PPO CONCERT VI PUSHES THROUGH WITH PIANIST ROUSTEM SAITKOULOV

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The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra wish to inform the public that the Concert VI of its 39th season, slated on February 9, 2024, will no longer have pianist Krystian Zimerman as its guest performer due to logistic concerns and technical requirements needed for the performance.

“We know that this announcement has come as an enormous letdown, not only to our subscribers, patrons, and stakeholders, but also to the whole music community who were looking forward to the said performance,” said CCP president Michelle Nikki Junia.

The concert will push through on February 9, 2024, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. The CCP and PPO are very grateful to celebrated pianist Roustem Saitkoulov for being able to step in at short notice.

Under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, pianist Saitkoulov will perform F. Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor.

Born in Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan), Roustem Saitkoulov studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and at the University of Music in Munich.

He is the prizewinner at numerous international competitions and the winner of the Rome Piano Competition and Grand Prix of the Montecarlo World Piano-Masters in 2003. Roustem Saitkoulov is frequently performing with world’s renowned orchestras, such as Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, RAI Symphony Orchestra Torino, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Tokyo New City Orchestra or Beijing Symphony Orchestra. He has made many concert tours with the St-Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov in Europe and Asia.

His concerts and recitals take him all over the world: to Russia (International House of Music, Moscow and Philharmonia Hall of St Petersburg), China (NCPA Beijing and Guangzhou Opera House), Japan (Great Hall of the Metropolitan Art Space and Osaka Symphony Hall), Chile (Frutillar), Argentina (Teatro Colón and CCNK), Mexico (Palacio de Bellas Artes), Australia (Sydney Opera House), the United States (Carnegie Hall), Canada, South Africa and throughout many of the most important venues in Europe.

He is invited in world’s leading festivals including Montreux, La Roque d’Anthéron, Yokohama, Bologna Festival, Merano, Rimini (Sagra Malatestiana), Ravello, Brescia-Bergamo, Edinburgh, Piano aux Jacobins (Toulouse, France), Festival de Radio France-Montpellier, Menton Festival or Printemps des Arts de Montecarlo.

He recorded several solo piano CD albums for EMI Classics and Dinemec Classics. In 2012, Master Chord Records released with him the two Chopin Piano Concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. More recently he has recorded Shostakovich Concerto n° 1 and the Concerto for Piano and Trumpet by the contemporary Estonian composer Jaan Rääts. His last Chopin recital CD has received highest acclaims including “Choc” of the Classica Magazine.

“Moving forward, the CCP and the PPO will continue to work hard to bring the Filipino audiences the unique events they will surely love and enjoy. We are not closing our doors to have Mr. Zimerman perform with the PPO in the near future. Though it’s true that PPO Concert VI will no longer take place in the way that we intended, we continue to strive to fulfill our mission as the leading art institution in the country,” said CCP artistic director Dennis Marasigan.

Pianist Zimerman leaves the doors open for possible collaboration in the future with the CCP and the PPO. “My dear Philippine friends, I understand that this is disappointing news for you, as it also is for me, I will be happy to come at some other time,” he said in his Facebook post.

For ticket concerns and subscriptions, contact the CCP Sales and Promotion at salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph.