P I A N O
RICARDO C. ABAPO JR. is a young pianist from Pagadian City, Mindanao. He started to teach himself the piano at age 13, upon hearing Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer. After a few months of piano lessons with Ms Julie Garces, Ricardo continued practicing & teaching himself on an electronic keyboard for three years. It was only when he auditioned for the music school in Silliman University at 16 years old, in 2009, that he saw and touched a real acoustic piano again. In 2013, Ricardo graduated cum laude (BM Piano) from Silliman University under the tutelage of Dr. Elizabeth Susan Vista-Suarez. In 2015, Ricardo was a featured soloist of Ang Misyon’s Orchestra of the Filipino Youth under the baton of Olivier Ochanine. In the same year, Ricardo was a finalist in NAMCYA, Piano/Senior Category. In 2016, he was invited as a young artist-in-residence at the St. John School of the Arts in St. John, US Virgin Islands. Ricardo attended several festivals namely; the Paris International Piano Summer Sessions (2017), and the Manila International Piano Masterclasses Festival (2018) through full-scholarships given by Dr. Rene Limjoco. He also just recently attended the 2nd edition of the same Manila Piano festival last August 2-12 under a full scholarship. Impressed by Ricardo’s performances at the festival in Paris of 2017, the noted pedagogue Jacques Lagarde offered him a full-tuition scholarship to pursue his Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance at the Ecole Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot. Ricardo was presented by the Cultural Arts Events Organizers and the HSTL Foundation for a solo piano concert in Steinway Boutique Manila last May 11. Ricardo took private piano workshops with the internationally-acclaimed concert pianist and co-founder of Ang Misyon, Mr. Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz last 2016-2017.
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DENZEL ABARQUEZ is a graduate from the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. He finished his Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance under the tutelage of Anthony Say. During his stay in the conservatory, he participated in several festivals, most notably the PTGP Piano Festivals (held by the Piano Teachers Guild of the Philippines Foundation, Inc.), and the Maestro Art International Piano Festival held in Taiwan last February. He has also performed in masterclasses by Ng Chong Lim, Aries Caces, Ilana Vered, Rolf Dieter-Arens, and more. His most notable achievements are his participation in several piano competitions, including the UST Keyboard Department Bach Competition (Category A, 3rd prize), UST Sonata Competition (Category B, 1st prize), PTGP Baroque Competition (Category C, Honorable Mention), and NAMCYA 2016 Junior Piano Category, 3rd prize. Denzel is now currently serving the Filipino classical scene a piano teacher, performer, and accompanist.
JOSEPH ROMEO ALFARAS
Began studying the piano at the age of thirteen (13) with three sessions under Mr. Martie Efrain Catequista, his high school music teacher. He began his formal training in piano at the age of sixteen (16) under Prof. Gerardo Vicente A. Muyuela, who is presently the Academic Supervisor of the Conservatory of Music in the University of San Agustin. From then on, he was able to perform in various concerts and events in and outside the campus. He had also undergone master classes in piano under Prof. Greg Zuñega and Dr. Clement Acevedo who is now an Associate Professor of the same aforementioned department. He has participated in various Piano Competitions and represented the university in the PTGPFI Sonata-Sonatina and Bach and Baroque Piano Competitions. Aside from that, he was also a former member of the University choir groups such as the University of San Agustin Choir and Troubadours and the Coro Liturgico Agustino. He recently finished his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education last April 2019. JHON CHRISTIAN B. CERAFICA, LPT, is a 22 year old pianist from Calinog, Iloilo. Studied at the University of San Agustin Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor's degree in Music, Major in Music Education. A former piano student of Prof. Gerardo Vicente Muyuela. Attended Masterclasses conducted by Prof. Greg Zuniega and Dr. Clement Acevedo. Participated in various Piano Competitions launched by the Piano Teacher's Guild of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (PTGPFI) such as; The First Henrietta S. Tayengco-Limjoco: Mozart Piano Competition (2016), Sonatina-Sonata Piano Competition (2017) and Bach and Baroque Competition (2018). At present, a Freelance Musician and still continuing piano lessons under the tutelage of Dr. Clement Acevedo.
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CHRISTIAN GONZALES was born in 1997 in Fabrica, Sagay City, Negros Occidental. He was born in a singing family. Both his parents exposed him and his two other sisters in music at an early age. His parents don’t play the piano but they always wanted their three kids to be exposed to Classical Music. His parents started noticing Christian playing tunes on the piano at the age of 7. Christian started as a self-taught pianist because he didn’t have piano lessons at that time. He started taking formal lessons when he was about 13 years old but it was not that continuous since his teacher was living away from their home. From 2015-2019, he studied Bachelor of Music, Majoring in Piano at Silliman University,
Dumaguete City, with Prof. Berneval Montes, Asst. Prof. Nathaniel Bicoy, and Prof. Isabel D. Vista. He received his Bachelor’s degree in 2019. He did his Junior Piano Recital last January 2018 playing the works of Bach, Beethoven, Scriabin, Bartok, and Rubinstein. He also did his Graduation Piano Recital at the Luce Auditorium of Silliman University playing the works of Bach, Mozart, Buencamino, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff. He performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 2 in c minor as the highlight of his Graduation Recital. Christian received piano masterclasses from concert pianists like the Japanese pianist Junko Matsuda, and filipino pianists like Gabriel Paguirigan, Rudolf Golez, Clement Acevedo, Lorenzo Medel, etc. He is also one of the 24 delegates of this year’s 2 nd Manila International Masterclasses Festival and one of the 1 st delegates of the First Jovita Fuentes and Jose Contreras Music Institute this year, too. Christian looks forward to gaining exposure in the concert stages of the Philippines. |
MARA LEIGH S. GUEVARA was born on June 2, 1999 as the youngest of six siblings. She grew up watching her mother play pop songs from a well-loved piano book and enjoyed hiding under the piano while listening to her mother’s music. Showing an aptitude for music, Mara started traditional piano lessons at the age of four and violin lessons shortly after at the age of six. Upon her mother’s discovery of the Suzuki teaching method at a music camp, Mara started taking Suzuki lessons at Greenhills Music Studio. At 12 years of age, she started taking violin lessons under Sergio Esmilla. In 2014, Mara attended the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan as a violin major. A year later, she joined the Honors Performance Series (HPS) for their orchestra program at Carnegie Hall. Two years later, she joined the HPS again for their concert at Sydney Opera House. In 2016, Mara flew to California to join the Colburn Academy’s summer program for piano students, after which she joined the Curtis Institute Young Artists’ Summerfest in Philadelphia as a violin major. Mara is currently in her third year majoring in Piano Performance at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Music. She is also a member of the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) as a violinist. Since entering college in 2017, Mara has performed in festivals hosted by the keyboard department of the College of Music such as the Baroque, Romantic, Bach, and Mozart festivals held throughout the academic year. Upon the recommendation of Carolyn Cheng, her professor at the College of Music, Mara is excited to take part in this year’s Jovita Fuentes & Jose Contreras Music Institute. She continually seeks improvement of her craft.
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NATHANIEL JOSEPH H. ORTIZ was born in Laguna. Started playing piano at the age of 16 and entered Santa Isabel College Conservatory of Music in 2011. He participated Masterclass of concert pianist Albert Tiu held in Ayala Museum. Graduated in 2016 with Bachelor of Music Major in Music Education under with Prof. Antonina Siapuatco - Jostol. Currently enrolled in St. Scholasticas College as Certificate of Music Performance under Prof Jostol. He is also having piano lessons with Taiwanese pianist Ha Na Li, and became a finalist in the 5th Hong Kong International Music Festival & Competition last year.
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GABRIEL ALLAN PAGUIRIGAN is a Filipino pianist who began his piano studies at the age of 8 under the tutelage of Hannah Valdez-Sariego. He then continued his studies with Professors Augusto Espino and Nita Abrogar-Quinto at the Philippine High School for the Arts, where he was a recipient of the Makiling Academic and Research Institute for the Arts (MARIA) Scholarship. Since then, he has been twice the First Prize winner of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Piano Competition - in 2011 (Category B) and in 2015 (Senior Category). He has also won top prizes in other local competitions sponsored by the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines Foundation, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Lyric Piano & Organ Corporation. Mr. Paguirigan also won First Prize in the 1st Henrietta Sydeco-Tayengco Limjoco Piano Concerto Competition, which inspired its founder Dr. Rene Limjoco to grant him a full scholarship to the Paris International Summer Sessions 2017. Most recent is his First Prize win with his cousin, flutist John Owen Castro, at the Duo Category of 2018 Princess Galyani Vadhana International Ensemble Competition held at Bangkok Thailand.
Mr. Paguirigan has been the featured soloist of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Manila Symphony Orchestra in several concerts. He has also performed numerous solo recitals as well as collaborated in chamber music with some of the country’s most notable singers and instrumentalists. He is the pianist of Trio Da Capo and Rag-o Duo. In his relentless pursuit to further hone his craft, Mr. Paguirigan has taken master classes with prominent artists such as Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras, Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, Cecile Licad, Chi-Ying Hung, Chao-Han Liao, Chinchuan Chang, Roberta Rust, Elodie Vignon, Adam Kent, Andreas Henkel, Chiara Cipelli, Miquel Esterlich, Albert Tiu, Victor Asuncion, Reynaldo Reyes, among many others. He completed his Diploma in Creative and Performing Music Arts (DCPMA) and Bachelor or Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of the Philippines College of Music wherein he was a student of Prof. Nita A. Quinto and Prof. Luci A. Magalit. |
V O I C E
JOSE MIGUEL ESPIRITU, tenor, studied voice under soprano Camille Lopez-Molina at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. There, he was a recipient of the UP CMEP scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Voice degree, magna cum laude, in 2018. He has performed various lead and ensemble roles in operas, including Kapitan Tiago in Noli Me Tangere The Opera, Giuseppe in La Traviata, Don Lupito Herencia in Diwata ng Bayan, and the Hunter in Rusalka. Espiritu has also participated in various masterclasses, including those of the Romanian-British soprano Nelly Miricioiu-Kirk and Guildhall professor for voice Susan Waters, as well as those of Knut Schoch, Alan Bennett, and Noel Velasco. He is a two-time semifinalist of the Jovita Fuentes Vocal Competition and is a former president of the UP
Voice and Music Theatre Guild. He currently performs with the Viva Voce Voice Lab under Camille and Pablo Molina. |
BEA KRISNA JAMILE FERNANDEZ was born on November 25, 1998 in Iloilo western Hospital. She is the second child of REYNALDO AND REGINA FERNANDEZ. Since she was around 8 yrs old, she started to sing in various events in their school and was able to be part of the choir in St Michael Church at the age of 10. Since then, she became more active in singing pop songs and other types of music. From 2008-2015 she kept joining different singing contest including PGT (Pilipinas Got Talent) and others. Currently a fifth year student in the University of San Agustin, Conservatory of Music taking up a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. She is a current member of the University's Liturgical Choir, the Coro Liturgico Agustino and also a member of Sta. Maria Grand Choir. She attended various masterclasses of Prof Noel Azcona (baritone) and diction by Dr. Leslie Diaz (baritone).
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YVES ADRIAN GABASA
Born last October 15, 1995 in the first district of iloilo, in a small and humble town which is known for its bayanihan culture “Tubong-tubong” the town Tubungan. He started singing when he was 7 years old with his father as his first vocal coach and he began music lessons in voice at the age of 8 under the instruction of Professor Emily Fuentes in University of San Agustin, Conservatory of music. At a young age, he was able to perform in some events locally. He joined and won several awards in vocal solo classical competition in his elementary and high school years .He was a pioneer member of the Coro Liturgico Agustino with their artistic director, Mr. Gerardo Muyuela. Performed in some of the universities productions like “the Restless Pilgrim” which is about the life of St. Agustine. Perfomed some excerpts from sarzuelas “anak ni Eva”, “Mestiza and “Walang Sugat” and also Gillbert Sullivan’s Gondolier.A semi-Finalist in the Jovita Fuentes Vocal Competition in Sta.Isabel Manila. He once invited in the Koronadal city to be a guest singer in their Pyesta Kolondatal where all countries where gathered and showcase their native music and dance and he was the singer for the philippines and sung filipino and ilonggo folks songs.Because of his love and passion in singing he was able to perform and compete abroad and garnered some awards. At present, he is taking up Bachelor of Music major in Voice Performance in University of San Agustin, Conservatory of Music. And he is now preparing for his Junior recital in this upcoming October. |
JOMEL CASTRO GARCIA was born on April 23, 1999 in Bakhaw, Madurriao, Iloilo City. He is the oldest child of Jonathan M. Garcia and Mila C. Garcia. He received musical training as a high school student at Iloilo City National High School, Special Program in the Arts, and joined the school's youth choir, Bulawanon Youth Choir. The choir joined various competitions and concerts throughout Iloilo. In 2012, they participated in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists. Currently a fifth year student in the University of San Agustin, Conservatory of Music, he is a candidate for the Bachelor in Music Education degree. He attended various masterclasses by Prof. Noel Azcona (baritone) and diction by Dr. Leslie Diaz (baritone). He was featured as one of the lead characters in the “Zarzuela Excerpts” during the 50th Anniversary of the Conservatory of Music, and in "The Gondolier," an operetta by Arthur
Sullivan as the Duke of Plaza Toro. He is a current Member of the University's Liturgical Choir, the Coro Liturgico Agustino and the Sta. Maria Parish Grand Choir. |
MICHELLE LUNA
She is an aspiring Filipino Artist from the province of Aklan who began her formal music lessons during her college years at the University of San Agustin Conservatory Of Music, Iloilo City, Philippines. From then on, she was able to perform various concerts and joined competitions which even made her represent the said university. She was also one of the casts of The Restless Pilgrim that talks about the life of St.Augustine, a musical play composed by Mr. Beny Fruto Castillion and Prof. Gerardo Vicente “Bimbo” Muyuela. A former member of the Western Visayas Ambassadors of Music, the world renowned University of San Agustin Troubadours who competed and won several local and international choral competitions under Mr. Arne Sunico Lubasan. Aside from that, she is also one of the pioneers of the University of San Agustin Liturgical Choir, Coro Liturico Agustino under the direction of Prof. Gerardo Vicente “Bimbo” Muyuela, who is presently the Academic Supervisor of the Conservatory of Music, University of San Agustin, Iloilo. She had also undergone master class in Voice under Mr. Noel Azcona, who is now a faculty at CEU, Manila. In 2016, she finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. Also, in 2016, she was one of the Filipino delegates who joined WCOPA (World Championships of Performing Arts) a talent Olympic with participants from eighty (80) different countries which took place in Long Beach California, USA. A gold medallist in Opera Category in the said competition. She is currently preparing for her Graduation Recital under the tutelage of Prof. Wynn Natividad Villanueva, in fulfilment for her second degree as Bachelor of Music Major in Voice Performance in the same university. |
MARIA BERNADETTE P. NAKAGAMI
I am Maria Bernadette P. Nakagami born and raised in Plaridel Bulacan on 17 April, 1997. My mother is a filipina and my father is a pure blooded Japanese. I spent my primary and secondary education at St. James Academy, Plaridel Bulacan. I was extremely fond of music ever since I was a kid and grew up with music all around me; in school and at home. My parents were both musically inclined. My father and sister were into different musical instruments while my mother had her tertiary education at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. Since then, I have always been drawn to music and had a fond attachment to music until I entered college at the Centro Escolar University in Manila. At first, I took the program in Mass Communication major in Performing arts because I was not aware about the Conservatory of Music at CEU, but I guess my heart led me to where it belongs. One of my professors invited me to join the Centro Escolar University Singers Manila and luckily had the chance to join the group and eventually joined choral competitions inside and outside the country. Joining the group, I met the head of the Conservatory of Music that helped me know more about the Conservatory. From then, I finally convinced myself to shift course and pursue Bachelor of Music in Music Education major in voice and it’s now my fourth year under its curriculum. As a music student, I got the chance to join in different music festivals, seminars, recitals, musical plays, and many more, inside and outside the University that brings out the best in me. |
AMABELLE PAMOCOL is from Bingawan, Iloilo and currently a student taking up Bachelor of Music Major in Voice performance at University of San Agustin, Iloilo. She finished Elementary at Bingawan Central Elementary School and High School at Central Philippine University.
Achievements:
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OLIVER PINEDA
This young tenor is classical a singer who is beyond elated to have NOLI ME TANGERE THE OPERA as his first professional venture into the beautiful world of theatre and opera. Oliver has attended various classical music Master Classes under the supervision and excellence of international voice experts such as Mr. Lemuel Cuento, Mr. Abdul Candao, and even have performed at the prestigious Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) as a culminating recital of Mr. Arthur Espiritu’s Master class back in September 2018. He is currently taking Bachelor of Music in Music Education Major in Voice at the Centro Escolar University Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Professor Margarita Roco, Soprano. On Oliver’s spare time, he manages a budding passion project with his circle of friends from the said university, Musicorum – a freelance performing group of young and immensely talented musicians ready to take on any avenue of performance for the growth of their artistry. |
IONA VENTOCILLA graduated from St. Scholastica’s College with Bachelor’s Degrees in Music major in Voice and in Music Education under the tutelage of Camille Lopez-Molina and Pablo Molina. She has participated in masterclasses by Abdul Candao, Arthur Espiritu, Claire Primrose, Nelly Miricioiu, and Susan Waters. In 2005, she was Honorable Mention in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Voice Category A-2, and in 2009, was 3rd place in NAMCYA Voice Category B. She has also essayed lead roles in operas such as Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tuttle with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, Maria Clara in Dulaang UP’s production of De Leon’s Noli Me Tangere, and Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme.
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