 Apr 11, 2008 FILharmoniKA Gerard Salonga, Music Director FILharmoniKA is the most in-demand orchestra in the country today. Under the leadership of music director Gerard Salonga, the group was formed in 2005 as the in-house recording ensemble of Carmel House Studios, a music and audio post-production facility in Manila. Composed of the country’s finest musicians, what was then known as the Global Studio Orchestra can be heard on film scores and albums, namely the animated feature Tugger starring Jim Belushi, the Filipino thriller Ang Pamana, and the albums of Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, and Mon David. FIlLharmoniKA is also behind Lea Salonga’s platinum album Inspired and her latest album, Your Songs. It can also be heard on the station IDs of The Filipino Channel and QTV, as well as major television commercials. The orchestra also performed on the scores of several animated television series such as Jippy, Journey with Terry, and the Singapore-animated series Shelldon. Most recently, FILharmoniKA performed the original orchestral score of RPG: Metanoia, the Philippines’ first 3D animated feature film, which received rave critical reviews and won 3rd Best Film at the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival. In 2006 the orchestra began a series of studio recordings entitled Musika Natin (Our Music), which celebrates the genius of great Filipino composers, distributed by Sony-BMG Music. The first two albums in the series are Lahing Kaymanggi, which features the symphonic works of Maestro Lucio San Pedro, and Ugnayan, featuring the jazz mastery of Maestro Angel Matias Peña. The third album in the series is entitled Heritage, which features the symphonic works of Col. Antonino Buenaventura. One of the more popular releases is Kumpas, an album of great Filipino rock songs performed by the orchestra, joined by several of the songs’ original artists such as Sampaguita, Wally Gonzales, Jett Pangan, and Noel Cabangon. The orchestra was also featured on a landmark recording entitled Eastern Skies, collaborating with jazz musicians Johnny Alegre and Affinity, released by Candid Records. In 2008, the orchestra took on a new direction as well as a new name: FILharmoniKA. In the live performance scene, FILharmoniKA has collaborated with the country’s brightest, and its varied repertoire is a testament to its versatility. Since its inception, audiences have heard the orchestra perform in such concerts as Martin Nievera’s 25th anniversary concert at the Araneta Coliseum entitled XXV, the Philippine International Jazz Festival in Makati, and the much-anticipated collaboration of Barbie Almalbis and Kitchie Nadal at the Araneta Coliseum. FILharmoniKA shared the stage with Lea Salonga for her 30th anniversary concert at the PICC entitled My Life…On Stage, and with Ogie Alcasid at the Araneta Coliseum for his 20th anniversary concert 20/20. The orchestra also received tremendous critical acclaim for their performances in Stages Productions’ run of West Side Story at the Meralco Theatre, Cinderella at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Atlantis Productions’ Hairspray. In February 2009 FILharmoniKA performed with Peter Cetera at the Araneta Coliseum and the Grammy-winning musician referred to the orchestra as “the finest he has performed with on tour.” The orchestra received even more critical praise for its performance of Stephen Sondheim’s challenging score in Repertory Philippines’ run of Sweeney Todd at OnStage Greenbelt, and recently accompanied Lea Salonga in her highly successful Your Songs concerts at the PICC in Manila, as well as in Cebu and Bacolod. In November 2010, the orchestra performed in Repertory Philippines’ successful run of the musical, Little Women. Since the name change, FILharmoniKA can also be heard on Gerard Salonga’s original score to Ayala Museum’s exhibit Gold Of Ancestors, as well as on the debut album of 2007 WCOPA winner Reymond Sajor, and The CompanY’s Group Hug. The orchestra also performed the theme songs of the ABS-CBN television series Tanging Yaman and Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo, and the theme song of Star Cinema’s And I Love You So. FILharmoniKA is quickly gaining recognition as a formidable classical ensemble, participating in the 2008 and 2009 seasons of FILFEST. During this time FILharmoniKA gave memorable performances including Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Leonard Bernstein’s Three Dance Episodes from On The Town, and Norman Dello Joio’s Concertato for Clarinet and Orchestra with clarinetist Marian Liebowitz and conductor Jeffrey Meyer. Under the baton of Gerard Salonga, the orchestra gave a stirring performance of Igor Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks Concerto for Chamber Orchestra, marking its first performance in Manila in nearly 20 years. For FILFEST the orchestra also accompanied some of the country’s leading classical artists such as pianist Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, and violinists Justin Texon, Regina Buenaventura, and Coke Bolipata. FILharmonika was also one of the featured orchestras at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ 1st National Orchestra Festival 2010 held at the CCP Main Theater. In 2010, FILharmoniKA embarked on its own symphonic concert season at the Philam Life Theatre in Manila, receiving rave reviews from critics and praise from audiences for their musical and passionate renditions of great symphonic masterworks. Artists who have collaborated with the orchestra so far include British cellist Richard Bamping and internationally renowned pianist Cecile Licad. In line with its goal of reaching new audiences, the orchestra has partnered with television station Net 25, which broadcasts every performance of the season in high definition, and streams it live worldwide from its website. Please visit www.filharmonika.com Contact Details: Email: djsalonga@gmail.com; dj@filharmonika.com Tel.No: 8074433   Mar 14, 2011 HeritageHeritageThe Music of Antonino Buenaventura Impressions (1976) - Symphonic suite in four movements for full orchestra. Commissioned by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
 Mar 17, 2011
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
