Steinway artist Ang Li journeys from China to Chopin in piano concert at the CCP

August 31, 2014, 7:30 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Ang Li, piano

Pianist and Steinway artist Ang Li takes music lovers to a journey from China to Chopin with Love on a one night concert happening on August 31, 2014 at 7:30 PM at Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Ang Li began playing the piano by ear at age one. Ang Li made her first public appearance at Beijing Concert Hall at age six. At age thirteen, she made her orchestral debut with the Little Orchestra Society of New York at Avery Fisher Hall. In 2007, Ms. Li was invited by The China National Center for the Performing Arts in the performance of the Ravel Piano Concerto in G major with the China National Symphony Orchestra. She was re-engaged to perform at that venue with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra in 2008. She has also performed with the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Staten Island Symphony, The Lanaudière Music Festival Orchestra, City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, and the American Academy of Conducting Orchestra.

Pianist Ang Li

Li is ranked among the top classical pianists in the World by The Cliburn Competition (2009) and has appeared at  Carnegie Hall, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Ruïnekerk of Bergen in the Netherlands, Hong Kong City Hall, Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, among others. She gained national renown after winning the OSM Standard Life Competition, in which she was awarded the First Prize in the B category, Best Interpretation of a Canadian Work Prize, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Prize, Radio-Canada Prize, Galaxie Rising Stars Award, and the Jeunesses Musicales of Canada Award. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from The Curtis Institute of Music, a Master's Degree from The Juilliard School, and an Artist Diploma from Texas Christian University.

In 2013, Li performed solo concerts and recital programs in seven countries. Li’s repertoire includes full length performances of Chopin, Brahms, and Liszt; other frequent concert additions include works by Mozart, Beethoven, Ravel and Schubert. Li is a Steinway Artist.

Ticket prices:

P1000 Orchestra Center

P800 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3704

MSO V: Classics - MSO Turns 88

The Manila Symphony Orchestra

Featuring:

Jayson Pagtakhan, oboe

Randolf Lopez, clarinet

Ariel Perez, bassoon

Celso de Leon, horn

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Franz Joseph Haydn Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob. 1/88

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon, K. 297b

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21

The Manila Symphony Orchestra’s concert at the Santiago Francisco Hall marking their 88^th year was a classical music overload. The orchestra’s music director and principal conductor Arturo Molina prepared an evening packed with classical era works by Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. The concert also gave the spotlight to four of the MSO’s musicians namely oboist Jasyon Pagtakhan, clarinetist Randolf Lopez, bassoonist Ariel Perez, and horn player Celso de Leon.

The concert started with Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob. 1/88. The 88^th year of the MSO played a huge part in the selection of this symphony among the 106 that Haydn composed. To make the audience appreciate the music in the concert more, the MSO’s executive director Jefrey Solares took to the stage and briefly introduced the pieces. Solares also mentioned that Haydn is credited to be the father of the symphony and that he somewhat cooked up the form and bunched up the movements that make up the symphony as we know it today. It may sound complicated at first but Haydn’s work, specifically this one, is anything but. The movements only featured a single theme, later developed before returning back to it, which can be recalled very easily.

Things did get more complicated with the next piece which was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon, K. 297b. First of all, this piece is still in question whether this was composed by Mozart at all. It sounds like a Mozart piece but there is no clear evidence that would refute all doubts as to who the real composer of this piece really was. Solares told the audience to listen carefully to the soloists, oboist Jasyon Pagtakhan, clarinetist Randolf Lopez, bassoonist Ariel Perez, and horn player Celso de Leon and take note of how the balance between the four was carefully crafted. And he also mentioned that in this piece, there would be a secondary theme which was a development during the classical period.

Jefrey Solares prior to raffling off an iPad Mini to one lucky MSO subscriber

Lastly, the orchestra performed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21, a work that pushed the boundaries of music in the classical period before going into the romantic era. Solares then explained that one of the innovations that Beethoven introduced to the symphony was the speeding up of the third movement, traditionally a stately dance called the minuet, into what would later be the scherzo which is a joke in Italian. It is only fitting that the concert was capped with this piece since everything went full circle near the end. During the final movement of this symphony, Beethoven directly took the theme from the final movement of Haydn’s 88^th symphony, the same one that was performed by the orchestra at the start of the concert.

By the end of the Beethoven symphony, I already had my fill of music from the classical era but the audience certainly did not as they demanded more. The orchestra obliged with another Mozart piece, the Overture from The Marriage of Figaro. I admit that it was too much classical era music for me in one concert and that it made me want to listen to some romantic music afterwards. But this concert that marked the end of MSO’s Color Your World season did make me comprehend once again how music progressed during the classical era.

PPO V: The Four Seasons

Violinists Ruth and Jondee Livioco

Featuring:

Joanna Ruth Livioco, violin

Jonathan David Livioco, violin

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Programme:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture from Die Zauberflöte, K.620

Antonio Vivaldi Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons)

                      Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, La primavera (Spring)

                      Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, L'estate (Summer)

                      Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, L'autunno (Autumn)

                      Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, L'inverno (Winter)

Antonín Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, B. 178, From the New World

For one night, the Meralco Theater resonated with some of the most popular works in classical music during The Four Seasons concert by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra led by its principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine. Siblings Joanna Ruth Livioco and Jonathan David Livioco were the night’s featured soloists for Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons which is the orchestra’s most requested piece.

But first, the orchestra played Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Overture from Die Zauberflöte, K.620, which was a late addition to the concert lineup. This short piece gave me enough time to assess the acoustics of the Meralco Theater before getting into the night’s main draws. And I found the hall dry sounding and got a bit worried since it was difficult for me to hear most of the winds.

Conductor Olivier Ochanine

With the Mozart piece out of the way, it was time for the main piece for many in the audience, The Four Seasons. Ruth and Jondee split soloist duties with the Ruth doing Spring and Summer, while Jondee did Autumn and Winter. And right off the bat, a lot in the audience responded positively once they recognized the very familiar opening of this piece. There were times when both struggled a bit with intonation and some tricky passages but it looked like most of the audience didn’t notice the slips at all. Even if I’m not too keen about this piece, one thing that I liked about the performance was the inclusion of the harpsichord played by Dingdong Fiel. This gave this particular Four Seasons added color and texture setting it apart from the previous times I’ve seen this piece performed.

Up next, during the second half of the concert was the orchestra’s rendition of another popular piece,  Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, B. 178, which is also known as From the New World. My worries about the winds getting drowned was justified during this part. Despite the best efforts of the conductor and the rest of the orchestra, the acoustics of the hall weren’t able to let the winds penetrate through clearly especially during the orchestral tutti parts. Thankfully, the English horn didn’t have to compete with the rest of the orchestra to be heard during the exquisite and very popular second movement.

I can imagine that most of the audience had a relaxing and enjoyable night listening to the popular and familiar pieces at the concert. But for me, it was the opposite. I think that one of the perils in having extremely popular pieces performed live is that some people, myself included, tend to have very high expectations and most importantly, have a preferred version of the pieces already etched in their heads. It meant that every deviation from my preferred version, like a slower tempo or not doing a repeat, could possibly have a jarring and distracting effect on me. My brain, overly familiar with the tunes, could in turn, deconstruct the performance instead of just letting the music sink in. I guess that I got so used to hearing the PPO at the Cultural Center of the Philippines that a sudden change in venue, an inferior sounding hall at that, coupled with very familiar music, resulted in a more critical and more challenging concert viewing experience for me.

12th Israel Film Festival

For the second time, I was able to attend the opening night of the Israeli Film Festival at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas. The Embassy of Israel in partnership with the Ayala Cinemas presented this festival that showcased various aspects of Israeli life. The film that was shown during the opening night was the comedy Footnote.

Hannah Espia, Ambassador Menashe Bar-On and Madame Eti Bar-On

The gracious hosts during the opening night were Ambassador Menashe Bar-On and his spouse Madame Eti. Among the guests were producer Paul Soriano and director Hannah Espia whose movie Transit, was among the films screened for this festival.

Paul Soriano and Hanna Espia

Transit garnered most of the awards during the 2013 edition of Cinemalaya and was chosen as the Philippines’ entry to the foreign language film category in this year’s Academy Awards.

Footnote

Directed by Joseph Cedar, Footnote is a comedy that introduced me to the world of Talmudic studies. In the film, the rivalry between a father, Eliezer Shkolnik (Shlomo Bar Aba) and his son, Uriel (Lior Ashkenazi), both professors of the Talmudic studies, gets fiercer when the father was announced to be the recipient of the very prestigious Israel Prize. The father’s recognition seems like a mistake since he is regarded as a stubborn purist, not well liked by his peers, and whose only noteworthy achievement was a footnote mention, while his son is not only popular and charismatic, but is also an up-and-coming personality in his field making him a shoo-in for the award.

Towards the end of the film, there was a very clever way of showing especially to those unfamiliar with it, what a scholar in Talmudic studies actually does through a nicely, choreographed sequence showing these professors in action. The film had an open ending which not only left Eliezer, but also the viewer, guessing. It was indeed an enjoyable film to watch since I never thought that the world of the academe deciphering ancient texts could be that exciting.

Charlie Chaplin’s film centennial celebration at the 8th International Silent Film Festival

August 28-31, 2014

Shang Cineplex (Cinema 2), Shangri-La Plaza

Mandaluyong

August 28, 2014

8:00 PM City Lights feat. Radioactive Sago Project (USA)

*invitational; limited seats to the general public

August 29, 2014

5:00 PM Der müde Tod feat. Pierre Oser and Manila Composers Lab (Germany)

7:30 PM Verdun: visions d’histoire feat. Hakim Bentchoula-Golobitch (France)

August 30, 2014

5:00 PM Ma l’amor mio non muore! feat. Caliph8 and Fame Flores (Italy)

7:30 PM Chuji Tabi Nikki feat. KaapiN (Japan)

August 31, 2014

5:00 PM Curro Vargas feat. Glass Cherry Breakers (Spain)

7:30 PM Ang Tigmo sa Aking Pagpauli feat. Kalayo (Philippines)

The much anticipated film event, the International Silent Film Festival returns for its 8^th edition this August 28-31, 2014 at the Shang Cineplex. Making this year’s edition more special is the celebration of film icon Charlie Chaplin’s 100^th year anniversary in film and the return of France to the festival.

Opening the festival on August 28, 2014, 8:00 PM is the invitational screening of City Lights, presented by the USA, with the Radioactive Sago Project providing live music accompaniment. Considered as Charlie Chaplin’s most cherished film, it tells the story of a blind, flower seller who falls in love with someone whom she mistook as a millionaire.

On August 29, Germany presents Der müde Tod (Destiny) at 5:00 PM accompanied by music students from UP performing original music composed by the Manila Composers Lab, founded by Dr. Jonas Baes, and the returning Pierre Oser from Germany. The film takes the viewer to different exotic locales as a young woman pleads to Death to resurrect her deceased lover. Right after at 7:30 PM, France makes its return to the festival through the film Verdun: visions d’histoire (Verdun:  versions of history). The newly restored film, which used actual soldiers who were in the trenches during the First World War as actors, is currently traveling the world along with French pianist/composer Hakim Bentchoula-Golobitch who will provide the live music in this festival as well.

On August 30, Italy presents Ma l’amor mio non muore! (Love Everlasting) with Caliph8 collaborating with classical crossover artist Fame Flores for the live music. The film, starring Lyda Borelli, a popular actress during her time, is considered as one of the diva films that highlighted the actress’s acting prowess. Japan then presents Chuji Tabi Nikki (A Diary of Chuji’s Travels) at 7:30 PM. The band providing the music for this film is KaapiN composed of Michael Nuesca and Rotsanjani Mojica. This marks the first time a music act not based in Manila participating in the festival.

On the final day of the festival (August 31), Spain presents Curro Vargas with the Glass Cherry Breakers at 5:00 PM. This film was adapted from the zarzwela and it was said that there’s a possibility that it was shown here in the country before World War II when the zarzuela/sarswela was still very popular. Finally at 7:30 PM, the Philippines will present the film, Ang Tigmo sa Aking Pagpauli (Riddles of my Homecoming) with Kalayo providing the music. This film stands out from the rest as the only one with a still living director (Arnel Mardoquio) since it was first released only in 2013.

The 8th International Silent Film Festival Manila is presented by the Japan Foundation Manila, Instituto Cervantes, the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Embassies of Italy, United States of America, and France.

Ticket price:

Free admission. First-come, first-served basis

For inquiries:

City Lights

andrademkp@state.gov

Der müde Tod

program@manila.goethe.org

Verdun: visions d’histoire

audiovisuel.ambafrance.manille@gmail.com

Ma l’amor mio non muore!

culturale.manila@esteri.it

Chuji Tabi Nikki

Japan Foundation, Manila 811-6155 to 58

Curro Vargas

Instituto Cervantes 526-1482

Ang Tigmo sa Aking Pagpauli

846-2496 local 108, embassyfest@fdcp.ph

For other inquiries:

370-2500

www.shangrila-plaza.com

Korean opera singers headline Rigoletto at the CCP

August 22, 2014, 7:00 PM

August 24, 2014, 3:00 PM

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Daesan No, baritone

Yun-Kyoung Yi, soprano

Jae-Wook Lee, tenor

Ronan Ferrer, tenor

Nenen Espina, mezzo soprano

Thea Perez, soprano

Jun Francis Jaranilla, bass

Noel Azcona, baritone

Coro Tomasino

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Jae-Joon Lee, conductor

After taking a breather last year, full length opera productions are back as the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with Filipino Opera Society Foundation Inc., Bohol Restoration Group, and the Rustan Group of Companies, stages Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto with a Gala performance August 22, 2014, 7:00 PM and a Matinee performance on August 24, 2014, 3:00 PM at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

This production of Rigoletto, a dark and tragic opera considered as Verdi’s first masterpiece from his middle to late period, will feature the core cast and team from the CCP’s 2012 production of La Traviata. Leading the cast are the trio of Koreans namely baritone Daesan No, soprano Yun-Kyoung Yi and tenor Jae-Wook Lee essaying the lead roles in this opera. Music director in this production is Jae-Joon Lee who will be conducting the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra while Floy Quintos will be the stage director. Rounding up the cast are noted Filipino vocalists namely Ronan Ferrer, Nenen Espina, Thea Perez, Jun Francis Jaranilla, Noel Azcona, and members of the Coro Tomasino.

Baritone Daesan No and soprano Yun-Kyoung Yi’s last visit in Manila had them performing at the Ayala Museum and at the CCP with the UST Symphony Orchestra earlier this year. Rigoletto will be tenor Jae-Wook Lee’s first return to Manila since La Traviata back in 2012.

Dr. Raul Sunico, Elisanta Cortes, Nenen Espina, Ronan Ferrer, Mary Anne Espina,
 and Jun Jaranilla at the Rigoletto press conference

During the press conference held at the Diamond Hotel, I was able to ask Dr. Raul Sunico, president of the CCP, if this production of Rigoletto will be presented traditionally like La Traviata or will be more like Madame Butterfly which had an edgier take, both were CCP productions from 2012. He responded that he intends to stage Rigoletto as closely as how the composer, Verdi, intended it to be. So as the CCP aims to showcase the grandiose and lavish, visual spectacle of an opera, they also have to bear in mind the cost. And one measure is for director Floy Quintos to move forward a bit the setting since authentic costumes would be very expensive. But the production would still retain the feeling of being held centuries ago. One can breathe easy since this upcoming Rigoletto will be very much unlike the Metropolitan Opera’s production that took place in Las Vegas during the 1970’s instead of Mantua sometime in the 16^th century.

Rigoletto rehearsals at the CCP Main Theater Lobby

Proceeds from this production of Rigoletto will go to the rehabilitation of the heritage sites in Bohol destroyed by the recent earthquake and typhoon Yolanda through the Bohol Restoration Group.

Ticket prices:

August 22, 2014 Gala performance:

P2000 Orchestra Center

P1500 Orchestra Side

P800 Balcony I

P500 Balcony II

August 24, 2014 Matinee performance:

P1200 Orchestra Center

P800 Orchestra Side

P500 Balcony I

P300 Balcony II

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3704

TicketWorld 891-9999

Manila Symphony Orchestra's concerto overload in Konzertfest

August 19, 2014, 8:00 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Sara Maria Gonzales, violin

Christian Tan, violin

Antoni Josef Inacay, cello

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Mikhail Glinka Overture from Ruslan and Lyudmila

Max Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26

Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Violinist Sara Maria Gonzales

The Manila Symphony Orchestra offers a night of concertos with Konzertfest, the third concert for their current season dubbed as The Sound of Life. MSO members, violinists Sara Maria Gonzales and Christian Tan, along with cellist Antoni Josef Inacay take on greater roles as soloists for this concert happening on August 19, 2014, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Violinist Christian Tan

Cellist Anjo Inacay

Conducted by Arturo Molina, the MSO will kick off the concert with the explosive Overture from Ruslan and Lyudmila by Mikhail Glinka. And then it’s on to the concertos with Associate ConcertmasterSara Maria Gonzales tackling the very romantic Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26. Assistant Concertmaster Christian Tan will take on Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64. Both concertos are regarded as among the most important pieces for the violin. Principal cellist Antoni Josef Inacay will serve as the soloist for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 which is the composer’s closest attempt in composing an actual cello concerto.

Conductor Arturo Molina

Ticket prices:

P1200 Orchestra Center

P800 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

MSO 523-5712, info@manilasymphony.com

TicketWorld 891-9999

Italy based flutist Sarah Mae Gabuyo performs in CCP's Special Concert Series

August 15, 2014, 7:30 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Sarah Mae Gabuyo, flute

Dingdong Fiel, piano

Programme:

Johann Sebastian Bach Aus Liebe from St. Matthew’s Passion, BWV 244

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sonata in C major, K.296

Emanuele Krakamp Fantasy on Themes from Linda di Chamounix, Op. 40 by Gaetano Donizetti

Paul Taffanel Fantaisie sur Françoise de Rimini

Jules Massenet Meditation from Thaïs

Giulio Briccialdi Fantasy on Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi

François Borne Fantaisie brillante sur Carmen by Georges Bizet

Italy-based young Filipino flutist Sarah Mae Gabuyo will be the second featured artist of the CCP Special Concert Series on Friday, August 15, 2014 at 7:30 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Based in Milan, Italy since she was 10, Sarah Mae Gabuyo entered the Accademia Internazionale della Musica where the prestigious Italian international flute soloist Raffaele Trevisani took her in his class and taught her the Sir James Galway method of flute playing. After 12 years of continuous study at the Accademia under the guidance of Raffaele Trevisani, she earned her Diploma, graduating brilliantly with outstanding remarks from the professors. Then in June 2013, she received her Bachelor's degree in Flute Performance from the State Conservatory of Music "A. Buzzolla" in Adria, Italy. During the course of her study, she attended the masterclasses of Sir James Galway in November 2002 and, years later, in April and November of 2012. This was  capped by the invitation of Sir James Galway for her to play in a masterclass at the 2012 edition of the Sir James Galway Annual International Flute Festival in Weggis, Switzerland and, very recently, at the Villa Medici Giulini 2014 Masterclass in Briosco, Italy. Her intensive training also included participations at the Annual Summer Music Academy in Premeno, Verbania, Italy under the direction of Raffaele Trevisani.

From 2010 to 2013 she was a member of the Orchestra of the Accademia under the conductors Alberto Intrieri, Mario Valsecchi, and Francesco Borali. Her important performances in the Orchestra include opening the 2012 festival Notti Trasfigurate in July as a soloist, in the occasion of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Accademia; and in the Orchestra's rendition of The Creation by F. J. Haydn at the Teatro dal Verme of Milan in December.

Flutist Sarah Mae Gabuyo

She is currently pursuing concurrently a Master's degree in Flute Performance with Raffaele Trevisani, a Bachelor's degree in Vocal/Opera Performance (Junior year) under the Italian baritone  Roberto Coviello and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology (Senior year) at the State University of Milan -­ Bicocca.

Her program includes Johann Sebastian Bach’s Aus Liebe from St. Matthew’s Passion, BWV 244, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sonata in C Major, K.296, Emanuele Krakamp’s Fantasy on Themes from Linda di Chamounix, Op. 40 by Gaetano Donizetti, Paul Taffanel’s Fantaisie sur Françoise de Rimini, Jules Massenet’s Meditation from Thaïs, Giulio Briccialdi’s Fantasy on Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi, and François Borne’s Fantaisie brillante sur Carmen by Georges Bizet Accompanying her is pianist Dingdong Fiel, an alumnus of the UST Conservatory of Music.

The last featured artist of The CCP Special Concert Series is double bass player Jiovanni Tabada on September 24, 2014. Sarah will conduct a flute masterclass on August 16, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the CCP Silangan Hall.

Ticket prices:

P800 Orchestra Center

P600 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For performance inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3706

For masterclass inquiries:

CCP Music Division 832-1125 local 1604, ccp.artist.training@gmail.com

Stripped down hip hop in Abra, Lyrically Deranged Poets & Stick Figgas concert

August 16, 2014, 7:00 PM

Greenhills Shopping Center

San Juan

Featuring:

Lyrically Deranged Poets

Stick Figgas

Thyro & Yumi

Quest

Syke

Nathan J

In the past couple of year, the hip hop scene in the Philippines has experienced a major renaissance and has truly penetrated the mainstream music scene. Among the main movers in the hip hop scene today are Stick Figgas featuring Loonie and Ron Henley, and Lyrically Deranged Poets comprising of Alex Omiunu, RJay Ty and Abra. These top acts belonging to Artifice Records will join forces in a unique concert, billed as Artifice Unplugged, this August 16, 2014, 7:00 PM at the Music Museum at the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan.

This concert aims to highlight the musicality and artistry of these hiphop acts courtesy of stripped/toned down (yet still awesome) music arrangement by multi-awarded singer/songwriter/producer Thyro Alfaro. Thyro, along with Yumi and Quest will be the special guests in this concert hosted by Nathan J that also features spoken word by Syke.

Artifice Records’ stable of artists have amassed over 200 million views in YouTube with Abra’s Gayuma holding the record as the most viewed local music video with 29 million views and counting, and their Facebook pages have reached 4 million likes, and boasting more than 500,000 followers on Twitter. Albums released by these artists include Loonie’s Ultrasound, Ron Henley’s Wala Pang Titulo, Abra’s self titled debut album and Lyrically Deranged Poet’s The Project.

Abra

Artifice Unplugged Orchestra and Balcony tickets are available at the Music Museum box office and at selected TicketWorld outlets. A limited number of VIP tickets are available by contacting 0917-5684480.

Ticket prices:

P1500 VIP

P1200 Orchestra

P800 Balcony

For inquiries:

Music Museum 721-6726

TicketWorld 891-9999