Bruce Albert Lim
CEBU’S Classic Youth Orchestra (CYO) welcomed the New Year with a mesmerizing performance at the Temple of Leah on Jan. 3, 2024. Titled “Four Seasons,” the event showcased CYO’s rendition of Antonio Vivaldi’s timeless masterpiece.
The evening commenced with a heartfelt invocation, “It Is Well with My Soul,” led by Glechyl Dawn Bernabe (flute), Paul Gilbert Ramos (violin) and Mariella Echavez Bugtai (piano). The first segment featured the Classic Orchestra Young Ensemble, conducted by Jaque Mabalcon, presenting festive Christmas tunes such as “North Pole March,” “Sleighride” and “North Pole Express.”
Under the baton of CYO guest conductor Paul Gilbert Ramos, the orchestra beautifully interpreted Vivaldi’s work in its entirety, with Prof. Reynaldo Abellana (founder of Classic Orchestra Music Studio and director of CYO) as the distinguished soloist.
“To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”
A season of new beginnings
The trills of the violins like birds chirping in the air and singing beautifully. Fresh, light and blissful. The hills and meadows are coated with grass. The plants grow, the flowers bud and the brook gushes with water.
The tremolos of the cellos add their dramatic effect. There is some sadness and a little tension, a reminder of the harsh reality of life, the winter that has just passed and the challenges that lie ahead. A festival and celebration, with songs and dances. Spring has finally arrived.
The season of heat, determination
The sun and the stress of labor take their toll. Lethargy and thirst. The animals feel sluggish and the farmer is exhausted. Warm nights and golden sunsets. We hear the song of the cuckoo and the melody of the lark. But summer is also a season of growth and determination. Life is at a standstill. It seems as if there is no breakthrough, but the spirit endures. Though progress isn’t clearly seen, it is happening, slowly, steadily, beneath the surface and behind the scenes. Day by day, the changes become visible.
Suddenly, the farmer is caught in a myriad of circumstances unfolding. A breeze gathers up. Buzzing flies, violent storms and roaring thunder. Whatever comes his way, the farmer does not lose hope. Amid it all, he keeps moving forward and emerges stronger and better.
The season of blessings
Sowing good seeds has resulted in a bountiful harvest. The hard work has paid off. The person reflects on the months that have passed. The problems he overcame still feel like yesterday. He remembers the lessons he has learned. He is grateful and content.
The Autumn days are now shorter. There is some excitement palpable in the air, the struggles of the year have passed, and what lies ahead is the magic of winter.
The season of acceptance
Initially, there is an uneasy feeling in the music. This eventually gives way to a powerful chorus of strength and triumph. The second movement paints a picture of peaceful slumber and the warmth of home. The worker rests from his long days by the fireplace watching the raindrops fall on the window.
Then we feel a gentle gust of wind that slowly becomes stronger. We get our glimpse into a winter storm. The snow, the hail, the ice, the freezing cold. These are what make winter truly special. It is only with the bitterness of winter that we fully appreciate the beauty of the other seasons. The snowflakes float in the air. There is light. There is hope. There is happiness.
With this, the piece concludes.
The CYO expressed its gratitude to the Temple of Leah for hosting the event and looks forward to making the New Year’s Concert an annual tradition.