Dear Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra fans, patrons, friends and members of the Media:

The 2013-2014 Season of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is now upon us!

As we enter the 31st Classics Season of the PPO, I am eager to share with you some projects we are undertaking for the new year of music making.

You probably are aware that the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra just celebrated its 40th year as the country’s leading orchestra, and as we head toward the next decade and our 50 year milestone, we look forward to showcasing new innovations and a more contemporary branding of the country’s leading orchestra.

In collaboration with the Cultural Center of the Philippines Marketing Department, headed by its new director Winston Santiago, I am confident about our commitment to narrow the perceived divide between music known as ‘Classical’ music and Filipinos from all walks of life.

Particularly exciting to me, aside from our superb guest artists and new Classics Season, is our new series of concerts at Rizal Park called ‘Out of the Box’, where everyone will have the chance to hear a wide array of music and see stellar collaborations between local schools and the PPO. These free family/youth concerts will be everyone’s chance to learn more about music and its ability to touch all of us in a meaningful and unique manner.

Thank you all for attending our 31st Classics Season press conference, and see you at the Philharmonic!

Yours,

OlIvIeR OChAnIne

PPO SETS 2013-2014 CONCERT SEASON

A unique blend of musical performances awaits audiences as the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra performs a series of concerts for its 31st Concert Season under the baton of its Music Director, Olivier Ochanine at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater. each concert begins at 8:00pm. On September 6, the PPO opens the season with “Guzman & Pathétique”, led by Maestro Olivier Ochanine as it performs the “Flute Concerto in D Major” of Antonio Vivaldi, “Les Préludes” of Franz Liszt and Peter Tchaikovsky’s final work, his 6th Symphony - also known as the ‘Pathétique’.

On October 11, PPO Associate Conductor herminigildo Ranera conducts a program of Filipino works, including the “Suite Pastorale” of San Pedro. Also on the program are the jazzy ‘la Création du Monde’ of Milhaud and the lovely “Slavonic Dances, Op.46” of Dvorak.

In partnership with the Israel embassy, the PPO’s november 14 concert features pianist Yossi Reshef as soloist for Schumann’s Piano Concerto. To celebrate the 200 years since his birth, Wagner’s “Overture to The Flying Dutchman” and “Overture to Rienzi” round out the concert.

For December 13, conductor Yoshikazu Fukumura returns to conduct a program of Beethoven, Saint-Saens and De Falla. Cellist Ray Wang joins the PPO for the Saint-Saens “Cello Concerto”. Selections from De Falla’s “3 Cornered hat, Scenes and Dances” are also on the programme.

Following many requests, the complete Four Seasons of vivaldi is the main feature of the PPO’s January 17, 2014 concert. Soloists for this concert are PPO Assistant Concertmaster Joanne Ruth livioco and her brother, violinist Jonathan David livioco, Concertmaster of the ABS-CBn Philharmonic Orchestra. Also on the programme is the Symphony no. 2 of Carl nielsen, entitled “The Four Temperaments”.

Former PPO Music Director eugene Castillo conducts the PPO on February 21 in the “Symphony no. 5” of Jean Sibelius, while violinist Roger Wilke joins the PPO for the romantic concerto of Johannes Brahms. To top it off, Castillo leads the PPO in “The Fall of The leaf” of Gerald Finzi.

A stellar conductor from Taiwan, Maestra Apo hsu leads the PPO on March 14 in the exciting Symphony No. 5 of Sergei Prokofiev. Also from Taiwan is oboist Wanchen Hsieh, who plays the lovely Martinu “Oboe Concerto” with the PPO. Maestra hsu also leads the orchestra in Yarnell’s “Yosemite and the Range of light”.

On April 11, the PPO closes its season with a fun programme at the movies. To open this concert, the orchestra premieres the work of the winner of the PPO 2013 Composition Competition, to be announced. The programme also features some popular classics from the film music repertoire, along with the stunning “Also Sprach Zarathustra” of Richard Strauss, whose 150th birth anniversary will be commemorated in 2014.

Ticket prices are 1,500php / 1,200php / 800php / 500php, with discounts available to students, senior citizens and groups. Subscription packages are also available for eight (8) or four (4) shows. For inquiries and subscriptions, please call the CCP Marketing Department (832-1125 loc. 1806), the CCP Box Office (832- 3704) or Ticketworld at National Bookstore (891-9999).

PRESS RELEASEAugust 14, 2013

2013September (Concert 1)September 6/8PM; TnAOPenInG nIGhT: GUZMAn & The PAThÉTIQUeConductor: Olivier OchanineSoloist: Viviana Guzman, flute

Dukas - Fanfare from la Périliszt - les Préludesvivaldi - Flute Concerto in D Major Monti - CzardasGuzman - Flutes of the WorldTchaikovsky - Symphony no. 6 in B Minor “Pathétique”

October (Concert 2)October 11/8PM; TnAMOSTlY FIlIPInOConductor: herminigildo Ranera

Pena – Philippine Festival OvertureAlfredo Buenaventura – Manik Buangsi and Tuan Putli Symphonic PoemSan Pedro - Suite PastoraleMilhaud - la Création du MondeDvorak - Slavonic Dances, Op. 46

November (Concert 3)november 14/8PM; TnAReSheF PlAYS SChUMAnnConductor: Olivier OchanineSoloist: Yossi Reshef, piano

Schumann - Manfred OvertureSchumann - Piano Concerto in A MinorWagner - Overture to RienziWagner - Overture to The Flying Dutchmanverdi - Overture to la Forza del Destino

December (Concert 4)December 13/8PM; TnAFUKUMURA, WAnG & SAInT-SAenSConductor: Yoshikazu FukumuraSoloist: Ray Wang, cello

Beethoven - Symphony no. 2Saint-Saens - Cello ConcertoDe Falla - 3 Cornered hat, Scenes & Dances

2014January (Concert 5)January 17/8PM; Meralco TheaterThe FOUR SeASOnSConductor: Olivier OchanineSoloists: Joanna Ruth livioco & TBA, violin

vivaldi - The Four Seasonsnielsen - Symphony no. 2, “The Four Temperaments”

February (Concert 6)February 21/8PM; Meralco TheaterROMAnTIC BRAhMSConductor: eugene CastilloSoloist: Roger Wilke, violin

Finzi - The Fall of the leafSibelius - Symphony no. 5Brahms - violin Concerto

March (Concert 7)March 14/8PM; TnAhSU, hSIeh & PROKOFIev 5Conductor: Apo hsuSoloist: Wanchen hsieh, oboe

Yarnell - Yosemite and the Range of lightMartinu - Oboe ConcertoProkofiev - Symphony No. 5

April (Concert 8)April 11/8PM; TnASYMPhOnIC FIlM MUSIC eXTRAvAGAnZAConductor: Olivier Ochanine

TBA - Premiere of Winning Composition, 2013 PPO Composition CompetitionVarious Classical works made popular in film scoresStrauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra

31sSEASON2013-2014

t

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) is the country’s leading orchestra and is widely regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific region. Established on May 15, 1973 as the CCP Philharmonic Orchestra and was initially intended to accompany performing artists at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). The PPO’s first Music Director was Prof. Luis Valencia with Julian Quirit as Concertmaster. In 1979, then First Lady Imelda R. Marcos asked Prof. Oscar C. Yatco to reorganize the orchestra. Three years later, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra was born with a new vision - to be ranked among the best in the world.

The PPO has performed with many of the world’s renowned conductors that include Helen Quach, Sister Maria Rosalina Abejo, RVM, Yoshinao Osawa, Mendi Rodan, Francisco Feliciano, Basilio Manalo, Rudolf Gerstenbauer, Piero Gamba, Enrique Batis, Sebastian Bereau, Nicholas Koch, Jae Joon Lee and James Judd. It has also performed with the best foreign and Filipino artists such as Van Cliburn, Wilma Vernocchi, Albert Lysy, Peter Schmalfuss, Daniel Adni, Peter Roesel, Werner Taube, Renata Tebaldi, Judith Engel, Anthony Camden, Rony Rogoff, David Benoit, Sergio Esmilla, Jr., Aurelio Estanislao, Cecile Licad, Raul Sunico, and Lea Salonga.

The PPO has premiered Filipino compositions and has featured works by foreign composers not yet performed in the Philippines. It continues to promote music appreciation through outreach concerts in schools, parishes, government agencies, and underserved communities in Metro Manila and in different regions in the country.

The PPO has toured Europe in 2001 and has participated in the Asia Orchestra Week in September 2002 held at the Tokyo Opera City Hall upon the invitation of the Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestras. It has performed at Bangkok’s National Theater in September 2004 upon the invitation of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand. The PPO also participated in the Shanghai Expo in China last June 2010 and last August 13, 2011 at the National Center for Performing Arts in Beijing, as the closing event of activities commemorating the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Philippine-China diplomatic relations.

Olivier Ochanine is currently the Music Director/Principal Conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) in Manila on a contract to April 2013, having been selected by unanimous vote during the Music Director selection process.

Ochanine began his musical studies in his native city of Paris, France. Having studied the flute in Germany and the US, and then the contrabass in the United States as well, he developed an interest in orchestral conducting while pursuing the Bachelor Degree for flute performance at the University of Kentucky (UK).

While at UK, Ochanine studied flute with Gordon Cole (UK) and bass with Matthew Zory (Cincinnati Symphony), and frequently performed on flute and double bass with the award-winning UK Wind Ensemble under Richard Clary. He studied conducting with Dr. Robert Baldwin (Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Utah). He also served as auxilliary bassist with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1998, Ochanine was invited to perform as bassist for the celebrated American Spiritual Ensemble’s Gershwin Tour of Spain.

In 2001, Ochanine began his Masters Degree studies in Orchestral Conducting at USC’s Thornton School of Music, in Los Angeles, where he gained conducting experience while working with the USC Symphony, Chamber and Concert Orchestras. While at USC, Ochanine studied conducting under John Barnett (former Associate Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) and Larry Livingston (former Dean of the Thornton School). Ochanine has also studied under John Farrer (Bakersfield Symphony), Donald Thulean (Spokane Symphony), and Daniel Lewis (former conducting teacher at USC) in conjunction with the California Conducting Institute, where he worked with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra; more recently, he participated in a masterclass with Gustav Meier (Peabody Conservatory) and Mark Gibson (CCM), at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

In 2009, Ochanine was selected from a large pool of conductors to study with Gustav Meier and Marin Alsop (Baltimore Symphony) and perform at the 2009 Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, CA. He was chosen by the legendary Jorma Panula as one of his students in the2009 Masterclass in Milan, Italy, with the I Pomeriggi Musicali Orchestra. Panula has been a primary teacher of conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and Osmo Vänskä.

Ochanine is currently pursuing a Doctorate Degree in Conducting at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) with Professor Mark Gibson.

Until recently, Ochanine resided in Los Angeles, where he has been an avid music educator and freelance conductor. He is currently based in Manila, Philippines.

“His ability to arouse and hold attention was as obvious as his lively rapport with the orchestra…while focusing on melody and form, he held a long sustained pianissimo throughout, ranging from “loud” to infinitely soft, almost inaudible pianissimo, making the superbly controlled rendition an incredible feat in dynamics”

-Rosalinda Orosa, The Philippine Star

OLIVIER OCHANINEMusic Director / Principal Conductor

at Rizal Park

Our new series of concerts at Rizal Park called ‘Out of the Box’, where everyone will have the chance to hear a wide array of music and see stellar collaborations between local schools and the PPO. These free family/youth concerts will be everyone’s chance to learn more about music and its ability to touch all of us in a meaningful and unique manner.

novemberThe University of the Philippines Manila (usually referred to as U.P. Manila), founded in 1908, is a coeducational and public research university in the Philippines. It is the oldest of the seven (7) constituent universities of the University of the Philippines System.

The Culture and Arts Committee of the UPM USC aims to develop better representation within the USC and UPM administration, to integrate cultural organizations’ projects, campaigns and services to the whole university, and to provide creative, integrative and advocacy-related avenues for expression reflective of UP Manila’s character and taste, both within and outside the walls of the university.

In this concert, the CCP and the Culture and Arts Committee of the UPM USC celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of hero Andres Bonifacio with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the various artistic groups of UP Manila.

decemberThe University of Santo Tomas is the oldest existing university in Asia. In terms of student population, it is the largest Catholic university in the world in a single campus.

The UST Student Organizations Coordinating Council, also known as the SOCC, is the central body of all recognized university-wide and college-based organizations of the University of Santo Tomas.

This concert keeps the Christmas spirit alive through the music of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the performers from the University of Santo Tomas

januaryFar eastern University (FeU) in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FeU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of first president Nicanor Reyes, Sr.

FEU’s Arts and Culture Office heads its five (5) university-based cultural groups the Bamboo Band, the FeU Chorale, the Dance Company, the Drum and Bugle Corps and the Theater Guild.

In this nature-themed concert, the said cultural groups will celebrate the beauty of nature with the music of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

februaryThe Ateneo de Manila University is a Catholic private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It is the third-oldest university in the Philippines.

Student organizations from ADMU will organize performances which will make everyone feel that love is in the air in this February concert with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

PPO

BPLAYS

BrahmsBuenaventuraBizet

TRIPLE