UST and FEU musicians hold joint concert
You might call it a unique, special kind of concert. “Tutti Trombone” brought together student musicians from two leading universities—the trombone-playing members of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Conservatory of Music Thomasian Trombone Choir led by Ricson Poonin, acting principal trombonist of the Cultural Center of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra; and the Far Eastern University (FEU) Drum and Bugle Corps, also composed of students, led by Kevin Castelo.
The concert had the special participation of Thanapoom Sriwiset, assistant principal trombone of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and New Orleans-based Ethan Santos, educator and band leader. Another soloist was Kovale Relevo, assistant director of the FEU Drum and Bugle Corps. The pianist was Ralph Monakel.
The program began fittingly with Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man,” with its loud, celebratory opening chords trumpeted (pun not intended) by the brass instruments. This was a kind of wake-up call, like reveille, the bugle call that awakens soldiers in a military camp.
This was followed by a composition with a similar theme, “Olympic Fanfare,” one of four by composer John Williams and which one critic described as “fit for superathletes.” I guess you can include here our own Carlos Yulo.
“Inveni David” (1818) is a sacred motif by Anton Bruckner, centering on the anointment of David as described in the Bible. Sriwiset came in as soloist in Eric Ewazen’s “Concerto for Bass Trombone,” a contemporary American composition (2005), and was joined in by the Thomasian Trombone Choir.
Sriwiset as soloist again teamed up with the trombone choir in Richard Lieb’s “Concertino for Bass,” opening up with what seemed to be a jazzy playing around with the notes, until the trombone choir joined in with a jagged, almost joyful and exhilarating interaction.
Jazz, OPM
Santos was the soloist in Michel Legrand’s “Pieces of Dreams,” conducted by Poonin, then came a foray into jazz with Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood,” arranged by Santos himself.
The music segued smoothly from the contemporary to the classical. The Trombone Quartet (Poonin, Sriwiset, Santos, and Aris Antinero) performed Bach’s “Air on a G String” with its stately, melancholy tone, which has made it one of the master’s most often played compositions. And then followed—a complete contrast—Pat Ballard’s “Mr. Sandman.” Golden oldies will recognize the tune.
The Trombone Quartet became a quintet, and with their rendition of “Dahil sa ‘yo” by Mike Velarde Jr., a romantic song of the late 20th century, OPM (Original Pilipino Music) came into the picture. And the quintet became a duet with Poonin and Sriwiset, who played the “Devil’s Waltz” by the 21st century German composer Steven Verhels, an atonal composition different from the more conventional waltz of popular taste.
The quartet was back with “No More Blues” by the late Brazilian songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim, a bit of samba with jazz by one of the founders of bossa nova. And as the title indicated, the work did away with the blues and came up with a joyful, cheerful sound.
The trombone choir then cut loose with National Artist for Music Ernani Cuenco’s meltingly lyrical “Nahan” (you can catch the operatic tenor Arthur Espiritu soulfully singing it on Google), with Bach’s delightful “Arioso,” and then Mozart’s beautiful “Ave Rerum Corpus.”
The Thomasian Trombone Choir and the FEU Drum and Bugle Corps teamed up for Leopoldo Silos’ evergreen “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak.” The drum and bugle corps performed the seductive “Habanera” and “Intermezzo” from Bizet’s “Carmen,” followed by the dramatic “Dies Irae” (Days of Wrath) from Verdi’s “Requiem.” The trombone choir came up with Eric Ewazen’s “Grand Canyon Octet,” another American favorite. And the grand finale was National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro’s triumphant “Lahing Kayumanggi.”
It was a lively, sonorous, and eclectic concert, blending the familiar with the unfamiliar, the classical and the contemporary, the Western and the Filipino. The student musicians played with ease and confidence, guided by professionals.
Bravo. Brava (there were women musicians). Bravi.
