Longtime Ambibo pal Albert M. welcomes spring this year with a refreshing new look at his North side Chicago apartment. Mixing contemporary and the slightly eclectic, designer/friend Lexie Schlaumberger transformed Albert’s recently-renovated digs into a functional yet totally livable space that the tireless healthcare professional can crash into after a hectic day at work.
After quietly toiling for a month the duo, Lexie and Albert unveiled their opus to a select group of friends on Saturday, May 9th. (Images: Armand B. Frasco)
Dipolog’s very own (and FACES OF AMBIBO) Miracle Romano recently took part in a groundbreaking project by YouTube. She was among the lucky few who were selected to perform Tan Dun’s composition “Internet Symphony, Eroica” as selected and mashed up from thousands of video submissions from around the globe.
Miracle shares her extraordinary experience.
Every instrumentalist has dreams. To be able to perform in Carnegie Hall is normally one of those dreams. I am no exception.
When YouTube trumpeted a call to make music history through means of technology and classical music, I answered that call. The prize was too tempting – Carnegie Hall in New York.
It was last year when I heard of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. Even though there is usually but a single position for a keyboardist in a symphony (and quite an unattainable spot if you are contending with a whole world of pianists), I wasted no time in reading the guidelines; what a surprise when I discovered that the required pieces were music I had already played several years ago! However, I was puzzled when I found out that they had already provided the music scores of Eroica: The Internet Symphony for the other instruments but none for the piano. I was left to believe that they did not require Eroica for the pianists.
A week before the January 28, 2009 cut-off date for all entries, I went to the YTSO page on YouTube and submitted what I had prepared thus far. To my chagrin, written blatantly on the front page was an announcement that might have been there weeks or months earlier stating something that went like “The Eroica piano score is now available”!I downloaded the music score with alarm, and panicked even more when a piece of ample difficulty appeared before my eyes. Right at that moment, I knew all hope for Carnegie Hall was lost.
Nevertheless, I was determined to finish what I had begun, and thus began a week of tinkering and hammering on the piano. I passed my video entry on time and a month later, they informed me that it would be included in the mash-up video. I did not make it to Carnegie Hall, but at least my video did. I am still thankful and glad to have been part of music history even in the most trivial way… and still, I remain a musician, dreaming.
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The whole event reminds us that, whether as participant or witness, classical music and modern technology can coexist. In fact, in our technological era, one can hardly endure as successfully or beautifully without the other.
Ambibo friends Kyle Patangan and Christian Ochotorena were at the WGCI Big Jam with Lil Wayne at the United Center on December 27. Snapshots from the show. (Photo: AmbiboMedia)
‘Dayo Sa Mundo ng Elementalia’ is an all-digital, full-length animated film entry to the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). It is produced by Jessie Lasaten’s Cutting Edge Production. Screenplay by Temi Abad, Jr. and Eric Cabahug. Direction by Robert Quilao.
It features the voices of Nash Aguas, Katrina Legaspi, Michael V, Pokwang, Laurice Guillen, Nova Villa, Johnny Delgado, Gabe Mercado, Noel Trinidad, Peque Gallaga, among others.
The theme song ‘Lipad’ is sung by Ms. Lea Salonga.
Its original soundtrack recording is distributed by Sony BMG.
‘Dayo’ opens in Philippine cinemas on December 25, 2008.
