PRESS RELEASE
After enthralling Filipino audiences with its UK repertoire, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) continues its 41st concert season with a grand showcase of technical skill and musical sensibility in CONCERT III: CONCERTO, on October 17, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
Romantic intensity and contemporary brilliance
Under the guidance of PPO music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, PPO’s Concert III: Concerto highlights the technical skill and emotional depth of the musicians in a repertoire that spotlights delightful works of composers Jeffrey Ching, Robert Schumann, and Witold Lutosławski.
Professor Tomasz Strahl, who is among Poland’s foremost cellists, steals the spotlight as the guest soloist. The laureate of the 5th International Nicanor Zabaleta Competition in Spain joins the PPO in serenading Filipino audiences, imparting the immense dedication recognized by the Gloria Artis and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland.
PPO’s Concert III: Concerto opens its curtains with the world premiere of Ching’s Creation Fugue and Arctic Chase from the opera Frankenstein. Ching, the orchestra’s composer-in-residence for the last two seasons, captures the abject and sublime aspect of human creation described in Mary Shelley’s novel of the same title.
Ching, who has already composed over 300 works and five symphonies, blends the heart of the Gothic classic Frankenstein with a modern twist for the symphonic stage.
PPO’s Concert III: Concerto continues with Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129. A synergy of poetic dialogue between soloist and orchestra, the composition poses genius lyricism and emotional sensitivity. Schumann utilizes a unique A-B-A structure in the second movement of Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129, crafting distinct breaks.
Acclaimed cellist Tomasz Strahl, a laureate of Spain’s 5th International Nicanor Zabaleta Competition, interprets the technical finesse of Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 in PPO’s Concert III: Concerto.
Concluding PPO’s Concert III: Concerto is Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra. Dubbed a 20th-century masterpiece, the three-movement orchestral work transports the audience to Kurpie, Poland, with its early folklorish style. Lutosławski draws inspiration from the uniqueness of Polish culture, decorating the 30-minute Concerto for Orchestra with new harmonies and neo-baroque forms.
Through Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra, the PPO showcases the innate versatility it possesses and casts upon its guest soloists. Balancing tradition with avant-garde textures, the piece is compelling in its narration of individual virtuosity and cohesive ensemble playing. Concerto for Orchestra’s rhythmic vitality perfectly highlights the PPO’s exceptional precision, alongside the skillful leadership of Maestro Nowak, who successfully led the orchestra during its nine-concert tour across the UK.
In PPO’s Concert III: Concerto, the PPO reaffirms its position as the Philippines’ leading symphony orchestra while building a cultural bridge between Filipino and international artistry. The concert celebrates not only the enduring power of the classical repertoire but also the creative vision of contemporary Filipino music on the global stage.
By exploring works that seamlessly intertwine tradition with innovation, the PPO presents the evolving identity of Filipino music within the broader narrative of world culture through Concert III: Concerto.
Tickets for PPO concerts are priced at Php3,000, Php2,500, Php2,000, and Php1,500, available at TicketWorld. For an exclusive 20 percent discount, be a PPO subscriber. Email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph or call the CCP Box Office at +63931-033-0880 to purchase a PPO’s 41st concert season subscription.
For more updates on the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Versatile: PPO 41st Concert Season Concert III: Concerto, visit the CCP’s website (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/). You may also follow the CCP’s official pages on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for more information.
