Musical treats for
Manila audiences
MUSIC is a universal language that transcends us.
Jinsang Lee, a renowned Korean pianist who has won numerous awards in Asia and in Europe, performed in Manila last Octover 22 at the PhilAm Threater and his wizardry playing the works of Frederick Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, and Ferdinand Hiller was a treat for his Manila audience.
Born in 1981 in Seoul, South Korea, Jinsang Lee began to play the piano at the age of seven. He began his studies at the Seoul Arts High School and then continued at the Korean National University of Arts.
Jinsang Lee has played with various orchestras and as a solo pianist, he has performed in concert in various cities including Hong Kong, Chicago, Los Angeles, Berlin, Essen, Siena, Sendai, Nagoya, as well as in various venues and events including the Philrmonie in Cologne, the Seoul Arts Center, the Meitersingerhalle in Nuremberg, the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, the Robert-Schumann-Sall in Dusseldorf, the Klavierfestival Ruhr (Germany), the Lake District Summer Music Festival (England, the Festival Palazzo Montepulciano (Italy) and the joy of Music Festival (Hong Kong).
For this musical season, Jinsang will be performing in Madrid, Patis, Japan, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and in different cities in Germany.
We were very fortunate to hear Jinsang Lee’s performance and although we may consider Jinsang Lee to be one of the best pianists in Asia, we can not help appreciating our local pianists and musicians, many of whose performances we also enjoyed so much in the past.
***
Aside from the classics, the sixties sounds of The Essence of Spirit (formerly known as The Spirit of 67) was another treat all together.
After a long time of not performing together, Bimbo Santiago, Candy Dizon, Pocholo Santiago, Johnny Velasquez, and Mazo Diez regrouped to perform at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.
The performance was a dream come true for the "almost-senior citizens" who many years ago studied at the Ateneo de Manila and de la Salle universities.
Once again, they boogied, swinged, rocked and rolled on the dance floor – some moving slightly slower (today) than they used to 40 or 50 years ago.
They were the "new generation" then. They are the "now generation" until today.
The universality of music had made the Ateneans and the La Sallites forget about basketball!!!
With the Essence of Spirit, they all grooved the night away!
| 
