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IF
you’re among those who still take the orange shuttle
service jeep from, to, in and around the
Cultural
Center
of the Philippines (CCP) Complex, most likely you’ll
ride with young virtuosos, or what many call “mga
tunay na artista ng bayan [the real artists for the
people].”
They
don’t look like experts, because they dress like your
typical CCP Baywalk promenaders. They don’t even
converse in English.
They are
young musicians, stage actors and cultural dancers
barely in their 20s. Note the absence of the word
“aspiring,” because they are not, having learned the
craft of their choice long time ago. They have long
mastered their chosen craft while many youngsters their
age still struggle with the first chords of “Pare Ko” or
the first lines of Macbeth. Most of them have won awards
and have performed in the international circuit.
Still,
despite the expertise, they remain struggling in the
real world. Most of them have even stopped attending
college because their parents cannot afford the
skyrocketing tuition. After all, they’re not your
typical Mark Herrases, Sarah Geronimos, the usual
teenage artistas whose regular paychecks can afford them
and their families a comfortable lifestyle.
These
young virtuosos need all the support they can get to
continue getting a college degree related to their
already-honed God-given talents. Nestor Jardin, CCP
president, is aware of all these problems.
The
solution? A fundraising concert.
So for
three years now, the annual Virtuosos fundraising
concert series has been staged, featuring experts in a
one-night-only show. The first was in 2006, featuring
the best pianists and, in 2007, the best string players.
This year Virtuosos gathers the country’s foremost
classical singers.
“There
are two objectives of the Virtuosos shows. One is to
showcase our talented performing artists. Second is to
utilize the gala event as annual fundraising for our
arts programs. The first two years, both netted P3
million to P3.5 million. We funded the ‘Arts for the
People’ program from that,” Jardin told the
BusinessMirror.
This
year the beneficiary is the CCP’s Young Artists
Scholarship Program, which supports graduates from the
Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA).
“We’ve
observed not all of them pursue college degrees in the
arts. After they graduate in the PHSA, they’re on their
own. And sometimes, the parents advise them to pursue
other courses because they’re more lucrative, like HRM
or Engineering,” he added.
Jardin
is also the chairman of the PHSA council and he felt he
needed to remedy the situation. “We tried to give them
scholarships at the University of Santo Tomas, De La
Salle-College of St. Benilde and the University of the
Philippines. We actively search for scholarship to those
who are not so well-off. We try to augment their
expenses by giving monthly allowances.”
There
are about 40 scholars now in college.
“But I
want to increase our support by adding more to their
living allowances and, eventually, give them assistance
to buy books. My dream is not to limit the program only
to the graduates of PHSA but open it to other talented
artists who don’t have the means but want to pursue
college. And, eventually, send them abroad for more
specialized training. That’s why we’re trying to build
up this fund,” Jardin said.
Since
Day One, BNP Paribas has been supporting the Virtuosos
concerts. In the fundraiser’s first year, it gave P1
million. “BNP Paribas is one of a kind,” said Jardin.
BNP Paribas is a European leader in banking and
financial services. It is among the world’s 15 largest
banks and is the No. 1 bank in the Eurozone by market
capitalization.
We asked
him why not get from big multinational companies?
“It’s
hard because once they hear arts and culture, they know
there’s a limited audience. If you compare the
sponsorships for the Josh Groban or Beyoncé concerts,
they’re big because the audience we’re talking about is
20,000. They got exposure on all types of media. Ours,
we only have 1,000 audience. Sad, because we’re the one
who needs help. How much more our arts-therapy workshop
in the regions with only 100 participants. Do you think
they will sponsor us?”
Jardin
invites everyone to watch the fundraising concert,
titled ‘Virtuosos 2008: Voices Through Time’, to be
held at 7:30 pm on February 28 at the CCP Main Theater.
The
concert brings together soprano Camille Lopez Molina,
mezzo-soprano Clarissa Ocampo, tenors Nolyn Cabahug and
Randy Gilongo, Berlin-based Filipino bass baritone
Jonathan Zaens, countertenor Mark Anthony Carpio, the
Philippine Madrigal Singers, Chiang Kai Shek College
Youth Choir, guest artist French bass baritone Jérôme
Correas, Ballet Philippines, Teatro Ambahanon and the
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of
Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo.
* For details, call the CCP Marketing Department at
direct line 832-3681 and trunkline 832-1125, locals 1800
or 1808, or the CCP Box Office at 832-3704. |
