Symphony orchestra music marks its triumphant return to the Cebu entertainment halls with the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra performance on December 6, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., at the Arctic Room of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Dubbed as “Huni Ug Hudyaka sa Pasko”, the concert features the UPSO performing a harmonious blend of Christmas, classic, contemporary, and Cebuano music. The UP musicians will play under the baton of composer – conductor Josefino Chino Toledo.
The UP Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2018 after a proposal from UP College of Music Dean, Dr. LaVerne de la Peña and Maestro Toledo was approved the UP Board of Regents. Among the then Regents who strongly supported the idea of an official university orchestra to encompass the entire UP system is the current UP President Angelo A. Jimenez.
In a UPSO annual report, Maestro Toledo said: “From the onset, the orchestra intended to perform not only standard orchestra repertoire, but to expand what was considered the ‘standard’ orchestra repertoire by incorporating contemporary Asian and Philippine new works in each concert.”
Now bearing the moniker “Orkestra Ng Bayan”, the UPSO membership includes students, alumni, staff, and faculty representing various colleges (Music, Economics, Business Administration, Engineering, Medicine, Science, HRDO) in UP’s Diliman, Manila, and Los Banos campuses.
The UPSO has performed in various venues before a variety of audiences throughout the country and abroad. Last month, it played in the opening concert of the 12th China-ASEAN Music Festival hosted by Guangxi Arts University, Guangxi Culture & Arts Centre.
Tickets for the UPSO Cebu concert are selling at: (Reserved/Numbered Seats) Diamond – P3,000; Emerald – P2,500; Ruby – P2,000; (Free Seating, First Come – First Served) Gold – P1,500; Silver – P1,000.
Tickets are available at the University of the Philippines Cebu, Lahug, Cebu City. For reserved seat inquiries, please contact +63917 327 6230. For other inquiries, please contact the University of the Philippine Alumni Association Cebu Chapter @UPAA CEBU over Meta (Facebook).