Asian Youth Jazz Orchestra Concert: Meralco Theater

The rest of the year, I have decided, shall be allotted to cultivating appreciation for the arts, both visual and performing. Just as I was looking around for a concert to attend, I chanced upon the AYJO concert to be held in Meralco Theater on Sept. 26. I immediately signed up for free tickets.

Since not many are fond of jazz music especially nowadays when people would rather listen... God knows what people listen to these days. I have given up trying to comprehend the musical zeitgeist of a generation.

It was no surprise that I wasn't able to have company that night. It was a rather welcome opportunity to spend time with myself since the afternoon that day, I hung out with a man who just befriended me recently. He was soft-spoken yet he talked a great deal about himself in our first "getting to know each other" date. [Let it be known that every engagement with humans to me is a date, even my food trips with my sisters!] Happy to finally experience the P200 lunch buffet at Likha Diwa, his treat. That Saturday was British buffet. As expected, the dishes are healthy and not thoroughly bland, thank God for that.

This year I traded yet another dice game activity for music as I did last year. Not my fault when I have identified music as one essential part of my being, a component I cannot live without. Never mind the freebies; when my soul craves, even the tummy is bound to lose. 

I first rushed to Robinsons Galleria for a quick dinner. Since I'm on tight budget [as always], I opted for a Korean bento of beef stew, chap chae, rice, dilis, tamago, and fried whatever. All that for just below P150. Pretty affordable and it's already a complete meal in itself.

dinner before the concert

The AYJO is composed of really talented and fun-loving high-spirited jazz-playing young musicians. No words can express how much I enjoyed the concert. It was a brilliant project to gather outstanding young musicians in Japan and Southeast Asia, musicians who are not afraid to show their funny side onstage in between performances. [Note that five Filipinos took part in this concert.] Where else can you see someone who suddenly breaks out in loud laughter as his fellow musician was making jokes? Where else can you see musicians to wield their instruments as if they were weapons? [I found Japanese tuba player Masahiro Yoshioka quite endearing, posing with his tuba as if it were a cannon.]

before the orchestra members occupied the stage

 In almost all of the performances, I couldn't keep my eyes off Japanese drummer Fumihiro Ibuki. He looks like a nerd [I hope he doesn't chance upon this blog], but when he plays the drums, it's as if he's one with it. He reminds me of the drummer [whoever he was] in Rama Hari in 2012, which unfortunately I wasn't able to dedicate a blog entry to, but just mentioned in passing HERE. Effortless, so natural. Not to mention his high energy, having sustained the momentum for long. [Or I might just suck at playing because I tire easily...] Also an eye-catcher was the beautiful Nagisa Uchida from Japan who plays the vibraphone and whose clear cool voice filled the theater in the latter part. I was speechless! [So now, I'm all the more inspired to level up.]

some metal art inside Meralco Theater

some metal art inside Meralco Theater

Programme:

1. Opening "Wild Man Blues" (composed by Jelly Roll Morton and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

2. Monk's Walking (composed by Mayuko Katakura and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

3. Toshi (Seeing Through) (composed by Jelly Roll Morton and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

4. Milky Way in the Moment (composed and arranged by Yoshihiko Katori)

5. Merlot (composed by Mariko Maeda and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

6. Gone are the Days (composed by Xu Kai Xiang Rit and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

7. Second Country (composed by Yuri Kishimoto and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

8. Tourist Point of View (from Far East Suit) (composed by Duke Ellington and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

9. Isfahan (from Far East Suit) (composed by Duke Ellington and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

10. Blue Pepper (from Far East Suit) (composed by Duke Ellington and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

11. Yesterday Among the Flow of Time (composed and arranged by Osamu Matsumoto)

As special bonus, Filipino and Malaysian percussionists Jacques Dufourt and Muhammad Abdul Karim B. Ahmad Zafiruddin had a percussions showdown. They were such a joy to watch

11132012: Vienna Chamber Orchestra @ CCP

There’s always that feeling of redemption whenever I listen to classical music. The harmonic sounds of different musical instruments, most especially the flute, the violin, and the cello, lifts the spirits and takes one to an imagined place of bliss, even for a short temporary period of time.

And it is for that reason that I have taken an interest in classical music, boring though I found it in my early years. My fascination was heightened when I was introduced to Mozart and Tchaikovsky, the latter gaining the top spot for his intensely rich music with romantic overtones.

Last night was the first time in many years that I attended a classical music concert. This time it was only me and my dad. We attended the 15th Toyota Classics presenting the Wiener KammerOrchester at CCP. The Wiemer KammerOrchester played beautifully and well. It was also the first time that I listened to orchestral works with guitar solo and I must confess that it wasn’t much of my type. I prefer the loudness of violins and flutes; classical guitar just seemed out of place to me. Or maybe it’s because I am not at all familiar with the works of Joaquin Rodrigo. (But thanks to this concert, I now found myself exploring classical guitar.)

Photo Credit: http://www.kotse.com/home/index.php/news/item/996-15th-toyota-classics

Photo Credit: http://culturalcenter.gov.ph/single-tickets/view-event/?id=2767221

The group did three encores which gained positive response from the audience. I do think that Mr. Joji Hattori (the conductor for the night) has Strauss Jr. as his favorite composer since most of the pieces played were by him.

I guess last night was also a bonding moment with my dad. We’ve fought a lot this year and I, feeling guilty about it, am bent on making it up to him somehow. We had our very late dinner at Savory Escolta as we talked a lot about family matters. Savory has been a fave since my childhood days and a restaurant I haven’t visited in many years.  Having their original saucy pancit canton and fried chicken sure did bring lots of memories.