Arts & Culture (10/01/25)

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Photography workshop at Yuchengco Museum

THE Yuchengco Museum will host a special photography workshop with multi-awarded travel photographer George Tapan who will share practical techniques for capturing landscapes, culture, and everyday life with depth and detail, whether one uses a camera or mobile phone. The workshop will be held on Oct. 4, 2-5 p.m., at the Y Space of the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Makati. The workshop fee is P1,200, with Senior Citizens, PWDs, students, YGC, and Embassy employees in RCBC Plaza getting a discounted rate of P1,000. Participants are encouraged to bring their cameras or mobile phones.

Last call for entries to MSO Concerto Competition

THE Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) Foundation is holding the 2025 MSO Concerto Competition. Entries are being accepted until Oct. 8. It aims to give gifted young instrumentalists the chance to shine, grow in their artistry, and experience the joy of performing as a soloist with a professional orchestra. Winners from each level will be announced on Oct. 10. Each winner will perform the same concerto movement submitted during the competition. A total of nine winners will be selected. For more information, visit the Manila Symphony Orchestra social media pages or website.

Cinemalaya 21 to have 3 book launches

TO CELEBRATE the works of Filipino filmmakers, a series of book launches are slated for Oct. 8, 9, and 11 as part of Cinemalaya 21. The books are: Manong: The Life and Works of Gerardo de Leon by Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson on Oct. 8, 5 p.m.; Letters from the Future, 35 Years of the Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, published by the Cultural Center of the Philippines through its Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division, on Oct. 9, 3:30 p.m.; and Agaw-Tingin (Stolen Glances) and Pinilakang Tabing (Silver Screen) by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee on Oct. 11, 5 p.m. All launches will be held at Shangri-La Plaza’s Red Carpet Cinemas.

The wrong.orchestra performs at UP

THE WRONG.ORCHESTRA will deconstruct the orchestra and the symphony on Oct. 11, 7 p.m., at the Vargas Museum at UP Diliman. In a statement, they say: “For our first performance, The Evening Garden, we paint a landscape of sound as we complete four unfinished symphonies in real time through a DIY, barebones setup and hyper-improvisation by select composers and players.” Tickets come in the form of museum memberships, with all proceeds going directly to the UP Vargas Museum and its programs. The P600 is an annual membership fee, inclusive of free access to wrong.orchestra, three complimentary museum visits, and a 10% discount for one paid event from the UP Vargas Museum of one’s choice. Admission is free for existing members, and a special student rate is available. The evening is organized by wrong.institute and et alt, and supported by the Goethe-Institut Philippinen.

Concert in honor of Basilio Manalo

THE Filipino String Teachers Association, in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Metropolitan Theater, will present MAESTRO: Basilio Manalo’s Music and Legacy, a tribute concert celebrating the life and artistry of Basilio “Sir Billy” Manalo. The concert will be held on Oct. 21 at the Metropolitan Theater at 6 p.m. Admission is free, with registration required through http://tinyurl.com/fsta-bmt-reg. The concert will feature performances by Mr. Manalo’s students, colleagues, and fellow musicians. Mr. Manalo’s career spanned leadership roles in the Manila Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and, most significantly, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, which he helped reorganize in the 1980s. He devotedly cultivated future generations of Filipino musicians through initiatives such as the Philippine Research for Developing Instrumental Soloists (PREDIS), the Philippine Youth Orchestra (PYO), and later the Manila Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO). The program includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major; and two works of Vivaldi, among several others. A short video documentary on the late Maestro’s life will be shown.

MPO to hold rock symphony concert

THE concert MPO ROCKS! — Rock Anthems, Reimagined, will be held on Nov. 29 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati. Fresh from the sold-out success of their 25th anniversary concert, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra will hold the one-night-only rock-symphonic experience which will blend the grandeur of orchestra with the energy of rock. The guest lineup includes singers Bituin Escalante and MiG Ayesa, and the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers. Part of the proceeds will support The PARC Foundation’s PARC Aralan program, which provides underprivileged scholars access to music and the arts.

Rockwell, 9 Works Theatrical to stage A Christmas Carol

ROCKWELL and 9 Works Theatrical have announced the staging of the musical A Christmas Carol, set to open in November. Directed by Robbie Guevara, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens, A Christmas Carol will be the second musical to be held at Rockwell Makati’s new Proscenium Theater. It is the musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ story about Ebenezer Scrooge, a prosperous ill-tempered man who believes that personal wealth is far more valuable than the happiness and comfort of others — until the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future teach him a lesson. The heartwarming musical aims to “breathe new life into the classical tale of family, charity, and generosity.” Tickets and other details will be announced soon.