The future of our music scene looks bright in the hands of these skilled young musicians
When 24-year-old violinist Adrian Nicolas Ong held a solo recital at New York’s Carnegie Hall, he included in his repertoire two Filipino songs: “Bahay Kubo” variations by violinist Gilopez Kabayao (who incidentally was also the first Filipino violinist to have performed at the prestigious hall) and “Cavatina” by renowned composer Nicanor Abelardo.
“I really thought that since I’m Filipino, and not much Filipino music is played in that hall, it was a good opportunity,” he says of his performance.
Meanwhile, in London, young classical soprano Lizzie Bett Estrada would be performing her own recitals, also including Filipino classics. “I always add a Filipino song,” she says of her repertoire. “I’ve [sung] all these different languages, but [this Filipino song] is to remind you that this is where I’m from.”
Ong and Estrada are just two of the four scholars of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. These four young musicians have been pursuing musical education from some of the most prestigious institutions abroad, under the tutelage of some of the classical world’s renowned artists.
Mark Kenedy Rocas, a 29-year-old flutist, is completing his master’s in flute performance under multi-awarded flutist Sooyun Kim. Though of a modest demeanor, Rocas also bears a wealth of experience, having taken masterclasses with various renowned musicians and having completed a music degree from the University of the Philippines College of Music.
The youngest of the current batch of scholars, 19-year-old pianist Aidan Ezra Baracol appears prodigious, having joined and won several local and international piano competitions. At the press conference, which introduced the four young musicians, he also performed his own original composition, a charged piece called “The Smuggler.”
All alumni of the Philippine High School for the Arts, these extraordinary young musicians also all share a deep passion for promoting our country’s culture in their own ways.
They are set to have a free public concert with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) this weekend, July 27, to help deepen the public’s appreciation for the arts.
The universality of classical music
Promoting the genre is not as difficult as one might think. Although pop, hip-hop, and even P-pop currently dominate the airwaves, there is also a growing interest in the classical genre, as evidenced by now frequent orchestral concerts and other classical-leaning pocket events.
No Name, an independent events group, has become known for crafting third spaces, particularly candlelit concertos featuring a string quartet, with its guest lists always packed to the brim.
The Ayala Museum has also made similar efforts to promote orchestral performances through its Rush Hour concert series. Having staged over 40 performances, with themes ranging from video games to “Bach versus Beatles,” the sold-out concert series also served as a way to showcase the approachability of the genre, and how intertwined popular music could be with the classical genre.
We also see this in other forms of media. Netflix hit series “Bridgerton,” for example, has captured global success not just through its enthralling romance story but also through its unique scoring—using pop songs with a classical twist. Think grand ballroom scenes with a sweeping string rendition of Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” and Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” or a string quartet version of Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” backing a newlywed noble couple’s honeymoon.
The United Kingdom’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, in a report entitled “Embracing the future with confidence: The evolution of the orchestral audience in the digital age,” found that from 2018 to 2023, orchestral/classical music had increased in popularity. From 74 percent in 2018, 84 percent of people now wanted to experience an orchestral concert. They also found that popular concert formats featured music from musicals, film and TV soundtracks, and pop-classical crossovers.
And on TikTok, it’s not unlikely to find classically trained young music students brandishing their violins or saxophones, adding their own sections to breaks in pop songs, or in the same vein as “Bridgerton,” covering current chart toppers in their instrument and music style of choice. This was also how Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Laufey got her start, through jazzified song covers and posting snippets of her own compositions while playing the piano, guitar, or cello. The Icelandic-Chinese singer has since been on tour performing with philharmonic orchestras from different countries.
“I think that’s also a good way to showcase this kind of music,” Ong says of the popularity of classical music on social media. “I think it’s great. It’s good to be exposed to it. I think many people already appreciate it, they just don’t know it.”
He cites John Williams, who has famously composed soundtracks for films like “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter,” and “Indiana Jones” as one who takes inspiration from 19th century Romantic composers. “There’s a lot more of these kinds of music, if [people] can be more curious about it and have an open mind.”
Baracol echoes the sentiment, saying, “I’m very touched that a lot of people are appreciating classical music even more. [Seeing] it being performed, you know that it will reach a lot of audiences. It’s a very good prospect. I really love the musical climate these days.”
The young people’s concert
The four scholars are set to showcase what they’ve learned as well as some of their numerous musical inspirations in their upcoming concert at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium.
For Estrada, the concert is a dream come true. “When I was here (in the Philippines) I’ve always looked forward to playing with the PPO. Now that I’m home as a CCP scholar, I think that dream’s going to come true,” she says.
“I’m singing a comic aria by Donizetti. The first time I listened to it, I thought, this can be my character. You can tell when you’re going to be able to embrace a character really well. It’s a comic opera, so it’s fun,” the soprano shares.
Ong will also be performing one of his dream pieces at the concert. The piece, composed by Belgian violinist Eugene Ysayes, is based on an etude by French composer Saint Saens.
“This piece is very technical, it’s technically challenging. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always been curious about how to do this on the violin, how to make that sound. And to be able to do it now, to play it, to perform it with an orchestra is a dream come true.”
Rocas will be playing a Carl Reinecke flute concerto while Baracol will be performing Franz Schubert’s Rosamunde overture and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Aside from accompanying the scholars in their solos, the PPO, in keeping with the theme of a concert for (and with) the youth, will also be performing a medley of Disney classics, under the baton of their conductor Herminigildo Ranera.
A bright future for Philippine arts and culture
Though the scholars are still in the middle of their studies, they passionately talk about the dreams they hope to soon achieve.
Baracol and Estrada, who both study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, aim to be among the numerous performers who have graced the stage of Wigmore Hall. The performance venue is close to the academy and is also where they have seen musicians they admire perform.
For Rocas, the dream is less about iconic musicians to perform with or venues to hold concerts at and more about giving back to the country by contributing to music education. And it’s more than just the technicalities of music and performance, he says. An understanding of artistry, he shares from learnings abroad, is key to getting more people to comprehend and ultimately connect with music and art.
Listening to the scholars’ performances and hearing them talk about music is enough to make one feel hopeful about the future of arts and culture in the Philippines. Their earnestness towards connecting with their audience, of feeling open and free with music, and their ardor about the importance of the arts are as palpable as the resonant tones that emanate from each young musician.
“Lahat ng arts, nakakatulong sa pag-build ng culture ng isang bansa. Hindi lang classical; lahat ng klase ng art maganda. Lalo na ngayon, mas kailangan natin siya. Hindi lang siya basta palamuti sa buhay, kasama siya sa pagiging tao. Pagkain siya ng kaluluwa,” Rocas says.