13 January 2014- The Philippine Embassy in Berlin hosted an appreciation concert at the Ethnological Museum on 14 December 2013 in recognition of the staunch support extended the German government and people to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The occasion also marked the launch of the commemorative year of Philippine-German diplomatic relations, which will celebrate their 60th anniversary through a year long series of socio-cultural activities.
In her remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe R. Natividad conveyed the profound appreciation of the Filipino people for the unprecedented support extended by Germany to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. The Ambassador noted that the calamity brought the Philippines and Germany closer together, particularly through people-to-people connections, with German non-governmental organizations being heavily active in the post-typhoon relief and recovery efforts.
Ambassador Dr. Clemens von Goetze, Director General for Asia of the German Federal Foreign Office, delivered the keynote address and highlighted the significance of the event and the strong relations between the Philippines and Germany. He also emphasized the burgeoning people-to-people cooperation, especially given the expected deployment of Filipino nurses to Germany and the possible creation of a Rizal Center at the new Philippine Embassy in Berlin.
Former Philippine Undersecretary of Education Dr. Isagani Cruz, who had just flown into Berlin the day before the concert, introduced the 60th anniversary commemorative book project. The coffee table book, which is currently being produced, will cover the full breadth of Philippine-German relations. The book is expected to be launched in October 2014.
The concert, entitled “Songs Without Music, Poems Without Words,” is a classical chamber music recital with an avant garde touch based on the composition and direction of Jeffrey Ching, who was the first recipient of the Jose Rizal Award for Excellence in 2003. The recital was performed by soprano Andion Fernandez, Japanese pianist Professor Kiai Nara and Bazil’s Professor Matthias Pinto. All three artists obtained their graduate degrees at the Universitat der Kunst (UdK).
Mr. Ching, born in the Philippines and educated at both Harvard and Cambridge universities, transformed “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, into music and sounds and Francisco Balagtas’ poetry “Kay Celia” into a Kundiman, in memory of Balagtas’ 100th birth anniversary. To pay tribute to Germany’s revered composer Richard Wagner, whose bicentenary is being celebrated worldwide, Mr. Ching arranged the “Wesendonck Lieder Sonata” into a five movement cello line with soprano and piano conversations.
Officials of the German Foreign Ministry, and members of the diplomatic community, business community, academe and Filipino community attended the concert. END