Music possesses a visceral power to transport its listeners to an entirely different place, evoking a wide range of emotions through the simple draw of a violinist’s bow or the stroke of a pianist’s keys. This power rang true last March 27 and 28 at the Natividad Fajardo-Rosario Gonzalez Auditorium during the Lasallian Youth Orchestra’s (LYO) annual recital Forte 2025: Voices of Spring, where audiences were whisked away to picturesque scenes and otherworldly lands.
True to this year’s theme, the performances captured both the simple and the grand, from the warmth of the morning sun to the dawn of new beginnings. Each performer blossomed in the spotlight as they played a variety of classical and contemporary pieces on the show’s closing night, leaving audience members enchanted, thunderstruck, and spellbound all at once.
As petals bloom
LYO was not looking to let the spring season pass anyone by without making its mark. Each act was preceded by a short video of the performers’ rehearsals, revealing the hard work and preparation that had gone into Forte 2025.
Sending off the recital was Jamie Casacop with a soulful version of François Devienne’s Flute Concerto No. 7 in E minor. Donning a simple black dress that contrasted her shiny silver pipe, the flutist captivated audiences with serene tunes that were accompanied by a piano accompaniment. This was followed by Marie Entao’s performance of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, which reverberated through the auditorium with both sharp and soothing melodies.
Diverging from the previous performances, Alfonso Declaro wowed with a short but powerful rendition of Paul Price’s Timpani Solo No. 8. Though positioned upstage, his loud and resounding percussion spoke to the orchestra’s variety. Following suit were violin soloists Joaquin de Guzman and Patrick Cheong with their respective executions of Henryk Wieniawski’s Variations on an Original Theme and Max Kyuss’ Amur Waves. De Guzman’s performance was particularly notable, as one of his bow strings snapped during his performance; undeterred, he continued to play in an admirable demonstration of what it means to let the show go on.
Soon, the auditorium lit up in pink and orange as flute soloist Jon Llamado treated the crowd to a nostalgic number of Yiruma’s Wait There, reminiscent of rising suns and blossoming flowers. Pianist Mark Adriano then took his turn with Chopin’s Minute Waltz Op. 64 No. 1, keeping the audience’s spirit alive with playful tunes as the solo recitals drew closer to its end.
The penultimate solo was an energetic, electric guitar-heavy rendition of György Ligeti’s Continuum by Aaron Jardenil. With its percussion accompaniment, the performance departed from the familiar soft and mellow numbers performed so far. Lastly, Zach Guevarra took to the stage with Guthrie Govan’s Wonderful Slippery Thing. His colorful electric guitar performance brought an invigorating close to the solo performances as audiences hummed along, unprepared for what was to come in the concert’s second half.
Aglow in harmony
Casiopea’s funky and rhythmic Asayake signaled in the group recitals as Zach Guevarra & Co. breathed life into the jazz fusion piece with a quirkiness that charmed the audience. The mood then shifted as Anceline Imson & Co. serenaded the audience with Bella’s Lullaby by Carter Burwell from the renowned Twilight series and called forth the soft radiance of moonlight. The momentum picked up once more as Joaquin de Guzman & Co. delivered a well-coordinated performance of Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96, or the “American Quartet.”
The enchantment continued as Anne Therese Ongjoco & Co. masterfully performed Erik Satie’s A New Satiesfaction, Gymnopédie No. 1 with unparalleled grace and elegance. Soon enough, Jon Benedict Llamado & Co. brought the audience back to a gentle calm with a flute duet of Claude Debussy’s Petite Suite for Two Flutes and Piano, 1st and 2nd Mvt. was performed with precision. This was followed by a heartfelt rendition of Ari Fisher’s Shir Shel Yoninah: A Song for Jamie, delivered by Marie Entao & Co. The evening then surged with energy as de Guzman & Co. engaged the audience with a playful call-and-response between violins in Pablo de Sarasate’s Navarra, Op. 33.
Toward the tail end of the group recitals, LYO guided the audience through the dynamic soundscapes of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The selected concerti painted a vivid scene: the intense and fiery air of Summer, 3rd Mvt., the icy, haunting atmosphere of Winter, 1st Mvt., and the soft and gentle breeze of Spring, 1st Mvt. As the rich and vibrant harmonies of the seasons faded, the audience broke into enthusiastic applause, eagerly awaiting the final act.
Spring anew
While each solo and group act stood out in its own way, the true brilliance of Forte 2025 was especially captured in the harmonious unity of the orchestra as a whole. The final act featured the skills of the ensemble in full, with esteemed Maestro Frenvee Andra leading his first performance with LYO following his recent appointment by the DLSU Culture and Arts Office.
The ensemble roused audience members from the intermission lull with a rendition of Gustav Holst’s IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, conjured the humble grandiosity of our solar system’s largest planet. With soaring symphonies, listeners were invited to leave their earthly troubles behind and fly among the stars, feeling nothing but unadulterated exuberance. They then performed contrasting movements from George Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite no. 2. The calming, flute-forward composition Minuet was a striking contrast to the heartracing intensity of Farandole.
Finally, to cap off the night, the ensemble played a medley of OPM band Lola Amour’s most beloved songs—Fallen, Pwede Ba, and Raining in Manila—arranged by Maestro Andra himself. After a setlist of predominantly classical pieces, it was a breath of fresh air to enjoy familiar funk rock and jazz pop tunes enhanced by the orchestra. Cheers erupted from the audience during fan-favorite Raining in Manila, and the love only continued as the finale was met with a resounding ovation.
Like the season of bloom, Forte 2025: Voices of Spring was a vivid musical journey into the human experience. Through sonic imagery conjuring laughter-soaked days, moody rainstorms, bustling nightlife, and fervent romances, audiences left the venue renewed, reminded of what it means to make the most of spring—with all of its burdens and joys.
