(DEC. 17)鈥 The last full moon of the year happened on December 12, perfect for an open-air evening concert.
The UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), UP鈥檚 official System-wide orchestra, held it鈥檚聽second free Christmas concert 鈥淟iwanag ng Pasko sa Ka(Diliman): Musikang Handog聽ng Orkestra ng Bayan鈥 at the University Amphitheater.
The concert opened with UPSO鈥檚 rendition of Leroy Anderson鈥檚 A Christmas Festival,聽an arrangement of excerpts from various Christmas songs.
UPSO then accompanied the UP Singing Ambassadors performance of 鈥淎lleluia鈥 by聽Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and 鈥淧askong Anong Saya鈥 by National Artist for Music聽Levi Celerio and T. Salcedo. The UP Concert Chorus then followed with a gospel song聽鈥淲ade in the Water鈥 by Moses Hogan, and 鈥淪imbang Gabi鈥 by National Artist for聽Music Lucio San Pedro. The two chorale groups kicked the concert into a higher聽gear.
2017 Aliw awardee for Best Classical Performer and 2018 Best Female Crossover聽Performer, singer songwriter Lara Maigue, accompanied by the UPSO, wowed the聽audience with her version of the charming and magical 鈥淒oll Song鈥 from the opera聽The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach, and the swingy and naughty 1953聽Christmas song 鈥淪anta Baby鈥 by Joan Javits and Philip Springer.
After the solo number by Maigue, UPSO once again regaled the crowd with their聽version of J. Christensen 鈥淪eason鈥檚 Greetings.鈥
For the next act, the UP Staff Chorale Society performed Krismas Halu-halo by Gerry聽de Leon. Then the UP Madrigal Singers, under the baton of Mark Carpio, took to the聽stage and performed 鈥淧askong Walang Hanggan鈥 by National Artist for Music Ryan
Cayabyab and Jian Vite帽o鈥檚 鈥淢agwidang, Magpuri,鈥 to the delight of the appreciative聽crowd.
Another featured soloist took the spotlight of the evening concert. College of Music聽faculty member Jourdan Petalver, a virtuoso pianist, together with the UPSO聽performed George Gershwin鈥檚 鈥淩hapsody in Blue,鈥 a stunning American jazz classic,聽which left the audience in awe with his skillful piano-playmaking.
Meanwhile, the youthful voice of the UP Cherubim and Seraphim cheered up and聽invigorated the audience with their rendition of excerpts from Antonio Vivaldi鈥檚聽鈥淕loria鈥 Quoniam tu solus Sanctus and Cum Sancto Sipritu, and 鈥淎ng Aming Bati ay聽Magandang Pasko鈥 by Tek Salcedo.
For the evening鈥檚 final and grandest offering, the UPSO, the University-based Choral聽groups, and four vocal soloists: soprano Angeli Benipayo, mezzo-soprano Michelle聽Mariposa, tenor Malvin Macasaet and baritone Jeconiah Retulla, treated the聽audience to one of the greatest achievements of the Western music, which included聽chorus and vocal soloists, the first in any symphony 鈥擫udwig van Beethoven鈥檚聽monumental 鈥淥de to Joy鈥 Symphony No. 9, 4 th and final Movement.
UPSO鈥檚 performance of 鈥淥de to Joy鈥 is their tribute to the 250 th birth anniversary in聽2020 of Beethoven, considered to be one of the greatest composers of all time.
An extra treat by the UPSO was the community singing of Christmas Carols:聽Payapang Daigdig, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the聽Herald Angel Sings and Joy to the World.
UPSO, under the direction of Josefino 鈥淐hino鈥 Toldeo, was established by the UP聽Board of Regents at its 1337 th 聽meeting on August 30, 2018. UPSO consists of 65聽members exclusively from the UP community: alumni, students, faculty members聽and staff. The Orchestra functions as a training ground for both composers and聽musicians, and as representative of not only the University but also of the country in
the worldwide stage. 鈥 Bino Gamba, photos by Leonardo Reyes
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