The composition of a Kagay-anon composer has been featured in a concert series in Malacañan which aims to promote Filipino heritage among the youth.
Romance for Cello and Piano, a composition by Niño Cesar Borromeo Tiro, a faculty member of the Liceo Conservatory of Music, was one of the highlights of the seventh iteration of The Goldenberg Concert Series dubbed Ang Tselista.
According to Tiro, the piece originally titled Romance and Allegro for Cello and Piano (also know as Two Pieces for Cello and Piano) are Romantic pieces in the style of Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms. Both pieces are dedicated to the fantastic cellist Antoni Josef Inacay.
“The Romance is an early work written as a graduating senior in 2003 originally for piano entitled Solace. Solace is comfort in sorrow, and the piece evokes loneliness and resolution in its form. It is Schubertian in its episodes and themes with a dash of the composer’s love for Jazz harmonizations. The Allegro, written in November 2018, is a powerful, passionate, unpredictable fantasy piece full of conflict, mood shifts, emotions, and utmost virtuosity,” Tiro said.
“They only played the Romance because the Allegro didn’t fit into the program’s theme. However, the two pieces can be played independently, like other two part large works,” he noted.
Held at the Goldenberg Mansion in Malacañang Palace, Ang Tselitsa highlighted cello prodigy Damodar Das Castillo, accompanied by the talented pianist, Heliodoro Fiel II. The entire event, a beautiful tapestry of Filipino artistry, deeply touched former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, a renowned lover of music and patroness of the arts. Also in attendance was current First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.
Students from various schools including the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, New Era High School, and Balingasa Elementary School shared their inspiring thoughts on their experience of the magic of classical and live music in this video shared by the Social Secretary’s Office.
With Tiro’s composition as one of the highlights, the concert showcased the exceptional talent and dedication of the performers. The piece also served as the soundtrack for the official video of the event released by the Malacañang press and Social Secretary’s office.
Tiro and Castillo are recipients of the Ani ng Dangal for Music award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the Philippine music scene, and for reaping honors as Filipinos in international arts and music events.
The Goldenberg Concert Series, presented by the Office of the President and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, aims to bridge the gap between young Filipinos and the nation’s rich musical heritage.
It is inspired and dedicated to Stella Goldenberg Brimo, daughter of French-Jewish businessman, Michael Goldenberg, owner of the historic Goldenberg Mansion in San Miguel, Manila.
Brimo was a well-known soloist, concert pianist, and professor at the University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music and St. Paul’s College. She was also a soloist with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, and president of the Philippine Association of University of Women (PAUW) Santo Tomas University Chapter and an outstanding leader in the National Council of the PAUW.
The Goldenberg Mansion is a historic residence built in the 1870s by the Eugsters, a Spanish merchant family. Named after Michael Goldenberg, an American businessman who established the Goldenberg Department Store in Escolta, it was extensively restored by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin during the 1960s, and most recently renovated under the supervision of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos . It has now been reopened to the public as a cultural center and events space.
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Web links: The Event Video by The Social Secretary: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/aUPAkKRZq6FoH8ZK/
A short clip of the performance in Malacañang: https://youtu.be/5c_aKQ29-a4
A rehearsal video before the concert in Malacañang: https://youtu.be/QWtioW94C4Q
The composer’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@ninotirocomposer?si=MXCZNaITRdO-rTio
