will celebrate 75 years of UP presence in the Visayas.
“I cannot help but be excited, and at the same time a little anxious,” Marquez said. “I have never been to Iloilo which I was told is the hometown of violin icon Gilopez Kabayao. I was also told descendants of composer Nicanor Abelardo will be watching the concert. I am sure Iloilo would be an awesome experience especially that I’d be working with a superb collaborating artist in the person of Kuya Gabby (Gabriel Paguirigan).”
The special piece close to her for her Iloilo performance is the Mendelssohn violin concerto. “I especially like the third movement. First time I played it was nine years ago. That moment was an eye-opener for me. I realized that I should practice more and that there are no shortcuts to a good performance.
“Mendelssohn’s concerto really made a mark on who I am as a musician. That piece made me realize that I will pursue music no matter what challenges I will face in the future.”
The other pieces she will play are Gardel’s “Por Una Cabeza,” Saint-Saens’ “Introduction et Rondo Cappricioso” and Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10 No. 3.” —CONTRIBUTED
For ticket reservations, text 0906-5104270.