GINTONG PAMANA: NAMCYA SINGKWENTA

Dr. Renato B. Lucas, Ph.D.

Concert Cellist/ Conductor/Academic/Cultural Worker

“High art” seems worn-out, but it does accurately describe Renato B. Lucas, who was destined for a career as a man of music.

Lucas was privileged to have studied at the University of the Philippines, San Francisco Conservatory of Music (USA), Royal Northern College of Music (England), Hochschule für Musik Detmold (Germany) and Universität der Kunst Berlin (Germany). 

He held the Principal Cellist position of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) for three decades and appeared as its soloist and conductor in various occasions. Moreover, he performed with many ensembles like the Manila Symphony Orchestra, Manila Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Manila, the defunct Metro Manila Symphony Orchestra, ABS-CBN Philharmonic, the University of Santo Tomas Symphony Orchestra, Clarion Ensemble, Detmold Chamber Orchestra, ASEAN Symphony, and the Hanoi Philharmonic. He also performed in various music festivals, cello recitals, chamber music performances like the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Filipino Artist Series, Coke Bolipata’s Pundaquit Arts Festival, and the Las Pinas Bamboo Organ Festival to name a few. 

His versatility was much sought after and has worked with a vast spectrum of music collaborating with pop icons like Ryan Cayabyab and Basil Valdez; contemporary composers from the Asia-Pacific Region; collaborations with contemporary dancers like Myra Beltran; film scoring collaborations with Nonong Buencamino and the late director Marilou Diaz-Abaya. Classical music collaboration includes accompanying many young Filipino musicians as well as renowned artists like Filipina Cecile Licad and soprano Rachelle Gerodias to name a few.

Celebrated concerts include the monumental Dvorak Cello Concerto with the State Philharmonic Brno (Czech) which featured Lucas in their Asian tour and as soloist of the PPO in their European and Japan tours.

Discography includes recordings with the PPO’s Homecoming I Concert with a rendition of Bruch’s Kol Nidre which drew rave reviews and was released on CD. Other recordings are the ROMANZA album (Tawid/Ivory with pianist Raul Sunico) which received the 2006 Awit Awards for Best Instrumental Recording. More collaborative recordings are that of the works by Jesse Lucas for the ‘Ginugunita Kita’ album, Nonong Buencamino for Pinto Art Museum’s ‘Tamis Project’, Jesuit Music Ministry albums, and Gary Valenciano’s “Beyong Words” album.

Lucas currently holds an Associate Professorship at the University of Santo Tomas. He obtained his Ph.D. in History from the UST Graduate School and is a Senior Research Fellow at the University’s Research Center for Culture, Arts and the Humanities..

Armando Salarza

Professor Armando V. Salarza is an international concert organist and has been the titular organist of the Bamboo Organ in his hometown, Las Piñas, Philippines, for 28 years. In 1992, he finished his post graduate studies of Organ Concert Performance under (+) Prof. Herbert Tachezi at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria after having earned with distinction an M.A. in Church Music and a Teacher’s Certificate at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. A lot of his success in his studies is credited to (+) Dr. Prof. Johann Trummer.

Prof. Salarza is currently the Artistic Director of the International Bamboo Organ Festival. His contribution to the Festival is hard to describe, but one thing is for sure, the Festival would never have reached the standards of music making without his exceptional skills as a performer and accompanist. Admirable is the fact that he stayed in the Philippines, knowing that it would have been much easier for him to build up a career abroad. Though he did not specialize in choir conducting, he took over the position of choirmaster of the Las Piñas Boys Choir and dealt with their voices with the same precision as if dealing with the keyboard of the organ. Under his tutelage, the choir captured first place in an international choir competition in Graz in 2008 and the choir has participated in many important events in the country such as ASEAN50, APEC, etc. As a concert organist, he has given numerous performances in the Philippines and abroad with the most recent ones in Cebu, Dumaguete and Russia. As a professor, he has taught, encouraged and supported many students in building up their career as musicians.

Prof. Salarza is also presently a faculty member of the St. Scholastica’s College Conservatory of Music and of the University of the Philippines College of Music where he is teaching pipe organ. With enormous patience, he keeps on working for the future, never losing faith in the bright future which is entrusted in the hands of a few. He is driven by the love for the pipe organ which he started discovering at age 11 when he gave his first public performance on the Bamboo Organ. Together with the honor of being entrusted with the Bamboo Organ and the boys choir comes the task of making them sound their best so that Filipinos can feel proud of their heritage.

Las Piñas Boys Choir

The Las Piñas Boys Choir, a well-known group of young singing boys proud to be identified as one of the few surviving “Boys Choir” in the Philippines, was founded in 1969 by Fr. Leo Reiner for the purpose of having a group of young voices sing at church services. Composed of young boys between the ages of 8 and 15, they are enrolled at St. Joseph’s Academy where they enjoy academic scholarships and are directly exposed to the cultural activities offered in and out of the institution. The group has established themselves not only in the cultural and musical inheritance of our country but also in the local and international music scenes.

In 1974, the group earned first place in the Third National Competition of Children’s Choir and received regular invitations at Malacañang Palace. They joined in performances and productions at the Cultural Center of the Philippines such as Berstein’s Mass (1976), Brahms’ Requiem (1978), Puccini’s La Tosca with the San Francisco Opera (1979), Mozart’s Magic Flute with the Opera Company of Boston (1983), Bizet’s Carmen (1985) and Britten’s War Requiem (1992). In 1989, 3 members of the choir were selected to join “The World’s Little Singers” in Paris.

Several former members have chosen a career in music here and abroad. Among them is Cealwyn Tagle, the first and only pipe organ builder in the Philippines, and Professor Armando Salarza, who became the conductor and musical director of the Las Piñas Boys Choir in 2003. Under his guidance, the choir bagged first place in the Vivere Choral Competition in 2005 and got nominated twice as Best Chorale Group in 2005, 2006 & 2007 Aliw Awards. They were also declared World Champions in the 5th World Choir Games held at Graz, Austria in 2008 for the Children’s Choir Category and were awarded a Silver Medal for the Musica Sacra. In November 2015, the choir performed during the concluding rites of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation held at the Philippine International Convention Center and was invited to perform at the Gala Dinner of the ASEAN 50 last November 2017. 

In 2019, as part of the choir’s 50th anniversary, they were invited to perform in Samar, as well as in a series of outreach concerts in Dumaguete and other Negros Oriental provinces.

The existence of the choir is also closely connected with the presence of the world-famous Bamboo Organ in Las Piñas. The group has been regular performers in the International Bamboo Organ Festival, an annual event where music comes to life, promoting music culture and heritage.

Janinna Casuncad

Janinna Casuncad is a student of Bachelor of Music in Music Education with Piano Principal at St. Scholastica’s College Manila. She started taking up piano lessons in 2003 as well as organ lessons in 2005 under the guidance of Prof. Mauricia Borromeo, Prof. Juliana Moonette Manrique, and Prof. Armando Salarza.

She has been an accompanist in various performances with the Las Piñas Boys Choir, and a piano teacher for the beneficiaries of Creative Image Foundation (TIU Theater) in Makati.

Currently she serves in the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph – Bamboo Organ as church organist and assistant for the Ministry of Liturgical Music

Gabriel Allan Paguirigan

Gabriel Allan Paguirigan is a pianist, musical director, and teacher. He is a graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts and the University of the Philippines College of Music. During his student days, he was a recipient of awards and scholarships such as the Makiling Academic and Research Institute for the Arts (MARIA) Scholarship, UP College of Music Extension Program Scholarship, and the Dean’s Medal for Outstanding Performance. His past teachers include Luci A. Magalit, Nita A. Quinto, Augusto Espino, Hannah Valdez-Sariego, Jet Gemora-Girn, and Aimee Mina-De la Cruz. 

Mr. Paguirigan has twice been the First Prize winner of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Piano Competition – in 2011 (Junior Category) and in 2015 (Senior Category). He has also won top prizes in other local competitions sponsored by the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines Foundation Inc., the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lyric Piano & Organ Corporation, the Henrietta Sydeco-Tayengco Limjoco Piano Foundation, and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music. 

He is a sought-after collaborating artist, having worked with the Philippines’ best singers and instrumentalists. He is the musical director of Pasipo, a small vocal ensemble based in the Philippines which aims to explore the vast vocal repertoire. As a concert pianist, he has been the featured soloist of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Manila Symphony Orchestra, and the Cardona Ocho Symphonic Band in several concerts. He has also given solo recitals in the most prestigious venues all over the Philippines. In his relentless pursuit to further hone his craft, Mr. Paguirigan has taken master classes with prominent artists such as Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras, Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, Cecile Licad, Albert Tiu, Victor Asuncion, Reynaldo Reyes, Avedis Kouyoumdjian, Chi-Ying Hung, Chao-Han Liao, Chinchuan Chang, Roberta Rust, Elodie Vignon, Adam Kent, Andreas Henkel, Chiara Cipelli, Miquel Esterlich, among many others.

Mr. Paguirigan enjoys teaching piano during his spare time, sharing to learners of various levels and ages the joy of making music. 

Regina Saban

Regina Saban started taking formal voice lessons at the age of 15 under Mr. Luis Garrucho, alumnus of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus. In 2022, she won the 1st prize in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA), Junior Voice Category, held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Since then, Ina has been a familiar face on stage. She was invited to perform at the Musikapuluan’s Handulantaw Festival of Contemporary and Traditional Music and Dance held at the Silliman University Luce Auditorium, for the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), among others. This Bacolod lass has also attended voice workshops under Ms. Nenen Espina Miss Saban was recently presented in NAMCYA’s Wagi Lagi: Galing NAMCYA, Balik Musika concert at the Metropolitan Theater last August 14, 2023 with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Rachelle Gerodias

A winner of “The Outstanding Young Men” (2010) and “The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service” (2013) awards, Maria Rachelle Gerodias is also the first “Aliw Awards Hall of Fame” awardee for Best Female Classical Performer, thereby cementing what many have long known – that Ms. Gerodias is currently the country’s brightest gem in the field of opera and classical vocal performances.

Ms. Gerodias’ career has spanned three decades of critically acclaimed and award-winning performances.  She has performed as soloist under internationally renowned conductors such as Georg Tintner, Yu Long, Zuohuang Chen, Uros Lajovic and Christoph Eschenbach.  Ms. Gerodias was also featured guest soloist of national orchestras worldwide including the China National Symphony Orchestra, Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival Orchestra, the L’Orchestra Citta di Firenze and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.  Her collaboration with Mirella Freni gives her the distinction of being the first Filipina to have ever worked with the legendary opera diva.

In 2008, she made her European opera debut as Liu in Puccini’s Turandot at the Volksoper Wien in Vienna, Austria.  In 2010, she performed the lead role with an international cast of singers in a production of “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” for the Daegu International Opera Festival in South Korea, thus making her the first Filipina to perform at the Daegu Opera House.  And in 2012 she essayed the role of Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the same Festival in Korea.  She is a regular guest at the Singapore Lyric Opera where she has performed lead roles in numerous opera productions.  In one of her performances, she was cited by critic Derek Lim: “It was soprano Rachelle Gerodias, however, who clearly stole the show.  She has a radiant, starry quality about her presence.  It was in Puccini and Verdi that she has truly shown, with such sincere identification, with the characters that she was the character.”

Ms. Gerodias received her master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Literature from the famed Eastman School of Music in New York.  She holds a Professional Diploma in Opera studies from the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. In Manila, she studied under Prof. Gloria Coronel at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. 

Ms. Gerodias owns the Gerodias-Park Music Studio where, along with her husband, Korean Baritone Byeong In Park, she mentors and trains aspiring young singers. 

Ms. Gerodias can be heard on several CD recordings with renowned Filipino and international artists including the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Redentor Romero. In 2013 she released her first solo album, “Philippine Art Songs” with Dr. Raul Sunico on the piano. 

To give back to the community, Rachelle founded the Rachelle Gerodias Music Foundation with the goal of providing scholarships to talented but underprivileged musicians.

Michael Angelo Valenciano

Michael Angelo Valenciano is a Filipino pianist from Manila, Philippines. He graduated at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music in 2020 with full scholarships from the Lisa Zheng Foundation and the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP). He won 2nd Prize in the 2018 National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA), Junior Piano Category, and bagged the 2nd Prize and Best Interpretation of Contest Piece in the 2023 NAMCYA Senior Piano Category. A multi awarded pianist himself, he has also garnered 1st Prize in international competitions such as the 2019 Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition, and the 2021 New York Young Performers’ Prize Online Piano Competition (NYYPP). Last February, he was given an invitation to the Malacañang Palace to receive the ‘Ani Ng Dangal’ Award (for Music) from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for his achievements.

Diomedes Saraza Jr.

Born in the Philippines, Mr. Saraza started playing the violin at the age of 3 with his father. His  formal training started in St. Scholastica’s College Manila under the PREDIS program under  Virna Valerio, Basilio Manalo, and Arturo Molina. Mr. Saraza received both his Bachelor of  Music and Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School. Granted a full scholarship in the  prestigious institution, he studied with Stephen Clapp, Lewis Kaplan and Joseph Lin. There, he  was the recipient of the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship, Ruth Katzman Scholarship,  Juilliard Alumni scholarship and the C.V. Starr Scholarship. He was also accepted as a full  scholar in Yale University to pursue a Master of Musical Arts degree under the tutelage of Prof.  Hyo Kang. During his time in Yale, he received two prestigious awards from the school which is  the Brodus Erle Prize 2016 and the Alumni Association Prize 2017. Outside music, Mr. Saraza  was a recipient of President Obama’s Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for academic  excellence. 

Since winning first place at the National Music Competitions for Young Artists in 2002, Mr.  Saraza has been concertizing and giving solo recitals at the age of 12. He has won first place in  international competitions most notably is New York’s Friday-Woodmere Young Artist  Competition and Associated Music Teacher’s League Competition. Mr. Saraza was accepted at  the Perlman Music Program, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival,  and Bowdoin International Music Festival. 

He performed solo internationally with different orchestras such as the Mannes Orchestra, New  York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra to name a few. In 2016, he  had a successful Carnegie Hall solo debut with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr.  Saraza’s extensive solo and chamber performances include prestigious venues that span from  Philippines’ Cultural Center of the Philippines, New York’s Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall,  Carnegie Hall, to Russia’s Tchaikovsky’s Concert Hall among others.  

Mr. Saraza is currently the concertmaster of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. He is also an  active concert violinist and chamber musician. He has been a member of Sejong Soloists and had  concert tours in Korea, Macau and Russia. As an avid educator, he serves as faculty of the  Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra. His students have been accepted in international conservatories such as The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Hanns Eisler  University Berlin, Yale University and Cleveland State University.

Liwang Elementary School (Abra)

Vojong ud Malibcong Ethnic Ensemble is composed of  one Culture bearer from the Vanaw Tribe of Malibcong, Abra, one group leader, one coach, and fifteen performers from Liwang Elementary School. All performers are singers, instrumentalists, and dancers.

Their culture bearer is Alberto David A. Alunday,61, a NAMCYA Consultant, MTB-MLE IPED Consultant & BOD of SDO-IPED, Abra. He participated in solving cases & disputes in the community by applying indigenous systems, laws, and practices. He trained and served as a consultant for youths, students, and pupils.

Magallanes Elementary School Performing Arts

The group was named Magallanes Elementary School Performing Arts last 2013. The following awards received are the following;

Regional Level

1. Sayaw Kadayawan 

• 2017 – 2nd runner up
• 2018 – 1st runner up
•  2019 – 2nd runner -up

2. Sayaw Pinoy Folk Dance 

• 2017 – 1st runner -up
• 2018 – 1st runner -up
• 2019 – 2nd runner up
• 2023 – Champion

3. Dance Sports

• Unit Meet – Champion
• DCAA – Champion
• DAVRAA Qualifier

4. Festival of Talents Folk Dance Champion 2023
5. National Level

•     NAMCYA – National Winner – 2013
•    NAMCYA – National Winner – 2019

Philippine Normal University Chorale

The Philippine Normal University Chorale is an organization of students and alumni from the various education courses in the Manila campus. The diverse academic specializations of its members make the choir a unique ensemble of educators whose passion for choral singing has created not only a harmony, but also a collective voice that calls for societal transformation through music.  

The PNU Chorale traces its roots in 1967 when Prof. Loreto C. Gloria trained a selected group of female college students. This gave birth to the choir known as the Philippine Normal College Koro Sampaguita, named after the country’s national flower. As an alumna of the Koro Sampaguita and homegrown talent of the College, Prof. Luzviminda B. Modelo reorganized the group into a mixed choir when she took over the reins in 1991. From then on, the PNU Chorale has blossomed like a sampaguita flower whose beauty, grace and strength typify the Filipino spirit.

NAMCYA has been a strong force in guiding the PNU Chorale’s journey into its own identity and advocacy. It served as the choir’s inspiration and motivation to reach new heights as evidenced by PNU Chorale’s participation and three-time winning in the past competitions when it was awarded the 2nd Prize in College Choir Category (1993), 1st Prize in the same category (1996), and 2nd Prize in Senior Choir Category (2019). More than the recognition it bestowed, NAMCYA has opened a lot of opportunities for the group to receive invitations and perform before the local and international audiences. A number of events held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) saw PNU Chorale’s aspirations to make a mark in the choral singing scene, such as during the visit of the King and Queen of Spain (1997), the 1st Philippine International Choral Festival (1998), and the Samu’t Saring Tinig: A Concert of the Best University Choirs, among others. The choir soon embarked on several international travels to compete with the best of world choirs and bring home remarkable accolades and honor for the Philippines. 

On NAMCYA’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, the PNU Chorale looks back with gratitude for the nurturance it has received from NAMCYA and at the same time looks forward with optimism for future collaborations in the furtherance of its National Youth Development Program for Music.

Melchora Regina Medina Perez 

Concert artist and mentor to musicians, Gina Medina Perez has devoted her life to the advancement of violin playing in the Philippines. She concertizes as soloist in the different orchestras in the Philippines and is active in chamber and orchestral music. She was concertmaster of the Manila Symphony Orchestra for 10 years, the Festival Orchestra of the Bamboo Organ International Festival, and the Asian Youth Orchestra. She was the conductor of the Philippine Research for Developing Instrumental Soloist (PREDIS).

Her duo with pianist Mary Anne Espina concertized extensively. Their repertoire includes sets of Mozart, All French and All Brahms sonatas, among others. In support of Filipino composers, the duo has presented an all Filipino recital which includes the works of Abelardo, Maramba, Cuenco, Sacramento and Kabayao. They have a recording of the Abelardo and Cornejo Violin Sonatas.

Gina is a recipient of many scholarships and grants from international and national organizations. She has represented the country and done recitals on numerous occasions in Asia, America, and Europe. She is currently a freelance musician for national and international   

orchestras. Her recent collaborations were with the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and a 2020 virtual performance with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. 

In line with her advocacy to uplift the teaching standard of stringed instruments in the country, Gina founded, together with four other colleagues (Salonga, Decena, Huang, and Inacay), the Filipino String Teachers Association whose mission is to build a connected, competent, music literate Filipino citizenry through education and performance opportunities, and to uplift the 

level of string performance and pedagogy in the country. 

As a mentor, she actively teaches young musicians and professionals. She teaches at University of Santo Tomas, Philippine High School for the Arts and St. Paul University Manila Graduate Studies. She held the post of Chairman of the Bowed and Plucked Strings and Chamber music category in the National Music Competition for Young Artist and was the coordinator of the Symphonic Instrumental Department at the UST Conservatory of Music where she handled the string, brass, woodwind, and percussion departments. A devoted mentor to aspiring musicians, her students have won national and international competitions and have represented the country in festivals and workshops abroad. Her students have been accepted in prestigious music schools. She also does outreach violin lessons and masterclasses. 

Gina has a master’s degree in Violin Performance, chamber music emphasis at the San Francisco State University under Fred Lifsitz of the Alexander Quartet. She took her Professional Diploma for Violin Performance at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts under Pavel Prantl   

and Barry Wilde. Her undergraduate studies were at St. Scholastica’s College under the tutelage of Professor Basilio Manalo. She is currently finishing her Doctor of Musical Arts at the St. Paul University. In pursuit of learning, Gina is currently being trained as a Suzuki teacher. 

NAMCYA:  

1985 First Prize Violin Category B 

1990 First Prize Violin Category C 

1991 Iloilo NAMCYA Music Festival of Winners: Most Outstanding Solo Performer 

Mary Anne Espina

Known for her excellence in chamber music, Mary Anne is one of the most sought after collaborating artists in the Philippines today. She continues to team up with outstanding local and international artists in all major concerts and recital venues in the Philippines.

A two-time Aliw Awardee for the Best Instrumental Category, Mary Anne has been featured in the Filipino Artists Series at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and has performed as soloist of the UST Symphony Orchestra, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, FILHARMONIKA and the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

She has earned her Masters of Arts in Music, summa cum laude, from the University of Santo Tomas under the tutelage of renowned Filipino pianists Manuel Maramba, OSB and Raul Sunico, Ph.D., Dean, UST Conservatory of Music. She finished her undergraduate studies at the St. Scholastica’s College of Music. Her previous mentors include Ms. Myrna Damaso and Ms. Erlinda Fule, former Dean of the UST Conservatory of Music.

1986 – 1st honorable mention, Category B

1988 or 89 – Honorable mention, Category C

Edgardo C. Silangcruz

Edgardo C. Silangcruz first learned to play the flute from his late father. He obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in flute performance at the University of Sto. Tomas conservatory of Music. Master of Music at the Philippine Women’s University and currently pursuing his Doctor’s degree at St. Paul University College of Music and the Performing Arts .He won several awards in Competitions like Namcya during his college days. First prize in category B in 1988 and Category C in 1989 and participated in various international youth orchestra workshops and tours like the Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) and ASEAN as principal flutist. He headed the Philippine Delegation at the Southeast Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble ( SAYOWE) in 2007 held in Bangkok. He is currently the assistant principal flute of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra .Faculty at the University of Sto. Tomas conservatory of music and St. Paul University College of Music and Performing Arts.

Ariel Sta. Ana

Ariel Sta. Ana is a winner of the National Music Competitions for Young Artist (NAMCYA), winning first prize in 1992 IN Clarinet Solo Category C. He received his musical training at the UST Conservatory of Music under Prof. Dalmacio Cruz and at the Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, Japan earning his Master of Music degree in Clarinet Performance in 1996, with Prof. Tadayoshi Takeda as his mentor. In 1999, he received his second Master of Music degree from the Elisabeth University of Music but this time in Orchestra Conducting under the tutelage of Prof. Kazukiyo Inoue.

Passionately committed to music education, He served on the faculty of the UST Conservatory of Music for 21 years. He joined the faculty at Saint Paul University College of Music, the Philippine Women’s University College of Music in 2018 and is on the faculty of Philippine High School for the Arts.

At present, he is the principal clarinet player of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) and Also an member of the Music Gear Manila Soloists wind Quintet.

Reynato M. Resurreccion Jr.

Schools: 

University of Santo Tomas (Manila)

B.M. Major in Oboe

Elisabeth University (Hiroshima, Japan)

M.A. Major in Instrument Performance(Oboe)

Awards:

-Prize Winner Solo Category 1989 National Music Competition for 

Young Artist (Manila)

-First Prize Winner Chamber Music 1992 Category National 

Competition for Young Artist

-Prize Winner Solo Category 1992 National Competition for Young 

Artist

-Receipient Buencamino Awards in University of Santo Tomas 1992

-Prize Winner 2001 Asahi Solo Competition for Asian Student Tokyo Japan

-2002 Selected to performe in Young Artist’s Solo Concert in 

Elisabeth University,Hiroshima Japan

Worshops Attended:

-1989 Philippines: Annual Music Camp Univesity of Santo Tomas 

Symphony Orchestra 

(Principal Oboe)

-1991 Philippine Youth Orchestra Camp and Concerts (Principal Oboe)

-1992 Brunei: Asean Youth Music Camp for Orchestra(Principal 

Oboe)

-1995 Thailand: Asean Youth Music Camp for Symphonic Band 

(Principal Oboe)

-1996 Thailand: Asean Youth Music Camp for Orchestra (Principal  Oboe)

-1996 Hongkong: Asian Youth Orchestra Camp and Concert Tour (Oboe and English Horn)

-2002 Concert Tour of the Elisabeth University Symphonic Band  (Principal Oboe)

Orchestra Experiences:

-Performed with the Philippine Symphony Orchestra for the Asian 

Tour of Senior Luciano Pavarotti (principal oboe)

-Performed with the Nusantara Symphony Orchestra in Jakarta as a  guest principal oboist

-Regular oboe and english horn player of the Repertory 

Philippines performing Broad Way

Music

Current Job:

-Assistant Principal Oboist of the Philippine Philharmonic 

Orchestra since 1997

-Faculty Member at the University of Santo Tomas

Conductor of the Adamson University Band

Damodar Das Castillo

Damodar Das Castillo was born on Aug 3, 2007 in Manila, Philippines. He is the 1st Prize winner Age group 2 Young Ludwig Youth Music Competition in Berlin Sept 2020. 1st Prize winner of The International Anton Rubinstein Competition 2020 Cello Junior in Dusseldorf March 2020. 1st Prize winner of Young Musician in Tallinn 2019, He also received a diploma for eminent style, as well as the best performance of a virtuoso piece. 1st Prize winner of Cello category 2 in North International Music Competition (Online competition) Autumn 2017. 2nd prize at the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Junior Strings Category (19 yrs old below) in Manila, the youngest winner for that year at age of 9.

He is part of the MSJO that won 1st place in 2018 and 2nd place 2017 in The Summa Cum Laude Music Festival held in Vienna, Austria. He was the featured soloist during MSJO’s tour in Vienna, Salzburg, Florence and Rome. He played with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) playing Haydn Cello Concerto, 1st mvt in 2017 and Saint-Saens Cello Concerto in 2019. He was featured in The Strad Online when he won 1st Prize in Tallinn and when he was 9 yrs old in a popular TV show “Little Big Shots Philippines“ which was aired nationwide.

Damodar studied for 4 years in pre-college Mozarteum University Salzburg and 2 years in Leopold Mozart Institute for Highly Talented Youths under Prof. Barbara Lübke-Herzl. With the support of Patron Group Chairman Ernesto T. Echauz of Standard Insurance Co., Inc.

He attended Masterclass with Prof. Dr. Renato Lucas, Prof. Victor Coo, Dr. Kimberly Patterson and Maestro Matias de Oliveira Pinto, Valentine Radutiu. He also attended the 2018 Austrian Masterclasses Music Camp in Zell an der Pram, Eva Lind Musik Tirol Academy and Festival Academy Musiktage Seefeld Masterclasses.

When he was 9 yrs old he passed with distinction the ABRSM Grade 8 Cello under Prof. Dr. Charito Pizarro and financial support of Mathematician and Composer Faye Miravite.

Ernani O. Pascual

A product of University of Santo Tomas, College of Music where he acquired the Teachers’  Diploma. Presently the Assistant Principal of the Horn section of  the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.  The talent in music is honed through joining in the organizations such as the Banda 5 in Cardona, Rizal which served as his training ground as musician and as resident conductor as well. The PhilBanda wherein he is one of the officers.

Trainings like the 2nd Asean Youth Symphonic Band Workshop which was held in Thailand last June 1994 and a series of Summer Intensive Music Camp held in UST from 1989-1995 helped a lot in attaining his goals to be recognized and awarded as winner in the National Music Competition for Young Artists as 3rd prize in Horn Solo Category and 1st prize in Chamber category.

Arnold Josue

Professor Arnold Josue is the cello principal of Manila Symphony Orchestra since 2015. Prior to his assignment in MSO, he was cello principal for Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (2007-2015), and assistant principal (2001-2004) and cello principal (2004-2006) for San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra. Prof. Josue has performed numerous concerts with the MSO including its annual gala concerts, Visayas concert tour, Candon Music Festival, ballet productions, special concerts, and outreach concerts. He performed with the MSO in its first international concert tour in 2019, the 5th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Art Festival held at the Grand Shengjing Theater , Shenyang, China.

Some of his most notable works include performances at the Rose Historic Site in Taipei, Taiwan in 2019 with the Bernie Pasamba Strings for the Philippine Independence Day, in Asia Orchestra Week in 2013 in Tokyo, Japan as principal cellist with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, and in the Hongkong Piano Competition in 2008 with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hongkong.

Prof. Josue went under the tutelage of Prof. Renato Lucas and Prof. Wilfredo Pasamba. He also completed Cello Masterclasses with German cellist Claus Kanngiesser, Spanish cellist Inaki Etxepare, and the Alexander String Quartet composed of Ge-Fang Yang, Paul Yarbrongh, Fredercik Lifsitz, and Sandy Wilson. He also attended the ASEAN Music Workshop held in Brunei, Darussalam, and Bangkok, Thailand. Prof. Josue, a Francisco Buencamino Scholar, holds a Master of Arts in Music in Cello Performance and Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Santo Tomas. He was a First Prize Winner, Cello Category C in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 1999.

In addition to his work with the orchestra, Professor Josue is a well-respected teacher who taught at some of the most renowned music schools in the country. He was former cello faculty at St. Scholastica’s College and Philippine Women’s University School of Music. He was guest professor at the 2019 Suzuki Korea Summer Music Festival held at Daemyung Resort Danyang South Korea.

Prof. Josue is currently Assistant Professor at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music , Cello Faculty at St. Paul University Manila, Cello Faculty and trainer for the internationally-awarded Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) and faculty at the MSO Music Academy. He is also a visiting faculty for Lourdes College String Program in Cagayan De Oro City.

Frenvee C. Andra

Frenvee C. Andra finished his bachelor’s degree in bassoon performance at the University Of  Sto Tomas Conservatory of Music. A National Music Competition For Young Artists first prize winner (Bassoon, Category C in 1998), he also holds a Masters degree in Music Performance from The Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, Japan and also won at the 2001 Asahi Music Competition in Tokyo, Japan.

Frenvee was the former principal bassoon of The Global Studio Orchestra and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. At present, he is the Acting Principal Bassoon of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and also an active member of the MGM wind Soloists. Aside from Bassoon Performance, he is also the music director of The General Trias Youth Symphonic Band, Lyceum Of The Philippines University Symphonic Band and Sta.Cecilia Band 89 of General Trias, Cavite. He also teaches at the University Of The Philippines College of Music and St. Paul Manila and he is an instructor at the Orchestra Of The Filipino Youth and The Philippine Youth Symphonic Band.

Myramae Meneses 

Myramae Meneses  won the NAMCYA lone top Grand Prize for Voice Category C in 2010. She is the first Filipino soprano to obtain a degree in Masters in Music Performance with Distinction from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. Myramae was a Battig Foundation scholar of St. Scholastica’s College which aided her to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree in Music in 2014.  

In 2012, she won 2nd place in the Jovita Fuentes Vocal Competition in Manila. Internationally, she has represented the Philippines in various competitions.

Since 2011, Myramae has been active in the performing arts. She has been performing for operas, musicals, and concerts.

She has also been invited to perform as a soloist for our country’s best orchestras such as the Manila Symphony Orchestra, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, and ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Nomher Nival

Nomher Nival is a First Prize winner of the 2007 National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA), Male, Category A and the 2015 Jovita Fuentes Vocal Competition (Male Category). 

He was also the recipient of the Mr. and Mrs. Tommy & Simonetta Steyer Encouragement Award at the prestigious Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition 2013 in Vero Beach, Florida. 

His major roles include Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme (2023) at the Mirror Studio and Theatre, Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (2019) at the Sta. Cecilia Hall, St. Scholastica Manila, Crisostomo Ibarra in Felipe Padilla – De Leon’s Noli Me Tangere (2017 & 2019) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Alfredo in Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata (2017) at the Ayala Museum and Rinuccio in Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (2017) at the PowerMac Spotlight. 

He also sang Obadiah in Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah (2014) at St. Cecilias Hall in Sta. Isabel College and the Tenor soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (2011) and the Theatre at the Solaire (2018). 

His other roles include Konde Almaviva of Le Nozze di Figaro from the experimental musical opera Figaro! Figaro! (2023), Emperor Altoum (2022) from Puccini’s Turandot, Normanno (2020) from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lamermoor, Remendado (2013 and Dancairo (2012) from Bizet’s Carmen, Padre Salvi (2014 from Padilla – De Leon’s Noli Me Tangere and Dr. Blind from Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. 

Nival was part of the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan (2012 & 2015) and had the privilege to sing under the baton of Metropolitan Opera House conductor Fabio Luisi. He also worked with Roberto Servile, baritone (2012), Marlis Petersen, soprano (2012) & Gabriella Tucci, soprano (2015). Nival was also part of the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival 2021 workshop where he receive coachings from distinguished Opera singers, voice teachers, opera coaches and conductors headed by tenor Jack Li Vigni (Curtis Institute, Royal Opera House), David Gowland (Artistic Director of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme), soprano Capucine Chiaudani (Belcanto4), conductor & pianist Kamal Khan, Opera & Art song coach/pianist Marek Ruszczynski, conductor Felice Venanzoni (Director of Musical Studies – Oper Frankfurt), conductor Sonia Ben – Santamaria (Royal Opera House, Opera North), conductor Leonardo Catalonotto and International Soprano Nelly Miricioiu (Jette Parker Young Artist Program, National Opera Studio, Atelier d’Excellence, Opera Studio Beckham). 

Nival is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Randy Gilongo. He is also part of the Viva Voce Voice Lab under Camille Lopez – Molina. He later studied under Arthur Espiritu & Nelly Miricioiu.

Reynaldo “Raki” Reyes Gendrano

Raki is an award-winning classical pianist, composer, arranger, and organist. The recipient of an artistic scholarship from the Original Pilipino Performing Arts (OPPA) Foundation, Raki is currently studying Piano Performance at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of acclaimed pianist, Mariel Ilusorio.

He has participated in piano masterclasses under Prof. Carolyn Cheng, Sir Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, Dr. Oliver Salonga, Sir Horacio Nuguid, Sir Isaac Chua, and Prof. Rolf Dieter-Arens of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Germany. He was also mentored by Prof. Miguel Aspiras during his early years as a performance major.

Some of Raki’s awards as a pianist include:

– Iglesia Ni Cristo International 

Piano Competition 2016 (1st Place)

– National Music 

Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) 2019, Chamber Category, with “The Bard Trio” (National Winner)

– America Music Teachers League Competition 2021 (Steinway and Sons Award – Collegiate Division) 

– Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition 2021, Philippines (3rd Place)

– National Music 

Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) 2021 (1st Place)

A sought-after accompanist, Raki has collaborated with numerous singers and instrumentalists, and is also a guest musician of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). He also performed at the recently concluded NAMCYA Winner’s Concert held at the Gulangyu Concert Hall, Gulangyu Island, in Xiamen, China.