INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed pianist Heliodoro “Dingdong” Fiel orchestrated a concert with Filipino classics and Kundiman repertoire in “Madly Filipina” on Oct. 21 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in Taguig.
Fiel, an alumnus of the Conservatory of Music, rounded up a cast of Thomasian musicians for the concert.
“I’m a collaborative musician – that’s what I do at UST,” Fiel told the Varsitarian. “A lot of you (UST musicians) guys are really talented, but there are certain people with certain strengths, and that’s what I found in this group.”
For a festive opening, the audience was serenaded with romantic songs such as Nicanor Abelardo’s “Bituing Marikit” and Constancio de Guzman’s “Pamaypay ng Manila.”
Music alumna Rachelle Gerodias rendered Francisco Santiago’s “Ano Kaya ang Kapalaran?” with piano accompaniment by former Music dean Raul Sunico.
Gerodias, with the Koro ng Unida and Kalilayan Folkloric Group. a dance troupe, also serenaded the crowd with a rousing verison of Nina Gilbert’s “Pandangguhan.”
The concert ended with a rendition of De Guzman’s “Bayan Ko.”
“I think it is especially important today to realize the cultural value of our music and to keep it alive in whatever way we can,” said Gerodias.
Rising pianist
At the age of 13, Fiel started fiddling with the black and white keys of his piano out of sheer curiosity.
He decided to pursue Bachelor of Music in Performance major in Piano in UST. Fiel showed his exemplary skill in music when he won the first prizes at the UST Etude Competition in 2002, UST Mozart/Haydn Sonata Competition, and UST Beethoven/Schubert Sonata Competition in 2003.
Under Sinagtala Label, he was given a chance to record the album, “Souvenirs de Filipinas,” which featured the music of “Father of Kundiman Art Song” Francisco Santiago.
In 2007, he graduated magna cum laude and received the Rector’s Award for Academic Excellence and the Benavides Award for Outstanding Achievement. He was honed by former Conservatory dean Erlinda Fule.
To further widen his musical excellence, he acquired his Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Piano Accompaniment at the Honschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar, Germany in 2009. His mentor was German rector Rolf Arens and German pianist Karl Kammerlander.
Fiel wrote musical scores for the French silent film “The Passion of Joan of Arc,” Greek silent film “The Greek Miracle” and Spanish film “Pilar Guerra.”
He performed in different countries such as Spain, Japan, China and Italy.
In 2012, he was the musical director of “Forbidden Broadway,” a Broadway production featuring influential singers such as Lea Salonga, Nyoy Volante and Jett Pangan.
“I’d like to think [that] everything is interconnected,” said Fiel. “For instance, rock music essentially came from classical technique or forms… there’s no idea that sprouted from nothing.”
Fiel garnered music awards locally and internationally, such as the 2005 Ernesto Lejano Award, 2006 Piano Teacher’s Guild of the Philippines, Mozart Piano Concerto Competition, and 2008 Eivissa International Piano Competition in Spain.
