The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) continues its magical 42nd concert season. The season is titled Modulatio. Concert III: Bolero takes place on November 6, 2026. The event starts at 7:30 pm. It happens at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.
Internationally acclaimed Maestro Grzegorz Nowak leads the orchestra. The PPO will enchant audiences with a lush repertoire. The program features French composer Claude Debussy. It includes works by French composer Maurice Ravel. It also features French composer Camille Saint-Saëns.
Filipino violinist Kaycee Galano performs in this third installment. She performs with the PPO. She showcases her musicality and dexterity. She also displays the incomparable uniqueness of Filipino artistry.
Galano stands as a shining example of female empowerment. She represents gender equity in classical music. She overcomes barriers to excel on the global stage.
The musical evening begins with Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune. The piece is inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé’s poem “The Afternoon of a Faun.” Debussy begins with the dreamy tune of a flute. This narrates the story of a mythological creature. A half-human, half-goat creature is enchanted by nymphs and naiads. The composition eases into almost improvisatory passages. These passages refuse to settle in any key or tonal center. Debussy’s avant-garde decision later inspired his fellow composers. They learned to experiment beyond traditional tones.
Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso follows next. It beautifully evokes mystery and romance. The piece is derived from the lyric poetry of the Middle Ages. Parting lovers sing these dawn songs. This orchestral showpiece celebrates the next romantic meeting. It is built up with a typical Iberian rhythm. It remains one of Ravel’s career highlights. It features colorful virtuosic solo interjections.
Ravel’s Spanish-flavored ballet score Boléro serves as the centerpiece. Russian dancer and actress Ida Rubinstein encouraged the composer. She wanted an orchestral transcription of Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz’s Iberia in 1928. Rights were granted to the Spanish conductor Enrique Arbós instead. Ravel was already enamored by the idea of composing an original. He wanted to use a harmonic and instrumental theme. He set out to holiday in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and Boléro was born.
Boléro is a one-movement orchestral piece. It uses a snare drum rhythm. It is designed around repeating Spanish melodies. Ravel’s work sports a gigantic crescendo. A surprise modulation hammers into its spectators’ brains. The composition has only two repeating tunes. Yet, it remains among Ravel’s most celebrated works. It comes from the experimental decade of the 1920s.
Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3, op. 61, B minor caps the third concert. This composition was inspired by Saint-Saëns’ lifelong bond with Spanish violinist Pablo Sarasate. The bond is much like his first two violin concertos.
A 15-year-old Sarasate casually requested a violin concerto in 1859. This encounter sparked an artistic relationship between the two. It motivated the composer to blend his adoration for the violinist’s technique. He added this into the composition’s exotic harmonies.
The dramatic bravura theme and staccato rhythm of the concerto will be reimagined. Filipino violinist Kaycee Galano takes on this task. She performs alongside the PPO. Galano is established as one of the leading young violinists of her generation. Galano has performed concertos with orchestras in Europe. She has played in China, North America, and the Philippines.
Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura guided Galano in 2018. Galano once shared the stage with the PPO. She was only 17 years old at the time. She interpreted Hector Berlioz’s Le Corsaire Overture. She also played Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 4, Op. 36, F minor. She still carries her signature wonder and style. She returns for PPO Concert III: Bolero this November.
Galano won first prize at the Mary Lane Memorial Violin Competition in 2021. She participated in the 2021 Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition. She also joined the 2022 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in October 2019. Before that, she participated in the 1st International Viktor Tretyakov Violin Competition in 2018.
PPO Concert III: Bolero boasts a luxurious repertoire. It showcases varied narratives. These include stories about mythological creatures and romance. It also highlights real-life bonds. The concert promises an unforgettable evening. The nation’s premier orchestra continues to display its musical prowess. They share the stage with featured soloist Galano and principal conductor Maestro Nowak. They earned this status after 42 concert seasons.
PPO Concert III: Bolero follows the success of the second concert. The event is a clear testament to music’s power. Music has a transcendent ability to bring stories. It brings emotions and reflections from the past into the future.
Witness the artistry of PPO Concert III: Bolero live. Purchase tickets at TicketWorld. Be a PPO subscriber for exclusive deals and discounts. Contact salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph for details. Call the CCP Box Office at +63 931-033-0880.
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