UP Orchestra Plays at the CCP

The University of the Philippines Orchestra heralds the start of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the UP College of Music in 2016 with a concert at 8 PM, September 1, 2011 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Billed Countdown to a Century, the concert will feature pianist Nita Abrogar-Quinto with the UP Orchestra with conductors Michi Martinez and Rodney Ambat.

The UP Orchestra was revitalized in 2003 by Dean Ramon Acoymo at the UP College of Music. It serves two purposes, that of a laboratory class for string and wind majors and as one of the University’s performing groups. The UP Orchestra has made significant contribution to the university by the uplifting the standard of training that students receive in orchestral performance studies. It gears itself towards developing more symphonic programs while striving to be the best training venue of the future professional orchestral musicians of the country. It has had many successful performances, some which have featured the country’s most distinguished artists.

The 65-strong UP Orchestra is under the shared directorship of Prof. Edna Marcil “Michi” Martinez and Prof. Rodney Ambat.

For the concert at the CCP, the UP Orchestra will perform two works by Beethoven, namely the Coriolan Overture and Symphony No. 1, under the baton of Prof. Rodney Ambat, in the first half of the program. Prof. Edna Marcil Martinez leads the Orchestra in the second half of the program feature Britten’s Simple Symphony for Strings, Abelardo’s Piano Concerto with Nita Abrogar-Quinto as soloist, and Antonino Buenaventura’s By the Hillside.

Countdown to a Century will raise funds for the UP College of Music Alumni Association (UPCMuAA) which promotes the development and training of young Filipino musicians. In particular, the concert is a fundraising effort for the UPCMuAA Students’ recital fund and the development of the UP Orchestra.

For tickets and information, please call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704, CCP Music Division at 832-2314 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

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Necro Rites for National Artist Edith Tiempo in Dumaguete City

THE National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) pay homage to the late National Artist for Literature Edith Tiempo. Necrological Rites will be held at Dumaguete City on August 29, 2011, 9 a.m., at the Silliman Church and interment at the Dumaguete Memorial Park on the same day. The tribute by the artists community at the CCP will be announced. Tiempo passed away last August 21.

A poet, teacher, fictionist and literary critic, Edith Tiempo was one of the finest writers in English in the country. Her works were characterized by a remarkable fusion of style and substance, of craftsmanship and insight. Her poems were intricate verbal transfigurations of significant experiences as shown in her much anthologized pieces, “The Littlest Marmoset” and “Bonsai”. She was an influential tradition in Philippine literature in English, where Filipino sensibility was fully expressed as exemplified in her Abide, Joshua and Other Stories (1992) and His Native Coast (1979) which won the CCP Award for the Novel.

Together with her late husband Edilberto K. Tiempo, she founded and directed the Silliman National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City, which until now, has trained and produced some of the country’s best creative writers in English. She was a recipient of several awards from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and the Philippines Free Press literary contests and the Elizabeth Luce Moore Distinguished Asia Professor Award (1978) and has received grants and fellowships from Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Asia Foundation. She was listed in the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poets and Poetics, the International Authors and Writers Who’s Who, (Cambridge,1977), the Contemporary Living Poets in the English Language (London) and the Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World (Philadelphia, 1998).

Edith Tiempo was conferred the National Artist Award for Literature in 1999. She is survived by son Maldon, daughter Rowena T. Torrevillas, son-in-law Lemuel and grandchildren.

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Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) 29th Season

September 9, 2011
PPO SEASON CONCERT I
“A HERO’S LIFE”

Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Renato Lucas, soloist
Saint-Saens, Camille - Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah
Elgar, Edward - Cello Concerto
Strauss, Richard - Ein Heldenleben

October 7, 2011
PPO SEASON CONCERT II
“MUSICAL LANDSCAPES”

Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Ariel Sta. Ana, clarinet
Revueltas, Silvestre - Sensemaya
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - Clarinet Concerto
Pena, Angel - Igorot Rhapsody
Respighi, Ottorino - Feste Romane

November 11, 2011
PPO SEASON CONCERT III
“JAE JOON LEE AND BUI CONG DUY”

Jae Joon Lee, conductor
Bui Cong Duy, violin
Brahms, Johannes - Academic Festival Overture
Bruch, Max - Violin Concerto
Berlioz, Hector- Symphonie Fantastique

December 16, 2011
PPO SEASON CONCERT IV
“ARIEL DECHOSA’S RETURN”

Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Ariel Dechosa, piano
Ravel, Maurice - Le Tombeau de Couperin
Beethoven, Ludwig van - Piano Concerto 4
Rachmaninoff, Sergei - Symphony No. 2


January 20, 2012
PPO SEASON CONCERT V
“THE INEXTINGUISHABLE”

Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Takahiro Ono, trombone
Dvorak, Antonin - Czech Suite
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai - Trombone Concerto
Nielsen, Carl - Symphony No. 4 “Inextinguishable”

February 17, 2012
PPO SEASON CONCERT VI
“JAMES JUDD AND THE ITALIAN SYMPHONY”

James Judd, conductor
Vesa-Matti Leppanen, violin
Bernstein, Leonard - Overture to Candide
Beethoven, Ludwig van - Violin Concerto
Mendelssohn, Felix - Symphony No. 4 “Italian”

***Venue of James Judd and the Italian Symphony concert will be Philamlife Theater

March 16, 2012
PPO SEASON CONCERT VII
"Gerodias and Bruckner"

Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Rachel Gerodias, soprano
Arias, kundimans and more
Bruckner, Anton
Symphony No. 4 "Romantic"Buenaventura, Antonino - By the Hillside

April 20, 2012
PPO SEASON CONCERT VIII
“OCHANINE CONDUCTS THE RITE OF SPRING”

Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Sofya Gulyak, piano
Brahms, Johannes - Piano Concerto
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

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ART IS NOT A CRIME - An Online Art Exhibit

There are two functions of Art in society, one is to mirror all it's glory and beauty, the other is to mirror all it's grotesque misery. The former encourages it to surpass itself, the latter makes it look at itself in a new way that it may avoid decay.

Art is not a crime, those who stifle it are.

ART IS NOT A CRIME
An online art exhibit

http://artisnotacrime.tk/

Featuring the works of:
Marius Black | JL Burgos | Benjie Belgica | Rustom Casia | Xander Calceta | Jeff Carnay | Ceej Gomera | Sarah Geneblazo | Racquel de Loyola | J.Luna | Kim Oliveros | Kirby Roxas | Noel Pocot | Mark Villanueva | Louella Suque | Chen Breva | Paolo Castro | Menk Cruzat | Cherry Hilao | Irish Flores | Jehan Manansala | Niel Marcelino | Macoy Bacay | George Barrios | Janice Cortez | Leo Dilay | Dan Duran | Pepper Hernandez | Monique Laurel | Krisette Lacuesta | Diana Clara Mendoza | Cha "Cherry Red" Roque | Noel Jordan Racca | Jepren Solis


A Rezureccion Art Project exhibition

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NCCA Opens ManilArt 2011

The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Bonafide Art Galleries Organization (Bago) will open ManilArt 2011 on Aug. 24-27 at the NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

ManilArt 2011, the 3rd Philippine International Art Fair, is the country’s biggest gathering of galleries with diverse and vibrant art expositions.

“Viewers shall witness a groundbreaking launch—the simultaneous opening of various art exhibitions during gala night,” ManilArt 2011 director Delan Lopez Robillos said.

“Exhibitors will not simply be showcasing the works of artists, but each gallery shall be presenting a conceptualized art exhibit,” he added.

The maiden run of ManilArt in 2009 had a painting of a jeepney by Onib Olmedo as its banner piece, while 2010 bared Andres Barrioquinto’s “Crystal Gazer.”

This year, ManilArt is privileged to have the artistry of highly sought painter Elmer Borlongan with his obra “Batang Edsa.”

This year's fair features more than 300 represented artists and hundreds of artworks on display. ManilArt 2011 seeks to merge the visual arts with other disciplines.

Programs will include a modern-dance interpretation of Borlongan’s art by premier contemporary-dance maven and Dance Forum founder, Myra Beltran during the gala.

In conjunction with promoting Philippine art, the art fair’s goals are to compound visitorship and strengthen support from both local and foreign exhibitors.

A series of live sketching sessions will run every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Mercato Centrale in Bonifacio Global City.

Artists will show how they perceive the same subject as they create their work from scratch. Among the featured artists are NCCA-National Committee on Visual Arts head Nemiranda and artists Al Perez, Jun Martinez, Cee Cadid, and Raul Isidro.

For details, call 5316231 or 0917-8511333, or e-mail info@manilart.com. Visit www.manilart.com.

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UMPIL Holds Its 37th Annual Congress

UMPIL HOLDS ITS 37TH ANNUAL CONGRESS, THE RIZAL SESQUICENTENNIAL LITERARY CONFERENCE FOR TEACHERS, AND THE 24TH “GAWAD PAMBANSANG ALAGAD NI BALAGTAS” RITE ON 25-27 AUGUST 2011

As a commemorative event and important part of its annual convention, the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) will hold the Rizal Sesquicentennial Literary Conference for Teachers on 25-27 August 2011 at the Claro M. Recto Hall, College of Arts and Letters, Rizal Building, College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Guest of honor is National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera.

On 25-26 August (Thurs-Frid), respected scholars will deliver papers on the works of Jose Rizal, each one assigned a particular literary genre and is expected to give new insights on the subject. Dr. Soledad S. Reyes (Ateneo de Manila) will tackle the novels, Dr. Virgilio S. Almario (UP Diliman) the poems, Dr. Paul A. Dumol (University of Asia and the Pacific) the plays, and Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo (Ateneo de Manila and UP Diliman) the essays. To further inspire teachers to find new methods of teaching the Rizal course, veteran educators will demo-teach on poetry (Prof. Danilo Francisco M. Reyes), plays (Dr. Jerry Respeto), and essays (Dr. Corazon Lalu-Santos).

On 27 August, the annual UMPIL members convention features the Panayam Adrian Cristobal (public intellectual lecture series), a booklaunch, a literary forum, and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas. All the previous recipients of the Gawad are invited to attend this whole-day event.

It is in honor of the late Adrian E. Cristobal, essayist, fictionist and playwright, and in homage to the Public Intellectual, that UMPIL and the Cristobal family jointly initiated the Adrian E. Cristobal Lecture series last year. The first lecturer of the series was poet Gemino Abad. The 2011 lecturer is National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario. His book Rizal: Makata (Anvil Publishing, 2011) will be launch after the lecture.

The Writers Forum, with the topic “Ang Realismong Panlipunan at ang Pagsulat ng Kontemporaneong Nobela sa Filipinas” (Social Realism and the Writing of the Contemporary Filipino Novel) will feature three of the most engaging fictionists today: Mario I. Miclat, of the The Secret of the Eighteen Mansions fame; Genevieve Asenjo, who wrote Lumbay ng Dila; and Edgar Samar, author of Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog.

The Congress’ main event is the awards ceremony of the “Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas” for Filipino writers who have produced outstanding works and have dedicated their lives and talents to the development, propagation, and promotion of Philippine literature. The 2011 Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas awardees are Herminio Beltran (Poetry in Filipino), Fanny A. Garcia (Fiction in Filipino), Elmer A. Ordoñez (Essay in English), Crisostomo Ilustre (Fiction in Iluko), Maria Luisa S. Defante-Gibraltar (Fiction in Hiligaynon), and Sze Manchi (Poetry in Chinese).

Paz Verdades M. Santos receives the Gawad Paz Marquez for Outstanding Educator in the field of literature and The Varsitarian of the University of Santo Tomas the Gawad Pedro Bucaneg for providing a bright guiding light to talents that later contributed in no small measure to national life.

The event is made possible by the support of the Adrian Cristobal Foundation, UP Institute of Creative Writing, and the UP College of Arts and Letters. The Office of the Chancellor-UP Diliman and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd) endorse the conference.

UMPIL members, teachers, and other interested parties are encouraged to participate in the conference as well the convention. The Conference has a registration fee of P3,000 and the Convention P500 for new and current organization members.

For details, call Ms. Eva Cadiz c/o UP Institute of Creative Writing, 9221830. Or email the conference director and UMPIL Secretary General Michael M. Coroza at mcoroza@ateneo.edu.

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Open House @ Filipinas Heritage Library

BOOK AT THE LIBRARY

On the occasion of the Filipinas Heritage Library’s 15th year, we are hosting an open house for the venues that we offer for both corporate and personal celebrations.

On August 26 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., interested clients will be given a tour of all the event venues by our event coordinators.

You can also avail of the following perks:

·Get tablescape ideas or possible themes for your next event. Our preferred caterers will present thematic table settings.

·Select the suitable menu for your meetings or social gatherings. Caterers will provide menu selections, including sampling of select food items.

·Meet your other party needs through the different event suppliers who will be present during the open house. Ask about discounts and packages as some promotional activities will be conducted at their respective booths.

·Get a free discount voucher, which entitles you to a 15% discount on room rental. An additional 5% discount will be extended to those who will reserve on the day or will book an event that falls on a Monday.

Admission is free of charge. Freebies await the first 100 guests to register.

To sign up or get more details, please contact us:

Tel 892-1801
Mobile 0917-5594417
Fax 892-1810
venues@filipinaslibrary.org.ph
www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph

* Booth sponsors/exhibitors are also welcome to participate.

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PETA Battles Shakes-fear with Rap and Hip-hop

Young peeps with caps and blings are found rolling rap rhythms, chanting complicated metaphors while bouncing high-energy hip-hop numbers. Sounds like a Gloc 9 concert or the latest FlipTop Battle in Manila, ain’t it? But it ain’t one. It’s Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) new Shakespeare rap musical, “William”.

After the success of “Care Divas”, PETA ventures into another ambitious feat. The company, known for its distinctly Filipino theater, focuses on William Shakespeare whose literary works, no matter how great they may be - has horrified many a Filipino student to tears.

Directed by PETA Artistic Director, Maribel Legarda, “William” familiarizes young people with the beauty of Shakespeare’s works and re-invents the Bard using rap rhythm and hip-hop beats.

Shakespeare and rap alchemy

Some may say, “Shakespeare and rap ain’t mixin”. Sure. Shakespeare may not sound as the hippest poet that ever lived, but the Bard is arguably the world’s original rapper.

Shakespeare’s works, just like our rap hits today, are based on beats, rhythm and rhyme. He also first addressed the themes of desire, greed, betrayal, power, violence and love, ages before Eminem did. Besides, Shakespeare just like modern rappers today wrote for ordinary people - his peeps, and his signature iambic pentameter was the best street rhyming of his time.

“I brought in rap and hip-hop as the contemporary voice and language of young people today. I hope that Shakespeare’s poetry and today’s rap (ang bagong balagtasan) find a point of conversation and evolve into engaging dialogue and drama,” Legarda shares.

The cast of “William” trained rap under a true Tondo rapper, Shielbert Manuel, a.k.a "O.G. Sacred" who has appeared in the indie filmTribu (Best Film, Cinemalaya 2007, Pari De L' Avenir, Festival de Paris 2008) by Jim Libiran.

“William” features ten original rap songs composed by Jeff Hernandez. Songs such as “Pucha Bro”, “Nosebleed”, “O Shakespeare”, “What’s In A Name” are fusions of various music genres, like rock, soul, funk, RnB and hip-hop. “William” also utilizes an emerging form of rap, FlipTop, which is becoming more popular among today’s youth. These rap numbers, choreographed by John Tan, (from Urban Dance Crew) are performed along with various hip-hop forms, such as: crumping, breakdance, ballroom and jazz hip-hop.

Reminiscent of today’s popular TV musicals such as Glee and High School Musical, “William” is set in a high school in Metro Manila, where five young students are forced to study Shakespeare by their terror class adviser, Ms. Lutgarda Martinez.

In the process of studying, they not only realize the beauty of Shakespeare’s works but also discover themselves through Shakespeare’s characters. The class muse, Sophia, finds out what true beauty is through "Romeo and Juliet"; the bully, TJ, encounters humility and grace through "Hamlet"; the brainy OFW's daughter, Estela, learns forgiveness while the student council leader, Richard, learns self-acceptance through "Merchant of Venice"; and a timid lad, Erwin, finds his voice through "Julius Caesar".

This high school barkada soon realize that Shakespeare is not just a literary icon meant to torment their lives, but is also a brotha andpeer.

Be fear-less! Shake off your Shakes-fear. The Bard may be old and his English might make your nose bleed, but the Bard sure knows how to break-it-down.

“William” play dates are August 19-21, 26-28, September 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 2011 with shows at 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. The PETA Theater Center is located at No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City.


“William” is supported by EYP.ph, Juice.ph, ClickTheCity.com, Business World, HerWord.com, SPOT.ph, 2ndAvenue and JackTV. Tickets are Php350 (regular) and Php500 (vip). For inquiries and ticket reservations, contact PETA Marketing & PR Office at 725-6244 or 410-0821, 0917-5765400, petatheater@gmail.com.

Schedules may change without prior notice.

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10 Finalists of the 4th SILVERSHORTS.MOV 2011

"Pick up a camera. Shoot something. No matter how small, no matter how cheesy, no matter whether your friends and your sister star in it. Put your name on it as director. Now you're a director. Everything after that you're just negotiating your budget and your fee." – James Cameron



.MOV Fest asked for shorts, and you gave us shorts – more than a hundred of them, in fact. Thanks to all who submitted. The quantity and quality of the entries we received overwhelmed. Choosing the 10 best entries was a tough row for our programmers – Chard Bolisay, Dodo Dayao, & Oggs Cruz– to hoe, but hoe it they did. Here are the ten finalists for the 4th edition of the SILVERSHORTS Philippine Short Film Competition.

SILVERSHORTS.MOV 2011
(in alphabetical order)

1. JAN PHILIPPE V. CARPIO: Coverage
2. RICHMOND GARCIA: Numbalikdiwa
3. TIMMY HARN: Panty
4. CHUCK HIPOL: Man of the House
5. JON LAZAM: Hindi Sa Atin Ang Buwan [The Moon Is Not Ours]
6. JET LEYCO: Patlang [Blank]
7. GYM LUMBERA: Dahil Sa 'Yo [Because Of You]
8. MARK MIRABUENOS: Gupit [Cut]
9. LITO TABAY: Undo
10. ALVIN YAPAN: Panibugho [Jealousy]

The members of this year's Silvershorts jury are Vanja Kaludjercic (Croatia), Joel Shepard (USA),Kong Rithdee (Thailand), and Chris Fujiwara (Japan).

The 10 Silvershorts shortfilms will be premiered on September 1, Thursday, at The Podium, 11:30am to 5:30pm along with the premieres of Tan Chui Mui’s A Year Without Summer (Malaysia), Khavn De La Cruz’s Breather, and John Torres’ Mapang-akit. That same day, you can catch the opening film Bela Tarr’s The Turin Horse, short films for Alexis Tioseco & Nika Bohinc, and the launch of the DVD “Cinema Is Love: Best of .MOV Fest 2002-2008” containing five of the winning Silvershorts films) in the evening. Repeat screenings of the 10 Silvershorts finalists will be held at the UP Film Center from September 2 to 6.

Previous Silvershorts filmmakers include John Torres, Quark Henares, Sherad Anthony Sanchez, Kiri Dalena, Ato Bautista, Pam Miras, Arleen Cuevas, and Ray Gibraltar.

4th .MOV International Film, Music, & Literature Festival
September 1 to 6, 2011
The Podium, Ayala Museum, & UP Film Center
www.movfest.org

In the name of the revolution

4th .MOV International Film, Music, & Literature Festival
http://movfest.org/

Everything that your shattered heart desires
http://khavndelacruz.org

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