In gratitude to outgoing University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion and to welcome incoming UP President Angelo “Jijil” A. Jimenez, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presents “Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong, Musikang Alay ng Orkestra ng Bayan.”
The concert title is inspired by the design of UP College of Fine Arts Professor Toym Imao. The singkaban and balanghai are visual metaphors for a portal that welcomes and sends off our UP community leaders. Singkaban is a bamboo arch installation folk-art tradition from President Concepcion’s home province. At the same time, the balanghai is an ancient sea vessel associated with Butuan, the hometown of incoming President Jimenez.
The concert program features a repertoire similarly crafted in part by both presidents. It will include Vincenzo Bellini’s Casta Diva, Giacomo Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, Pietro Mascagni’s Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, and The Swan from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.
The orchestra will also perform Bernard Green’s Overture on Philippine Folk Songs, Chino Toledo’s arrangements of Mga Kantang Bisaya, Rosas Pandan, and Cebuano Love Songs, as well as Johannes Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and Lucio San Pedro’s Jubilate.
For the occasion, the orchestra will be joined by soprano Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, soprano Anya Evangelista, and tenor Malvin Macasaet.
Tagged as the orchestra for the people or Orkestra ng Bayan, UPSO serves as the official system-wide orchestra for the university.
They maintain a roster of 65 members exclusively from the alumni, students, faculty, and staff of all UP campuses. They have been under the direction of Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo since their inception in August 2018.
UPSO recently completed a small campus tour with performances in UP Baguio, Diliman, and Mindanao in December of 2022. They are also fresh from their successful first international performance held at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, at the beginning of this year.
