MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Cultural Center of the Philippines will hold a special concert billed as Huni Mula Sa Sacristia at the 408-year-old San Bartolome Parish Church on February 28, 2023 at 4:0 0pm in Malabon City. Presented in cooperation with the Diocese of Caloocan and the City Government of Malabon, the concert is free.
Featured performers are homegrown artists Kabataang Gitarista (KG), violinist Jobry Cimafranca, and Male Ensemble Philippines. The program includes “Aba, Ginoong Maria” (Manoling Francisco, SJ arr. F Sy-Changco III); “El Relicario” (Jose Padilla arr. J. Valdez), “Motivo Barroco” (Celso Machado), “Usahay” (Greg Labja arr. F. Sy-Changco III), “Pamulinawen” (Ilocano folksong arr. M. Carpio), “Limang Dipang Tao” (Ryan Cayabyab arr. M. Carpio), “Nais Ko” (Ryan Cayabyab arr. M. Carpio); “Tico-Tico,” “Rainbow,” “Di Na Natuto,” “Huwag Ka Nang Umiyak,” Basil Valdez Medley, “Panalangin” (Apo Hiking Society), “How Deep is Your Love” and “Buwan.”
KG is a group of talented public high school students currently being trained in classical guitar. The students who come from high schools in Manila, Pasay, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Bacoor and Imus receive free classical guitar training under Dr. Ivar-Nicholas Fojas, Fernando Sy-Changco III, David Tiongson, and Edel Mark Bitao through the support of sponsors. The program was organized by the CCP Artist Training Division in August 2012 to promote appreciation for, and interest in classical guitar performance among public high school students; to provide the highest level of guitar training free of charge; and to develop a performing classical guitar ensemble. Currently, around 20 guitarists are being trained under the program.
Hailing from Toledo City, Cebu, Jobry Cimafranca is one of the new rising virtuoso violinists in the country. He started violin lessons under scholarship from the Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra Development Program in 1997. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree at St. Scholastica’s College under Prof. Arturo Molina. He has been a consistent prizewinner at the solo violin category of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA). He has also performed as a soloist and orchestra player in Taiwan, Sydney and Thailand.
Male Ensemble Philippines is an emerging group of singers from different world-class and award-winning choral groups bound by passion and love for ensemble singing. They have made it their mission to continue to promote Philippine culture and arts through music. Aspiring to create music that transcends beyond what one can simply hear, the group performs a wide range of classical, jazz, popular music, timeless folk songs, Filipino music, and continues to expand through newly commissioned arrangements and compositions.
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