As part of the countdown to the
Ateneo de Manila University's 150th anniversary, Philippine pianist Raul M. Sunico performed at the
Church of the Gesù on Tuesday evening. Trained at the
University of the Philippines,
Juilliard School and
New York University, Dr. Sunico's wonderfully eclectic program included pieces from
Frederic Chopin,
Isaac Albeniz,
Claude Debussy,
Franz Liszt and
George Gershwin. The list of Dr. Sunico's many accomplishments as a concert pianist, orchestral soloist and musical arranger—both internationally and locally—is too long to include here, but beyond his brilliant piano playing, there are two things that endear him most to me: he arranged Filipino folk songs and
kundiman (traditional love songs) for classical piano and recorded them in fifteen volumes—a legacy that will forever enrich Philippine culture; and his many projects on music education, especially for grade school children.
I do not have a photo of Raul Sunico at the piano, unfortunately. The conditions during the concert—dim ambient light, strong spotlights, a pianist that performs with his entire body—were just too tough for my little camera. But I did get one during the photo-op before the concert. So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the president of the Ateneo de Manila University,
Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ and Dr. Raul M. Sunico, Artistic Director of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines, Dean of the
University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music and pianist extraordinaire.
