UP ORCHESTRA

The U.P. Orchestra was formed in November 2004 through the efforts of Dean Ramon G. Acoymo. The group was incorporated with the Music Performance Classes of the Strings and Winds & Percussion Departments under Rodney Ambat. They had already succesful performances including its launching at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in January 2005, a solo symphonic concert in September under Prof. Nonoy Diestro. Recently in December 2005, they performed the Handel’s Messiah with the U.P. Concert Chorus, U.P. Vocal Ensemble, and U.P. Cherubim and Seraphim all together.

Today, the orchestra is already on its way to develop more symphonic programs and continue to be the best training venue of future professional orchestral players from the U.P. College of Music.

The U.P. Orchestra has 50 members including the conductors, 20 of which are also members of the U.P. Symphonic Band.

The U.P. Orchestra at the CCP last Jan. 25, 2005, conducted by Mr. Rodney Ambat

 

UP STRING CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

The U.P. String Chamber Orchestra was formed in 1998 during the term of the late Dean Reynaldo T. Paguio. It was conceived to become one of the resident performing groups of the College of Music; in the tradition of the former student orchestras the college had in the previous years.

The present UP String Chamber Orchestra (UPSCO) started with a core of string students enrolled under the orchestra Classes of Prof. Agripino “Nonoy” Diestro, one of the country’s upcoming orchestra conductors and a lecturer of the Conducting Department. He was eventually joined by Ms. Chona Noble and Prof. Edna Marcil “Michi” Martinez of the String’s Department the following semester. In June 1999, the task of leading the orchestra was given to Prof. Wilfredo Pasamba, likewise of the String’s Department, and one of the Philippines’ leading cello players. Together with Prof. Martinez, they honed the talent of the young string players which has a steady membership averaging from 15-20 players. The group included not only string majors but string minors, string players from other colleges and units of UP as well as students from the UP Music Extension Program. The UPSCO has also been a venue for some enthusiasts coming from neighboring communities, who joined rehearsals and performances voluntarily.

To date, the group has held several performances inside and outside the University. They have been featured in the College of Music’s “Thursday Concert Series”, The Diliman Arts Month, the OICA (Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts) sponsored concert at the Lagoon, and together with the UP Symphonic Band, constituted the UP Festival Orchestra in 2001; which gave concerts in the UP System Campuses of Diliman, Los Baños and Baguio. This was in line with Anniversary Celebration of the UP College of Music.

With both the potential of the group and the possibilities which inter-department and or inter-disciplinary collaborations could generate, the UP STRING CHAMBER Orchestra has a lot to go for, other than being a class for learning orchestral music. Thus the fruition of Dean Rey Paguio’s dream.

 

The then U.P. Festival Orchestra, conducted by Prof. Josefino Toledo