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47th International Bamboo Organ Festival Online

47th International Bamboo Organ Festival Online

Armando Salarza, Organ

Professor Armando V. Salarza is an international concert organist and has been the titular organist of the Bamboo Organ in his hometown, Las Piñas, Philippines, for 28 years. In 1992, he finished his post graduate studies of Organ Concert Performance under (+) Prof. Herbert Tachezi at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria after having earned with distinction an M.A. in Church Music and a Teacher’s Certificate at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. A lot of his success in his studies is credited to (+) Dr. Prof. Johann Trummer. Prof. Salarza is currently the Artistic Director of the International Bamboo Organ Festival. His contribution to the Festival is hard to describe, but one thing is for sure, the Festival would never have reached the standards of music making without his exceptional skills as a performer and accompanist. Admirable is the fact that he stayed in the Philippines, knowing that it would have been much easier for him to build up a career abroad. Though he did not specialize in choir conducting, he took over the position of choirmaster of the Las Piñas Boys Choir and dealt with their voices with the same precision as if dealing with the keyboard of the organ. Under his tutelage, the choir captured the first place in an international choir competition in Graz in 2008 and the choir has participated in many important events in the country such as ASEAN50, APEC, etc. As a concert organist, he has given numerous performances in the Philippines and abroad with the most recent ones in Cebu, Dumaguete and Russia. As a professor, he has taught, encouraged and supported many students in building up their career as musicians. Prof. Salarza is also presently a faculty member of the St. Scholastica’s College Conservatory of Music and of the University of the Philippines College of Music where he is teaching pipe organ. With enormous patience, he keeps on working for the future, never losing faith in the bright future which is entrusted in the hands of a few. He is driven by the love for the pipe organ which he started discovering at age 11 when he gave his first public performance on the Bamboo Organ. Together with the honor of being entrusted with the Bamboo Organ and the boys choir comes the task of making them sound their best so that Filipinos can feel proud of their heritage.

47th International Bamboo Organ Festival Online

Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng, Conductor

Dr. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng is the President of the Philippine Choral Directors Association and a full-time faculty member of the University of the Philippines College of Music, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting. She is also the Principal Conductor of the Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club, Resident Conductor of the Philippines’ International Bamboo Organ Festival, and Founding Conductor of the Dawani Women’s Choir. Previously, she conducted the Yale University Battell Chapel Choir, the Yale Marquand Chapel Choir, the University of Michigan Residential College Singers, and the University of Michigan Opera Chorus. She is a First Prize Winner at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Graduate Conducting Competition, the most prestigious national conducting competition in the United States. Her other conducting and academic awards include the Levi Barbour Fellowship from the University of Michigan, the Phyllis Curtin Career Entry Award from the Yale School of Music, the Ani ng Dangal award from the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, the Margot Fassler Award and the Hugh Giles Prize from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. She was an Adjudicator and the Philippine representative to the World Choir Council for the 2018 World Choir Games. She was also appointed as Conductor of the Asia Pacific Youth Choir for its 2018 Season. Performance and adjudication engagements have brought her to South Africa, Germany, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Spain, Vietnam, Portugal, and Singapore. She also regularly leads workshops in different parts of the Philippines. Dr. Shangkuan-Cheng received a Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude) from the University of the Philippines, a Master of Music from the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan.

47th International Bamboo Organ Festival Online

Christian Tan, Concertmaster (Manila Baroque Ensemble)

Christian is a young and technically gifted violinist from Pampanga. He started playing the violin at the age of seven and was taught by his uncle, Jesus Tan. At the age of nine, he entered Casa San Miguel in Zambales where he took formal violin lessons with Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata and there, he had his first solo recital and became a soloist in various Pundaquit Virtuosi performances. He graduated Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance under scholarships of Sr. BaptistaBattig and PREDIS in the School of Music of Saint Scholastica’s College under the guidance and mentorship of Prof. Gina Medina. He participated in various master classes given by Paul Zukofsky, Angelo Bard, Takako Nishizaki, Juan Luis Muñoz, William Harvey, Yun Peng Sao, Rey Chen, Gao Can, Joseph Esmilla, and Oscar Yatco. Christian was a consistent prize winner in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 2002, 2005 and 2011. He was the youngest delegate in the Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) in 2007 which had numerous concert tours in Hong Kong, China, and Japan. He also received an Artistic Director Achievement Award for exceeding expectations during the AYO. In 2008, he became a delegate of the Southeast Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble (SAYOWE) held in Thailand. In 2012 and 2013, he was appointed concertmaster of the newly formed Southeast Asian Youth Chamber Orchestra (SEAYCO) held in Thailand and had concerts in Myanmar and Vietnam. He is currently assistant concertmaster of the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) under the baton of Prof. Arturo Molina and a violin teacher at Scholastica's College, Manila. _ The Manila Baroque Ensemble Christian D, Tan, concertmaster; Leigh S. Cellano, 1st violin; Jose Marie P. Eserjose, 2nd violin; Mhaze Danniel Lim, viola; Marloe Kyril H. Maruyama, double bass

47th International Bamboo Organ Festival Online

Las Piñas Boys Choir

The Las Piñas Boys Choir, a well-known group of young singing boys proud to be identified as one of the few surviving “Boys Choir” in the Philippines, was founded in 1969 by Fr. Leo Reiner for the purpose of having a group of young voices sing at church services. Composed of young boys between the ages of 8 and 15, they are enrolled at St. Joseph’s Academy where they enjoy academic scholarships and are directly exposed to the cultural activities offered in and out of the institution. The group has established themselves not only in the cultural and musical inheritance of our country but also in the local and international music scenes. In 1974, the group earned first place in the Third National Competition of Children’s Choir and received regular invitations at Malacañang Palace. They joined in performances and productions at the Cultural Center of the Philippines such as Berstein’s Mass (1976), Brahms’ Requiem (1978), Puccini’s La Tosca with the San Francisco Opera (1979), Mozart’s Magic Flute with the Opera Company of Boston (1983), Bizet’s Carmen (1985) and Britten’s War Requiem (1992). In 1989, 3 members of the choir were selected to join “The World’s Little Singers” in Paris. Several former members have chosen a career in music here and abroad. Among them is Cealwyn Tagle, the first and only pipe organ builder in the Philippines, and Professor Armando Salarza, who became the conductor and musical director of the Las Piñas Boys Choir in 2003. Under his guidance, the choir bagged first place in the Vivere Choral Competition in 2005 and got nominated twice as Best Chorale Group in 2005, 2006 & 2007 Aliw Awards. They were also declared World Champions in the 5thWorld Choir Games held at Graz, Austria in 2008 for the Children’s Choir Category and was awarded a Silver Medal for the Musica Sacra. In November 2015, the choir performed during the concluding rites of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation held at the Philippine International Convention Center and was invited to perform at the Gala Dinner of the ASEAN 50 last November 2017. In 2019, as part of the choir’s 50th anniversary, they were invited to perform in Samar, as well as in a series of outreach concerts in Dumaguete and other Negros Oriental provinces. The existence of the choir is also closely connected with the presence of the world-famous Bamboo Organ in Las Piñas. The group has been regular performers in the International Bamboo Organ Festival, an annual event where music comes to life, promoting music culture and heritage.

The 47th lnternational Bamboo Organ Festival Online has been moved to April 8-10, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. and can be followed on Facebook Live (https://www.facebook.com/bambooorganfestival) and YouTube. Our line-up this year includes Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng (harpsichord and conductor), Renato Lucas (cello), Christian Tan (violin), the Manila Baroque Ensemble, the Villancico Vocal Ensemble, and the Las Piñas Boys Choir. Armando Salarza will perform at the Bamboo Organ and at the newly installed San Beda Organ; we will on that occasion also visit the workshop of the Diego Cera Organbuilders, where this 3-manual organ has been manufactured. This online festival is an opportunity to present our broad viewing public with one more documentary showing things we do not know about the Bamboo Organ.

This is the second straight year that the Festival will be shown virtually because of the still prevailing pandemic due to COVID-19. Last year, we had close to 50,000 viewers on Facebook and on YouTube combined, reaching out to more people locally and around the world through the power of the internet. This year, we intend to expand viewership further so that more people would become aware of the importance of cultural heritage and how we can preserve it.

One of the reasons we continue to organize the Festival during the pandemic is to sustain the future of our “musical frontliners” whose livelihood was greatly affected. These performers have such a great impact into molding the Festival as we see it today; without them, we would not be where we are now.

Filipinos over the years have made efforts to continue the tradition of taking care of the Bamboo Organ, and today it is our responsibility to preserve this National Cultural Treasure for generations to come, because cultural heritage protects our sense of who we are.

We all hope that by 2023 we will be able to return to live performances and that we can welcome you again in person. Only then we will see the importance of having organized these online festivals in spite of COVID.

You may follow us in our social media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bambooorganfestival
YouTube account: International Bamboo Organ Festival (Official)
Twitter: @bambooorganfes1
Instagram: @bambooorganfestivalofficial

You can send your donations through the following platforms:

BDO: Account Number: 005268009149
Account Name: Bamboo Organ Foundation, Inc.
Account Branch: La Huerta, Parañaque

PayPal Account Name: bambooorganoffice@gmail.com

GCASH Account Number: 09662058807 (Robert Lao – Treasurer)

PAYMAYA Account Number: 09615187783 (Robert Lao – Treasurer)

www.facebook.com/bambooorganfestival

Gala Night

Apr. 8

Friday

8:00 PM

Armando Salarza, organ (Bamboo Organ)

Manila Baroque Ensemble

Christian Tan, violin

Renato Lucas, cello

Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng, conductor

Tiffany Liong-Gabuya, host

Facebook Live

YouTube Channel

Apr.9

Saturday

8:00 PM

Armando Salarza, organ (Benedictine Abbey of

Our Lady of Monserrat) – San Beda

Villancico Vocal Ensemble

Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng, conductor

Tiffany Liong-Gabuya, host

Facebook Live

YouTube Channel

Apr.10

Sunday

8:00 PM

Armando Salarza, organ (Bamboo Organ)

Louie Angelo Oca, organ (Bamboo Organ)

Sr. Marie Enoch Kim (South Korea), at the organ of

St. Scholastica College

Las Piñas Boys Choir

Tiffany Liong-Gabuya, host

Facebook Live

YouTube Channel

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