WITH UST’s quadricentennial anniversary next year, the Conservatory of Music and its guitar department presented Guitarra 2010: The First UST International Guitar Festival to advance the ageless art of classical guitar in the University.
From August 23 to 27, the PhilamLife Auditorium served as the official venue of concerts while masterclasses and lectures were held at the Albertus Magnus Building. The event was conducted in cooperation with the Foundation for the Musical Filipino.
“Our primary goal here is to impart the knowledge of all the guest artists to the students,” said Angelito Agcaoili, one of the main organizers.
Internationally renowned guitarists Agcaoili, Manuel Cabrera, Joseph Mirandilla, and Ruben Reyes from UST, Agustin Castilla-Avila of Spain, and Meng-Feng Su and Ruey Yen of Taiwan took part in the celebration as guest mentors and performers.
Works of Filipino composers Angel Matias Peña and Bayani Mendoza de Leon were also showcased during the concerts.
Agcaoili, a former guitar professor in UST, was very impressed with the guitar majors’ display of heightened skill in guitar-playing.
“The level of the students now is so much higher than before. I am amazed,” he said, after seeing that the students surpassed the expectations of the guest professors.
Thomasian guitar masters Agcaoili, Cabrera and Mirandilla also gushed about the growing population of guitar majors compared to their time in UST.
Guitar conciertos
Performed by a quartet with Ruben Reyes, a professor at the Conservatory of Music, De Leon’s “Ritwal” showed oriental flair and was intensified by its abrupt changes in speed.
When the UST Guitar ensemble commissioned De Leon’s second piece, they asked for a simple work fit for a quartet. Instead, the Filipino maestro presented them with a gift, the “Amihan”—a passacaglia, an instrumental composition of variations usually found on a ground bass in moderately slow triple time. The piece has a personal touch for it was named after De Leon’s daughter.
Meanwhile, Castilla-Avila was all smiles after witnessing the outcome of the world premiere of his vibrant masterpiece “Hex,” which comes from the Latin word “six” and the German word “hexe” which means witch.
Having been inspired by Filipino dances and the lore of Malakas and Maganda, “Hex” was intensely rhythmic and dynamic, perpetually evolving in volume, speed and general sound. It enchanted the audience as it veered away from the vibe of a typical classical guitar concert. The way the Spanish composer altered the guitar such as attaching clay and cloth to the strings to imitate the sound of gongs and other instruments made the experience enjoyable, not only for the audience, but for the musicians as well.
In the 1800’s, guitarists during that time usually took to the streets and played for small crowds. But with this display of musical evolution and ability, next year’s festival which is slated on the last week of August is bound to bring in a full house.
