The Strings and Chamber Music Department (SCMD) of the UP Diliman College of Music (CMu) celebrated the end of summer with Summer Sunset Serenade, part of the Thursday Evening Concert Series.
“This evening is dedicated to the serenade as a cherished tradition of life—open air music, twilight performances. It is a music sung by a lover to his beloved. It is an expression that is both intimate and timeless. We call this harana,” said Solaiman E. Jamisolamin, SCMD chairperson.
“It’s been years since the faculty and alumni of this department had a concert. The last one was pre-pandemic. It’s exhilarating for us,” said Edna Marcil Martinez, PhD, professor at CMu and founder of UP Arco, a CMu-based string orchestra.
The concert’s first part featured SCMD faculty members Ralph Waldo Taylan (violin 1), assistant professor at the CMu; Martinez (viola); Eduardo C. Pasamba (cello), associate professor at the CMu; and Roxanne Gutierrez-Taylan, SCMD alumna (violin 2).
The quartet performed works of Philippine National Artist for Music Antonino R. Buenaventura, Aleksandr P. Borodin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Astor Piazzolla, Johnoy Danao, and Pedreel Christian “Peds” Casilihan.
For the concert’s second part, the performers were then joined by UP Arco members Marion Raymundo (violin), Kathleen Sarreal (violin), Luigi Erauda (viola), Beatrice Batuyong (viola), Jordan Mendoza (cello), and Christianne Gabriel Pimentel (violin), together with SCDM alumni Theodore Amper and Cristina Pasamba.
Together, they performed famous pieces by Buenaventura, Mozart, and Arcangelo Corelli.
Before performing the last music piece, Josefino Cenizal’s Hindi Kita Malimot, arranged by Gerard Salonga and adapted by Taylan, Martinez paid tribute to Pasamba. Pasamba, who will soon retire, has been a CMu faculty member for the past 36 years.
“We would like to pay tribute to one of the longest serving faculty of our department. We would like to take this opportunity because he is one of the quietest workers but the best mentor. He’s a team worker,” Martinez said. “Wala po siyang pag-iimbot nang siya ay naglingkod. He is one of the best cello players this country has ever had. Thirty-six years. He spent the best of his years here in the college,” she added.
She then explained that the arrangement of Hindi Kita Malimot, especially the cello obligato part, was made especially for Pasamba.
In response, Pasamba said, “I’ve spent most of my happy and teaching years here at UP. So, mami-miss ko rin itong Kolehiyo, whether there are ups and downs.”
He then acknowledged the college, CMu Dean Ma. Patricia B. Silvestre, SCMD and his co-faculty members, students, friends, and CMu alumni “who have been supporting me through the years,” Pasamba said.
Summer Sunset Serenade was held on May 22 at the CMu Mini Hall.
