A night of bamboo organ music

The on-going 37th International Bamboo Organ celebrates the 400th death anniversary of Giovanni Gabrieli. He was an Italian composer who popularized the “concertate” style, literally, the competition between two or more instrumental groups, what we now call: A concerto. His music will be featured in a setting similar to the practice in Venice: Two, three or four ensembles (choral or instrumental) facing each other. Among the works to be performed are his Omnes Gentes, Plaudite and In Ecclesiis, a canzone for two organs, and a canzone for two or three ensembles. G. Gabrieli had an enormous influence on the next generation of composers, as will be demonstrated in works for double choir by Heinrich Schütz and Johann Sebastian Bach.

To perform the program are Jennifer Pascual (USA), Armando Salarza, Gerardo Fajardo, Manu Mellaerts (Belgium), Sherla Najera, Ily Matthew Maniano, Malvin Beethoven Macasaet, Arjay Nuas Viray, UP Music Education Chorale, Las Piñas Boys Choir and Las Piñas Mens Choir, accompanied by the Manila Symphony Orchestra led by Eudenice Palaruan.

To serenade the attendees in the church’s courtyard during the traditional Concert Under the Trees with the most loved pop songs of the Philippines are the voices of The Company . Being Asia’s premiere vocal harmony group, it has won awards and sold thousands of albums, and is responsible for popularizing hits like Now That I Have You and Muntik na Kitang Minahal.

A night of purely organ music is a must-see concert, wherein both the Bamboo Organ and Pipe Organ of St. Joseph’s Academy will be played. For this year’s festival, Jennifer Pascual, an organist from the USA, will again perform for the Filipino audience a variety of pieces ranging from Baroque to Contemporary.

The festival also gives recognition to Filipino composers by featuring their creations in one of the concerts. The liturgical work of Fr. Nicolas Matias Sengson SVD will be presented in a para- liturgy — titled Awitan Kristo reflecting on the Advent, Birth and Epiphany of Jesus Christ, with Bishop Jesse Mercado, DD, as presiding minister.

The festival will run until Feb. 29.