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February 14, 2025 | 6:40pm
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in front of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
CCP / Released
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) will embark on a nine-city tour across the United Kingdom (UK) in May after finishing its 40th concert season.
Maestro Grzegorz Nowak will lead the PPO during the tour alongside soloists, including cellist Wen-Sinn Yang, violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr., pianist Mark Bebbington, and composer Jeffrey Ching.
Among the pieces the PPO are expected to perform during the tour are Felix Mendelssohn's "Symphony No. 4 Italian," Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake Suite," Ludwig van Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5," among others.
"Performing internationally allows the PPO to showcase Filipino artistry on the global stage," said Kaye Tinga, President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in a statement.
"This tour is also a way to connect with our fellow Filipinos in the UK and introduce our rich musical heritage to international audiences."
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From May 13 to 16, the PPO will perform single shows in Bristol Beacon, London's Cadogan Hall, Birmingham's Symphony Hall, and Guildford's G Live.
After a one-day break the tour continues in Norwich's Theatre Royal then Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, followed by another one-day break then shows in Sheffield's City Hall and Bradford's St. George’s Hall.
The tour will end with the PPO performing at the Perth Festival of the Arts in Scotland on May 24, wrapping up nine shows in 11 days as it strengthens cultural ties between the Philippines and the UK.
The PPO still has two more shows in its 40th season — "Concert VI: Homecoming" on March 14 and "Concert VII: Finale" on April 11 — both at 7:30 p.m. at Makati's Samsung Performing Arts Theater.
The finale will include a commissioned work by Ching and the participation Sazara Jr., who serves as the PPO's Concertmaster and Artiste-in-Residence.
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