Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) is the nation's leading symphony orchestra and a resident company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
(the CCP), located on Manila's shoreline. The PPO's Music Director/Principal Conductor is Olivier Ochanine (Term to start January 2010).
. Its first music director was Luis Valencia, with Julian Quirit serving as concertmaster.
Six years later Imelda Marcos
, then First Lady of the Philippines, asked Oscar Yatco to reorganize the ensemble, and in 1982 the "Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra" took its present name and adopted a new vision: to become a world-class symphony orchestra comparable with the finest.
The PPO keeps a busy schedule year-round, its main concert season (September to April) supplemented by regular performances at the San Agustin International Music Festival, by special concerts, and by community outreach activities.
The PPO has performed with such renowned conductors as Mendi Rodan, Piero Gamba, Yaacov Bergman, and Nicholas Koch. It has also collaborated with leading Filipino and foreign musicians, including Cecile Licad
, Martin Nievera, Lea Salonga
, Regine Velasquez
, Van Cliburn
, Renata Tebaldi
, Judith Engel, Anthony Camden, Freestyle, and David Benoit.
Overseas, the PPO has successfully toured Europe, and in 2002 it participated in Asia Orchestra Week at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. The orchestra gave a 2004 Charity Royal Command Concert at Bangkok's National Theater at the invitation of Princess Galyani Vadhana
, elder sister of the King of Thailand. This was a project of the Fund for Classical Music Promotion, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to young musicians to further study music, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Philippines in Bangkok and the Ministry of Culture of Thailand.
In 2006, the PPO's tour of the United States
helped celebrate the centennial of the first Filipino migrants to Hawaii
and California
.
In 2009, after an exhaustive two-year search process, the PPO and the Cultural Center of the Philippines selected Olivier Ochanine as the PPO's next Principal Conductor and Music Director to start January 2010.
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
(the CCP), located on Manila's shoreline. The PPO's Music Director/Principal Conductor is Olivier Ochanine (Term to start January 2010).
History
Inaugurated on May 15, 1973, as the CCP Philharmonic, the new orchestra was initially intended to accompany artists performing at the Cultural Center of the PhilippinesCultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
. Its first music director was Luis Valencia, with Julian Quirit serving as concertmaster.
Six years later Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
, then First Lady of the Philippines, asked Oscar Yatco to reorganize the ensemble, and in 1982 the "Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra" took its present name and adopted a new vision: to become a world-class symphony orchestra comparable with the finest.
The PPO keeps a busy schedule year-round, its main concert season (September to April) supplemented by regular performances at the San Agustin International Music Festival, by special concerts, and by community outreach activities.
The PPO has performed with such renowned conductors as Mendi Rodan, Piero Gamba, Yaacov Bergman, and Nicholas Koch. It has also collaborated with leading Filipino and foreign musicians, including Cecile Licad
Cecile Licad
Cecile Licad is a renowned Filipina virtuoso classical pianist dubbed as a "a pianist's pianist" by The New Yorker, "her artistry, a blend of daring musical instinct and superb training." -Biography:...
, Martin Nievera, Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga-Chien is a mezzo-soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and...
, Regine Velasquez
Regine Velasquez
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez , better known as Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez, is a Filipino singer, actress, record producer and TV host...
, Van Cliburn
Van Cliburn
Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. is an American pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 at age 23, when he won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, at the height of the Cold War....
, Renata Tebaldi
Renata Tebaldi
Renata Tebaldi was an Italian lirico-spinto soprano popular in the post-war period...
, Judith Engel, Anthony Camden, Freestyle, and David Benoit.
Overseas, the PPO has successfully toured Europe, and in 2002 it participated in Asia Orchestra Week at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. The orchestra gave a 2004 Charity Royal Command Concert at Bangkok's National Theater at the invitation of Princess Galyani Vadhana
Galyani Vadhana
Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Princess of Naradhiwas , was a princess of Thailand and the elder sister of King Ananda Mahidol and King Bhumibol Adulyadej...
, elder sister of the King of Thailand. This was a project of the Fund for Classical Music Promotion, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to young musicians to further study music, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Philippines in Bangkok and the Ministry of Culture of Thailand.
In 2006, the PPO's tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
helped celebrate the centennial of the first Filipino migrants to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In 2009, after an exhaustive two-year search process, the PPO and the Cultural Center of the Philippines selected Olivier Ochanine as the PPO's next Principal Conductor and Music Director to start January 2010.