PH Embassy in Canada Hosts Benefit Dinner ‘Music to Dine For’

(Clockwise from top left) Young String Performers Foundation (YSPF) members together with Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia, Friends of National Arts Centre Orchestra (FNACO) President Albert Benoit and first Vice President Suzanne Gumpert; FNACO members pose for a group photo with Ambassador Garcia; The YSPF quartet performs during the program; Benoit thanks Ambassador Garcia for hosting the dinner; and Ambassador Garcia offers a toast. (Ottawa PE photo)

OTTAWA 04 September 2018 – The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa hosted “Music to Dine For,” a benefit dinner for the Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra (FNACO), in an evening of good music, good company, and fine fusion of Filipino and Canadian cuisine held at the official residence of Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia.

Twenty guests from FNACO joined Ambassador Garcia as they were regaled by musicians from Ottawa’s Young String Performers Foundation (YSPF).

The string quartet—composed of Cenrine Despax, Uyen Tran, Daniel Cheung, and Iñigo Gauthier-Mamaril—performed renditions of Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 95 (“Serioso”–Movement 1), Puccini’s Crisantemi, Dvorak’s String Quartet in F Major, Opus 96 (“American”–Movement IV”), and Piazzolla’s Libertango, and finished off with an encore of Johann and Josef Strauss’ Pizzicato Polka.

Ambassador Garcia thanked the guests for joining the event.

“It is always a pleasure to work with FNACO and meet members of the community united by their love of music. It is our hope that this evening will allow you to get to know more about the Philippines, its people, and its culture,” the Ambassador said.

The group then moved to a medley of cuisines as they were treated to a menu of Mandarin salad, crusted Atlantic salmon with mango bango, and creamy mango cheesecake served up by local chef Liza Sare of Tamis Café. END

For more information, visit www.ottawape.dfa.gov.ph / www.philembassy.ca or https://www.facebook.com/PHinCanada/.