The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) Foundation Inc., in collaboration with Standard Insurance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil through the Guimarães Rosa Institute and the Embassy of Brazil in Manila, will present Brazilian Guitar and Cello on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bayanihan Hall, Creative Arts Centre, British School Manila in BGC, Taguig City.
The program will feature guitarist Fabio Zanon, cellist Fabio Presgrave, soprano Stephanie Quintin, and conductor Marlon Chen. Divided into two parts, the concert explores a fusion of classical forms with Latin American and Brazilian musical traditions.
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Part 1 opens with Heitor Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasileiras No. 7: I. Prelúdio (Ponteio), composed in 1942. In this piece, Villa-Lobos merges Baroque structure with Brazilian folk rhythm, transforming the ponteio into a lyrical orchestral prelude. The first half continues with Concierto de Cámara by Jeffrey Ching, a symbolic “quintuple concerto” that reflects the five nationalities of its original performers—German, Lithuanian, Brazilian, Spanish, and Chinese—through a blend of abstract and figurative musical language.
Part 2 begins with Concerto No. 4 for Guitar and String Orchestra by Radamés Gnattali, written in 1969 for guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima. The work mixes classical form with samba, choro, and bossa nova, producing a lyrical, jazz-inflected exchange between the guitar and string orchestra. The program continues with Le Grand Tango by Astor Piazzolla, composed in 1982 for cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. This single-movement piece combines classical technique with the bold rhythms of nuevo tango, showcasing the cello’s emotional and technical range. The evening concludes with Ária and Dança from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 by Villa-Lobos, composed between 1930 and 1942. The movements reflect the composer’s signature fusion of European Baroque and Brazilian folk elements.
Fabio Zanon rose to international prominence in 1996, winning major guitar competitions and receiving numerous awards, including the Carlos Gomes Prize and an honorary doctorate from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Fabio Presgrave, a graduate of The Juilliard School, has performed as a soloist with leading orchestras under conductors such as Rafael Payare and Lior Shambadal. Stephanie Quintin-Avila is a multi-awarded soprano recognized for her vocal flexibility and commanding presence. Marlon Chen, Music Director of the MSO since 2019, has led performances across four continents.
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