Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra Awarded Grand Prix in Bratislava, Wins First Place at 2024 Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna
The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) was awarded the prestigious Grand Prix for orchestra at the 13th Bratislava International Youth Music Festival held from 02–04 July 2024. Over 500 young musicians from 13 countries participated in the Festival. Only two orchestral groups received the Grand Prix: the MSJO, and the Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria choir (South Africa)
VIENNA 12 July 2024 – The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) won First Place “with Outstanding Success” for the String Orchestra Category at the 2024 Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna, Austria on 07 July 2024.
MSJO was also awarded the prestigious Grand Prix for orchestra at the 13th Bratislava International Youth Music Festival held from 02 to 04 July 2024, where Philippine Honorary Consul to Slovakia Pavol Konštiak met with the young musicians after one of their performances.
The 40-member junior orchestra also delighted the audience at the House of Strauss on 06 July 2024 and at the MuTh Theater on 08 July 2024. They played several pieces including Mozart’s Divertimento, De Sarasate’s Navarra, Miravite’s Transcendence, Gade’s Jalousie Tango, and Bini’s Pantropiko. The group also performed three of their competition pieces, Stephan Koncz’ A New Satiesfaction, Ernani Cuenco’s Nahan, and Ryle Nicole Custodio’s Tagu-taguan. Personnel of the Embassy of the Philippines in Vienna watched the performance at the MuTh Theater.
The Philippine Embassy hosted a merienda for the young musicians on 09 July 2024, who were accompanied by their conductor Mr. Jeffrey Solares, current MSO Concertmaster Sara Maria Gonzales, and 2024 European Tour sponsor, Standard Insurance Chairman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz. Ambassador Evangelina A. Bernas expressed her appreciation of the junior orchestra’s world-class talent and performance which made Filipinos in Europe proud, particularly those in Austria and Slovakia. “The Embassy of the Philippines is ready to assist musicians who would like to pursue their studies in Austria by linking you with the appropriate institutions,” Ambassador Bernas said.
This is the second time that the junior orchestra won first place at the Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna. The group was also the First Prize Winner in the 2018 edition of the music festival.
The MSJO also performed at the Winner’s Concert at the Vienna Konzerthaus on 09 July 2024. They will then continue their tour to Prague, Czech Republic where they will have a concert at the Smetana Hall on 11 July 2024 before they return to the Philippines on 13 July 2024. END
Philippine Honorary Consul General in Bratislava Mr. Pavol Konštiak attended MSJO’s performance at the Slovakian Radio Symphony Hall. MSJO’s performance included pieces such as "A New Satiesfaction'' by Stephan Koncz, "Scherzo from Serenade for Strings" by Antonin Dvorak, "Nahan" by Ernani Cuenco, and "Tagu-taguan" by Ryle Custodio
For more information, visit https://www.viennape.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.at or https://www.facebook.com/PHinAustria, or https://www.instagram.com/phinaustria/.