Music & Masterpieces
My hubby Benny and I went out on a date one Saturday night. We had two tickets to Juno Yan Santos’ World of Music and Masterpieces. Not knowing what to expect was part of the excitement. The actual experience, however, gave way to a most memorable surprise.
Early in the evening we arrived in RCBC, parked and walked up to the fourth floor of the building. Stepping out from the elevator into the Auditorium Lounge was a welcome and colorful sight. The venue was filled with art enthusiasts admiring Juno Santos’ adorable-looking doggie paintings playfully done in acrylic on canvas. He also had an exquisite collection of black and white drawings.
My date was enticed by the selection of wines flowing from the wine bar set up by Ralph Joseph while food was being served by a friendly Swiss gentleman we met named Martin Kaspar. We savored the delicious specialties from his restaurant called L’entrecote Corner Bar and Bistro.
I was happy to see my neurologist and dear friend Dr. Joven Cuanang, a passionate art lover, cut the ceremonial ribbon to formally open the show. He was smiling from ear to ear; he was totally in his element, all praises for the young artist Juno on his first oneman show. Actor Aga Muhlach (star of the smash hit family movie
Seven Sundays, which I saw twice and totally enjoyed), his pretty wife Charlene and Julius Babao, who are all avid art collectors, were also present.
My classmates arrived and we hugged each other in affectionate greeting.
Soon, it was time to go into the auditorium for the concert titled Love and Luck: Bach vs. Beatles, which was no ordinary one. The Manila Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Prof. Arturo Molina, serenaded the audience with Bach’s Overture Suite No. 3 and went on to play three famous hit songs of The Beatles:
Yellow Submarine, A Hard Day’s Night and Here Comes The Sun. I looked around and saw smiling faces as if they were already walking down memory lane. Another Bach piece called Sheep May Safely Graze was very soulful. The Best of The Beatles medley, which included Here, There and Everywhere, was my favorite. The song Yesterday with Adrian Sison on solo trumpet made the older couples swoon.
The highlight of the night was listening to 14-yearold Juno Santos on stage performing Ave Maria by Bach. It was so quiet as if it was his gift of prayer offered to the Blessed Mother. The audience was breathless in the end and they wanted more. Juno beautifully obliged. His fingers moving fluidly on the grand piano. Annotator Jeffrey Solares intimated how the symphony orchestra members are so used to playing for prominent guest artists from here or abroad and have gotten so used to it that they are not easily impressed anymore. But when they rehearsed with Juno, they were awe struck and their immense excitement filled the stage.
The last three songs I Will, Let It Be and Hey Jude were magical. My husband and I held hands and sang along with the audience as the lyrics were flashed on screen. Yes, they were large and readable. As hearts were beating, it was a moment to remember.
Juno had given the best of himself for a noble purpose. My dear friend Dolores F. Cheng, founder and president of The Center For Possibilities Foundation, thanked the guests for supporting the show. We were touched to discover that all proceeds of the art exhibit, symphony concert and virtuoso performance of Juno, who practically taught himself to draw, paint and play the piano, will benefit special education or SPED centers in Norzagaray, Bulacan and Sagada Mt. Province.
Dolores and her board, including my classmate Cynthia Tinsay Gonzalez, expressed their deepest gratitude to all those who made this meaningful night possible. The artworks and performance of Juno were outstanding. The Manila Symphony Orchestra successfully combined the harmonic genius of Bach against the lyricism of The Beatles.
The beautiful music of our date night is still playing in my heart.