Experience the unifying power of music at DUYOG: The 1st International Youth Orchestra Festival 2025 Celebration Concert, taking place on July 12, 2025 at the GSIS Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City.
“Duyog,” a Visayan word meaning “to accompany,” reflects the concert’s spirit of collaboration and musical exchange. This performance serves as the culminating event of the 1st International Youth Orchestra Festival, held in Bohol from July 5 to 10, a project initiated by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc., led by violinist and conductor Jeffrey Solares, in partnership with the Young Symphonic Ensemble (YSE) of New York’s Children’s Orchestra Society, directed by Filipino classical guitarist and conductor Michael Dadap.
The concert brings together young musicians from:
- The Children’s Orchestra Society (New York)
- The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO)
- The Plectra Corde Rondalla
- The PUP Bagong Himig Serenata Chorale
They will perform under the baton of international faculty from the United States, Hungary, Italy, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Also featured as conductors are Kevin Shue and Tim Cho, renowned for their dynamic leadership and dedication to youth orchestras.
Featured Ensembles
The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) is the premier youth ensemble of the MSO Foundation, composed of advanced students aged 9 to 25. MSJO has achieved international recognition, including First Place with Outstanding Success at the 16th Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna and the Gold Prize and Grand Prix at the 13th Bratislava International Youth Music Festival.
The Children’s Orchestra Society (COS), founded in 1962 by Dr. H.T. Ma, is a New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching classical music to children and teens. It emphasizes music education as a tool for developing life skills, teamwork, and excellence through orchestral and chamber music performance.
Concert Repertoire
“Sinulog: Dances of Atonement” by Michael Dadap
A symphonic poem overture composed in 1998 and revised in 2023, depicting seven vivid scenes inspired by the Visayan ritual dance. The work blends indigenous instruments like kulintang and gandingan with Western orchestration, telling the story of a coastal town through rhythm and color.
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Featuring pianist Gloria Shih, this Romantic masterpiece is known for its sweeping melodies and dramatic structure. The concerto explores deep emotional themes across its three movements, culminating in a stirring finale.
Symphony No. 4 in A Major “Italian,” Op. 90 by Felix Mendelssohn
Composed during Mendelssohn’s travels through Italy, the symphony captures the warmth and vibrancy of the Mediterranean landscape. From a lively opening to a dance-inspired finale, it remains one of Mendelssohn’s most beloved orchestral works.
Alay Sa Inang Bayan (Choral Symphonic Ode No. 1) by Jerry Dadap
Composed in 1963, this 12-minute ode pays tribute to the Philippines and its struggle for freedom. It weaves Filipino folk instruments with orchestral and choral textures, culminating in a fugue declaring, “Sa Iyo Ang Buhay Ko.” The work is inspired by the life of Andres Bonifacio and dedicated to patriot Charito Planas.
Tickets available via: TicketWorld.com
Concert Date: July 12, 2025
Venue: GSIS Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City
Follow the Ensembles
Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra
YouTube | Facebook | Instagram: @manilasymphony_junior | TikTok
Website: www.manilasymphony.com
Children’s Orchestra Society (New York)
YouTube | Facebook | Instagram: @childrensorchestrasociety
Website: www.childrensorch.org
#expatph
#expatphilippines
#artsandculture
#Duyog2025
#MSJO
#ManilaSymphonyJuniorOrchestra
Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra
#COS
#ChildrensOrchestraSociety
#BoholInternationalYouthOrchestraFestival
#BIYOF
#MSORoadTo100
