MSO Rush Hour Concert No. 2: A musical treat to reward a hard day’s night

Last Thursday, April 4, the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in partnership with the Ayala Museum presented Rush Hour Concert No. 2: Music for Strings. That evening, no chair was left unoccupied; in fact, chairs had to be added! It was a full house, and the air was thick with anticipation as the musicians took their seats. MSO’s Music Director Arturo Molina conducted the program with precision and mastery, while Executive Director Jeffrey Solares provided enlightening annotation on each piece.

 

The evening began with Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G Minor. The solo passages or concertino parts were played by Sara Maria Gonzales (Violin 1), Christian Tan (Violin 2), and Giuseppe Diestro (Cello). The air was filled with rich strains of music, and the audience was swept away to the Baroque period, a time of lavish ornamentation and color.

 

The audience was then treated to selections from Antonio Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons. Four young and promising violinists of the MSO were given the chance to shine, and shine they did, each giving brilliant performances. Benjamin Caaway rendered an elegant “Autumn,” Kim Mirandilla Ng played a formidable “Winter,” Christian Tan delivered a majestic “Spring,” and Lourdes Miguel offered an intense “Summer.”

 

The third piece was Georg Telemann’s Viola Concerto in G Major. The soloist was the MSO’s Viola Principal, Rey Casey Concepcion. He played the concerto with confident pulse and impeccable style. Particularly notable in his performance was his poignant execution of the third movement, Andante.

 

The final piece was the regal Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 of Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece showcased both the technique and musicality of all string sections, with the melody being played in turn by the violins, violas, cellos, and basses. The MSO string players delivered an excellent performance, filling the museum lobby with the marvelous music of Bach.

 

The audience was full of praises for the performance. Audience member Frank Holz exclaimed, “I didn’t know you could sound so good in this hall!” He also expressed how he liked how the annotation made the event very relaxed. MSO Executive Director and Annotator Jeffrey Solares mentioned that the MSO is “fortunate to have musicians that are capable soloists.” Indeed, the young soloists impressed Ayala Museum Director Mariles Gustilo, who observed that the concert “made the museum very alive.”

 

The MSO strings performed an encore that was a pleasant surprise for audience; many of the guests gave exclamations of delight when they realized that they were being treated to The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night,” Baroque style. The rendition featured a virtuosic solo violin part, essayed gracefully by Sara Maria Gonzales.

 

The encore piece was a fitting end to the program, for indeed, the second concert of MSO’s Rush Hour Concert Series was a satisfying cap to the “hard day’s night” of everyone present.

 

Catch the upcoming Rush Hour Concerts!

 

April 18   Music for Woodwinds

May 2     Music for Brasses and Percussion

May 22   MSO 2013 Season Launch

 

Tickets are sold at P300 per concert exclusively at the museum. For more information, call Paula Fernandez at (02) 7577117 to 21 or email museum_inquiry@ayalamuseum.org. Press release and photos from Manila Symphony Orchestra