98.7 DZFE | The Master's Touch

After a lengthy hiatus, UST’s Sibol Guitar Octet emerges once more on stage, this time with the St. Scholastica’s College Guitar Trio in the concert, Cohaesio. Telling us how this collaboration came about, and what music is in store, are guitarists Karra Custodio of the SSCGT, and Gabriel Reyna, Karl Sabado and Zach Dugay of Sibol. Hear their insight, and their music, on MAESTRO FILIPINO with DZFE...

Sure, you’ve come across the word, nonchalant. But what about nonchalant virtuosity? That’s sprezzatura—a term often used in the Baroque Period to describe an attitude of effortless grace. We witness that later this month as guitarist Dr. Ivar Fojas and his students perform in the recital Sprezzatura. He and three of his proteges—Kyle Lorenzana, Agung Sicam and Beatrice Cena—join DZFE’s Daniel on...

Laarni Dawn Ilan is an IT professional with a passion for playing the piano. In fact, Passion is the name of her upcoming Manila Pianos Artist Series recital, where she delivers works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Beethoven, and more—all for the benefit of Cancervants PH. On MAESTRO FILIPINO, she shares how that event came to be, and how she maintains her edge as a musician even while working a day job. D...

From making her first public performance in 2022, guitarist Beatrice Rose Cena now embarks on her high school graduation recital. On CULTURE CAROUSEL, she shares what’s in store for that performance, and how she has grown as a musician at the PHSA, and under the mentorship of Dr. Ivar Fojas. Irene Obligacion is the host.

Built by Diego Cera Organ Builders, the new organ of St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai was inaugurated by Alejandro Consolacion II, who put it through its paces in a recital last December. On MAESTRO FILIPINO, he shares the music he performed, and talks about the character of the instrument at the heart of that event. DZFE’s Daniel is the host.

After three attempts—the second thwarted by the pandemic—soprano Pauline Arejola will soon sing with the World Youth Choir. She joins Irene Obligacion on CULTURE CAROUSEL to share the story behind her applications, and what she hopes to glean from her experiences with the WYC.

Between new members of the Pundaquit Virtuosi and returning alumni, Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ continues to receive new life, even as it approaches its 31st annual performance at CASA San Miguel. Joining DZFE’s Daniel on MAESTRO FILIPINO, violinist Miggy delos Santos, violist Gabriel Regojos, and cellist Pocholo Gutierrez share how the Virtuosi—under the guidance of founder and artistic di...

Pianist Zion Montebon leaves high school on a high note: he performs in the Manila Pianos Artist Series concert, Of Good Tidings, leading up to his graduation recital at the National Arts Center next month. He talks about these performances with Irene Obligacion on CULTURE CAROUSEL, and shares how he has grown during his years at the PHSA and what he hopes to learn in the new chapter of his buddin...

What does it take for two pianists to play at the same keyboard? Skill, practice—and magic. This month, the Carles and Sofia Piano Duo bring the magic of their music to Manila, where they will perform transcriptions of stage works and Spanish compositions. They join DZFE's Daniel on MAESTRO FILIPINO to talk about the concert, the philosophy that drives their music, and the work that lies behin...

Having performed with various ensembles—including the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Ring of Fire Chamber Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth where he once served a concertmaster—violinist Jose Marie Eserjose now sets his eyes on the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He shares his reasons for studying abroad, and its challenges, on CULTURE CAROUSEL with Irene Obligacion.

Lucio San Pedro and Francisco Feliciano are but two of Rizal’s host of band composers and arrangers. The Pambansang Samahan ng mga Banda sa Pinas recently paid tribute to these illustrious figures, many of whom deserve far greater recognition. On MAESTRO FILIPINO, DZFE’s Daniel spoke about this event with PASAMBAP’s newly-incumbent president, Satur Tiamson, who also shared his insight on how Rizal...

Rising like the breeze it is named after, Ily Matthew Maniano’s Amihan is a gentle, understated piece. Far from a display of technical bravura, it nonetheless won the top prize in the 2022 Busan International Choral Festival Composition Competition. We’ll hear that work on MAESTRO FILIPINO, where Maniano also shares the process behind his deceptively simple work. DZFE’s Daniel is the host.

It was Andres Segovia’s peerless performances that put the classical guitar on the world stage. This March, Chilean guitarist Alexis Vallejos celebrates Segovia’s legacy in a concert mounted by the Guitar Friends. He joins Irene Obligacion on CULTURE CAROUSEL to talk about that event, and Segovia’s lasting imprint on the world of classical guitar.

Since its inception, the Manila Baroque Ensemble has accompanied—elevated, really—the performances of the Collegium Vocale Manila at the International Bamboo Organ Festival. This year, the ensemble gets its own concert evening, spotlighting the works of Vivaldi, Corelli and Sammartini. Capping the feature on the 49th IBOF, DZFE’s Daniel discusses this performance—and all the work that has gone int...

Hearlife Verein has been helping deaf Filipino children, now for four years. The institution celebrates its anniversary with the charity concert, 4@24, featuring a quartet of sopranos, pianist Mary Anne Espina, and the String Fusion quartet. On CULTURE CAROUSEL, Irene Obligacion spends time with Nina Jacob-Soliven, program director of Hearlife Verein, sopranos Isabela Madero, Sherine Koa and Angel...

Marking the 300th year of its completion, Bach’s St. John Passion comes to the 49th International Bamboo Organ Festival in its full splendor. Tenor Karl San Jose and Festival Director Dr. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng tell us more about this shorter, but more dramatic, Bach passion, and tenor Jan van Elsacker sheds light on the importance of his role as Evangelist. Catch their conversation with DZFE’s D...

What started out as a partnership between Adrik Cristobal and Monching Carpio has since grown into a full-fledged series, and the establishment of the PIMA Guitar Quartet, comprising guitarists Patrick Roxas, Iqui Vinculado, and, of course, Adrik and Monching. The group now celebrate their first anniversary with a concert this February. They join Irene Obligacion on CULTURE CAROUSEL to talk about...

Three hundred years ago, in 1724, Johann Sebastian Bach completed what is now considered one of his greatest works, the St. John Passion. A hundred years after that, in 1824, Diego Cera installed the metal trumpets of the Las Piñas bamboo organ, completing the construction of the venerable instrument. These are just two of the anniversaries that will be celebrated in the 49th International Bamboo...

What concert of Polish music is complete without Chopin? For the next season concert of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Russian pianist Roustem Saïtkoulov plays the solo in the Polish master's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor. Irene Obligacion speaks with Saïtkoulov on the next edition of CULTURE CAROUSEL.

Ensembles take to the spotlight as DZFE’s Daniel caps the NAMCYA@50 feature on MAESTRO FILIPINO. We hear performances from the De La Salle University Chorale and the Davao City National High School SPA Centennial Choir—winners of the two choir categories. Daniel also speaks with Avender Pong, Children’s Solo Rondalla winner, and Slavsky Ybañez, conductor of the City of Bogo Science and Arts Academ...

What do you do when you have an abundance of trombonists? Form a trombone choir, of course. The Thomasian Trombone Choir makes its debut in the concert, Fanfare, part of Manila Pianos Artists Series, which they will be telling us about on CULTURE CAROUSEL. Joining host Irene Obligacion are Thomasian Trombone Choir members, Lio Alumno, Vince Ignacio and Almira Cardeñas.

Familiar faces return to the broadcast as DZFE’s Daniel continues the MAESTRO FILIPINO spotlight on the National Music Competitions for Young Artists: joining us again are soprano Angeli Benipayo, clarinetist Franz Andra, and guitarist Bea Cena—winners of the Senior Voice, Open Woodwinds, and Junior Guitar categories

A teacher and performer for more than thirty years, over five continents and across various genres, Victora Rapanan brings her expertise to Makati for a masterclass. She talks about this and more as she spends time with Irene Obligacion on CULTURE CAROUSEL.

It’s time to meet the winners of last year’s NAMCYA! Our first batch of guests are no strangers to the competition: third time’s the charm for pianist Pauline Aguila; while it’s the fourth attempt that bagged gold for violinist Luigi Torres; for violist Minn Mendoza, it was not only her second try, but also her second win. They join DZFE’s Daniel to open the MAESTRO FILIPINO spotlight on the 50th...

What are orchestras looking for in a string player? What music will you play, and how should you play it? Violinist Marian Mayuga—violin fellow of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago—will share tips and insight on how to prepare for an orchestral audition in an upcoming webinar for the string sector of the Music Teachers Network Alliance Philippines. She tells us more about this on CULTURE CAROUSEL wit...