“Duyog” is a Visayan word which means “to accompany” and is usually used in the context of collaborative music-making.
DUYOG: The 1st International Youth Orchestra Festival 2025 Celebration Concert is one of the culminating activities of the said festival, which will be held in Bohol from July 5-10, initiated between the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. led by violinist and conductor Jeffrey Solares, with the Young Symphonic Ensemble (YSE) of New York’s Children’s Orchestra Society led by Filipino Classical guitarist and conductor Michael Dadap.
The concert features young musicians from the Children’s Orchestra Society New York, the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra. They are performing with the Plectra Corde Rondalla and the Bagong Himig Serenata (PUP) Chorale in a celebration concert in Manila on July 12, 2025 at the GSIS theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City, to be conducted by international faculty members from the USA, Hungary, Italy, Vietnam and the Philippines
ARTIST PROFILE
The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO)
The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra is an award-winning string orchestra training program of the MSO Foundation that has recently achieved remarkable success, winning First Place with Outstanding Success at the 16th Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival and securing the Gold Prize and Grand Prix award for orchestra at the 13th Bratislava International Youth Music Festival. The MSJO, under the baton of Prof. Jeffrey Solares, also won First Prize in the 2018 Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna, Austria. MSJO is composed of the most advanced students of the MSO Music Academy and other qualified students ages 9 to 25 years old.
The Children’s Orchestra Society (COS) New York
The Children’s Orchestra Society, founded in 1962 by Dr. H.T. Ma, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to “teaching the language of music” to children and teens. Their mission is to cultivate and nurture children and teach them teamwork and life skills through music-learning and performing in orchestral and chamber music settings. Members of COS receive excellent training in classical music and opportunities to perform in concerts with their peers as well as with well-established musicians.
REPERTOIRE
- “SINULOG” Dances of Atonement (A Symphonic Poem Overture)
by Michael Dadap
Composed: 1998; Revised; 2023
7 Miniature Scenes
- Early Morning: Prayers, Songs, and Chants (Tempo Liberamente)
- Fishermen and the Sea (Arrival’s Fanfare)
- The Village Dancers (Allegretto)
- Waltz of the Sanctimonious (Tempo di Vals)
- Forgiven (Listeso Tempo)
- Vesper Song (Evening Prayer) Molto Solemne e Cantabile
- A New Day (Vivace)
Sinulog, comes from the Visayan word “Sulog”, meaning water current usually associated with the current flow of the river. It moves forward, sidewards, backwards and forward again and the cycle goes on. It is a dance of celebration, and appreciation of nature’s bountiful gift to mankind. It is a ritual dance celebration practiced by the pre-Christianized Philippines.
The Sinulog Symphonic Poem Overture paints the story of a small coastal town and its friendly, free-spirited people. It is narrated through the colors of the sounds and the rhythmic energy created by the pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments. Intentionally included in the orchestration are the non-pitched native gongs, Kulintang and Gandingan to have a conversation with the western percussion instruments such as the timpani and the xylophone along with the winds, brass, strings and plucked instruments. Included in this orchestration are the harp, anklung, and the bandurlin to generate contrasting tones along with bamboo flutes, traditional winds/brass, and Strings.
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Gloria Shih, piano
Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 is a pivotal work of the late Romantic repertoire, noted for its expansive melodic lines, intricate harmonic language, and structural clarity. Structured in three movements, the concerto opens with a dramatic Moderato, introduced by a sequence of low, sustained piano chords that gradually intensify into a broad, expressive main theme. The second movement, Adagio sostenuto, features a lyrical dialogue between the piano and orchestra, marked by its introspective character and seamless transitions. The final Allegro scherzando displays rhythmic drive and sweeping thematic material, culminating in a powerful and unified conclusion. The concerto exemplifies Rachmaninov’s integration of virtuosic pianism with orchestral depth.
- Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian” by Felix Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, known as the “Italian,” captures the composer’s impressions of Italy during his European travels in the 1830s. Brightly orchestrated and rhythmically vibrant, the symphony exemplifies classical form infused with Romantic color and energy. The first movement (Allegro vivace) opens with a buoyant, sunlit theme that reflects the vitality of the Italian landscape. The second movement (Andante con moto) evokes a solemn, processional character, often interpreted as inspired by religious pilgrimages. The third movement (Con moto moderato) offers lyrical grace and poise, while the final movement (Saltarello: Presto) draws upon lively Italian dance rhythms, featuring minor tonalities and rapid motion. The symphony is celebrated for its clarity, elegance, and brilliant orchestral writing, standing as one of Mendelssohn’s most enduring orchestral works.
- Alay Sa Inang Bayan (Choral Symphonic Ode No. 1)
by Jerry Dadap with PUP Bagong Himig Serenata and Plectra Corde Rondalla
The 12-minute Alay Sa Inang Bayan composed in 1963, consists of three major sections: Prologue, Development, and Finale. The prologue tells of the beauty of our native land. The transition relates our historic struggle for freedom where the composer uses the octavina and banduria instruments to depict the struggle of our people against the Spanish conquerors. The finale is a triumphant declaration of our people to defend and to die for our beloved country. Thus, a four-voice fugue unleashes this powerful text: “Sa Iyo Ang Buhay Ko”. Alay Sa Inang Bayan is a composition inspired by the life story of Andres Bonifacio. This patriotic work is dedicated to an outstanding patriotic Filipino, Charito Planas.
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