The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) wrapped up its triumphant 9-city tour of the United Kingdom (UK) with a cheering ovation at St. George’s Hall in Bradford on May 22 and with prolonged ovation at Perth Theater and Concert Hall May 24.
The prolonged applause in Perth yielded two encore numbers.
Acclaimed soloists in the closing concert were cellist Wen-Sinn Yang (Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations) and violinist and concertmaster Diomedes Saraza, Jr. (Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending).
Composer Jeffery Ching’s Il maestro di capella opened the concert with a witty take on the rituals of the concert hall and ended with a powerful 5th Symphony by Beethoven.
Kaye Tinga, president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines told Vera Files the morale of the PPO was very high since they arrived for their first concert. “After the first concert in Bristol which was merely a day and a half after they landed in the UK, the orchestra members were saying they didn’t even feel the jet lag because of the enthusiastic response from the audience.”
Tinga pointed out it was a super hectic schedule for the PPO performing nine concerts in eleven days. “The orchestra members were up to the challenge and highly inspired. Their performances showed it. Our music director, Maestro Gregorz Novak, brought out the best in the orchestra adjusting perfectly in all the different venues. He was able to calibrate the best sound in every engagement.”
Audiences were predominantly English with a few Filipinos sighted in the concerts. “The Filipinos in the audiences were proud to hear the amazing transformation of the national orchestra. I spoke to the program director of IMG Artists (an international artist, tour and event management specialising in the performing arts) and they were amazed at the reception given by the primarily English audience. Of course, there were pockets of Filipinos and they couldn’t be any prouder. In Cadogan Hall, the audience had to be ushered out because the applause was so lengthy,”she enthusiastically shared the experience.
She observed the applause and the standing ovations were repeated in several of the venues and more than one encore was necessary to appease the audience.
Ambassador Teodoro Locsin, Jr. observed the audience at Cadogan Hall: “The applause at the end of the evening wouldn’t stop. It turned out to be unappeasable appreciation. More and more popular short pieces were offered by conductor and orchestra to appease an insatiable god of gratitude. This is the high point of my time here and it is Filipino. I thank the CCP for the first ever evening of pure music admittedly in my small experience.”
The CCP president said, “The rousing applause and the standing ovations were unforgettable especially as the audiences were composed of seasoned concertgoers. It proved that Filipino musicians are truly world class. There were a few audience members in Birmingham who were very touched and impressed by Diomedes Saraza’s performance of Lark Ascending. For them, it’s a piece they only get to hear on the radio or TV. For them, to hear it performed live and so beautifully was so moving.”
From what Tinga can figure out from different audiences, the most applauded numbers were the original composition of CCP Artist in Residence, Jeffrey Ching, ‘Il Maestro di Capella 5. “It was an enormous hit and, in every venue, it elicited much laughter and applause. But Lark Ascending by Vaughn Williams, a classic British piece close to every Englishman’s heart always had the most applause.”
Tinga said the CCP may encourage more foreign engagements. “We hope that this is just the beginning of many foreign engagements not just for the PPO but for Filipino musicians and performers. We are preparing for an Asian tour for 2026.”
She added the tour was a high point in international exposure for Filipino musicians. “Because the orchestra performed to an international audience and given the rousing response, we were able to prove that Filipino musicians are truly world class and amongst the best in the world. The CCP will continue its mission of promoting the very best in Filipino talents.”
That the PPO was able to pull off nine engagements in less than two weeks was largely due to a combination a team effort and a stroke of good luck.
Tinga revealed: “When Maestro Novak learned that the Buenos Aires orchestra pulled out of the IMG Artists concert series, he took the opportunity and presented the PPO. It usually takes three years to prepare for such an undertaking. But we managed to do it in six months!”
Tinga also credited the support the PPO got from Okada Foundation, Rustan’s, PCSO, PPOSI, Johann Strauss Foundation and the office of Sen. Miguel Zubiri as well as Tieline, Sapatero, Gregg Shoes, and Rhett Eala for the clothes of the orchestra.
The PPO and touring staff will return to Manila May 26.
(Pianist Cecile Licad will be reunited with the PPO under Maestro Novak on September 24, 2025, 6:30 p.m. at the Manila Metropolitan Theater. It is a fundraising concert of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc. Licad is soloist in Mozart and Ravel concertos. After the Met engagement, Licad will go on a national outreach tour at the Baguio Country Club (September 27), Pinto Gallery in Antipolo City (September 28), MiraNila (October 1), University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City (October 6) and Virac, Catanduanes (October 14). For outreach inquiries, call 09065104270).
