Clockwise from top: Ambassador Garcia addresses a fully packed concert hall; (L-R) Philippine Deputy Chief of Mission Francisco Noel Fernandez III and Ambassador Garcia together with MP Kevin Lamoureux, Dr. Raul Sunico, ADM Donald Bobiash, and Madam Teresa Rozkiewicz; (L-R) H.E. Kimihiro Ishikane, Ambassador of Japan, Madam Kaoru Ishikane, Ambassador Garcia, Maestro Donnie Deacon, and Dr. Raul Sunico; MP Lamoureux congratulates Dr. Sunico after the concert; and Ambassador Garcia and ADM Bobiash raise a toast to Philippines – Canada relations.(Photos courtesy of Mr. Alvin Conchas III and Mr. Danilo Arriola)
2 June 2018, Ottawa – The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, opened the month of June on Parliament Hill with “Concert on the Hill,” an event top-billed by international concert pianist Dr. Raul Sunico together with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra in celebration of the 120th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence.
An audience of more than four hundred fifty people packed the concert hall in rapt silence as the building’s marble walls reverberated with Dr. Sunico’s performance of classical pieces as well as Felipe De Leon’s “Kundiman” and his own arrangement of George Canseco’s “Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan.”
The Ottawa Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Donnie Deacon, opened the concert with Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and joined Dr. Sunico for a rousing rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, eliciting a standing ovation from the audience. Due to insistent public demand, Dr. Sunico closed the concert with an encore performance of Debussy’s Claire de Lune.
Member of Parliament Kevin Lamoureux, who also chairs the Canada – Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, spoke of the growth of Filipino migrants in Canada and their contributions to Canadian society, particularly in his riding located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the largest concentration of Filipinos per capita may be found.
Ambassador Garcia hailed the event as a first in Philippines – Canada cultural cooperation. “We hope to share with you the universal language of music and a shining example of Philippines – Canada cultural cooperation,” said the Ambassador during her welcome remarks. “We are certain this will not be the last as we continue to build avenues towards deeper cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between our two countries.”
The concert, which took place in the city’s historic Sir John A. Macdonald Building, was preceded by a reception attended by members of the diplomatic corps, federal and local officials, business people, and members of the local community.
Concert on the Hill was organized by the Embassy of the Philippines in partnership with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra, Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Canada – Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, and Ottawa Pianos. END.