Orchestra belongs to the people: CCP head

BACOLOD City – The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) reaches out to the Filipino audience by bringing music across the country through the outreach concerts of the Philippine PhilHarmonic Orchestra (PPO).

“It’s a two-way zone. We bring people to the center and since we know not all of them can go to the center, we bring the center to the people. That’s why we’re here,” CCP president Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso said.

Lizaso introduced the country’s leading symphony orchestra, a resident company of the CCP, during their two-night concert in the city on Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday, the PPO performed at the SMX Convention Center and on Friday, the orchestra was featured during the opening night of the 2019 Bacolaodiat Festival at the Bacolod Government Center (BGC) grounds.

“The mandate of the CCP is to preserve and promote art in all regions of the country, and this is the reason why we are here tonight. The orchestra belongs to you. We are only the caretaker. We take care of them for you. This is why we bring the music of the PPO to you and to every city and region that we go to,” Lizaso said in his message before the crowd at the BGC on Friday.

“This is our mandate – to bring our music to the people,” he added.

The PPO’s outreach program primarily aims to “promote music appreciation in underserved communities in the different regions in the country.”

The PPO, under the baton of conductors Yoshikazu Fukumura and Herminigildo Ranera, is celebrating its 45th anniversary, which coincides with the orchestra’s 36th Concert Season.

Lizaso said that during the PPO’s concert in Iloilo City last year, Mayor Evelio Leonardia approached him and asked if the CCP can also bring the orchestra to Bacolod.

“Swiftly, I said yes. From thereon, we had a series of meetings and here we are in Bacolod,” he added. (PNA)