AFTER TCHAIKOVSKY AND SIBELIUS, DIOMEDES SARAZA, JR. INTERPRETS KASILAG’S VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 1
by Pablo A. Tariman
Diomedes Saraza, Jr. interprets Lucrecia Kasilag’s Violin Concerto No. 1 along with Camille Saint-Saëns Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso in the 39th PPO season finale April 19, 2024, 7:30 p.m. at the Samsung Theater for Performing Arts in Makati City.
Diomedes Saraza, Jr. with Maestro Grzegorz Nowak after first rehearsal.
The concert will be highlighted by Schubert’s Symphony No. 5, D.485, B-flat Major under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.
After first rehearsal with Maestro Novak, Saraza exclaimed: “What a fantastic conductor, I feel so free performing with this maestro! Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is so blessed to have a conductor of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak’s calibre!”
(Cecile Licad herself has the same impression of the new PPO music director Nowak and the orchestra during the last March 19 concert at the Met. “We were so super synchronized at the concert. It was a wonderful collaboration with the new music director of the PPO. I loved maestro Nowak’s rehearsal process. It made the performance much more fun and enjoyable. The PPO that night was in top form,” she said)
The last time with PPO, he reprised the Sibelius violin concerto under the baton of Chinese conductor Haoran Li.
The Sibelius warhorse was the same concerto he played during his Carnegie Hall debut with the PPO in 2016 sharing the stage with pianist Cecile Licad.
Twice he played it under two PPO conductors: the French-American Oliver Ochanine and the Japanese Yoshikazu Fukumura.
He triumphed in both engagements, making fresh understatements which showed his rare kind of musicality.
Saraza with Cecile Licad in one private chamber music happening.
His Carnegie Hall debut gave him a lot of beautiful memories.
It was one of few memorable times when his older brother and parents were in the audience in the biggest moment of his career. “I remember the energy of the audience, the magical acoustics of the hall and the pride of standing on stage with our national orchestra. It really felt like a big Filipino family reunion with many Filipinos in the audience.”
One’s first early encounters with Saraza was as a very young recitalist in the opening of the Pasig Museum Summer Music Festival series in 2002. He dazzled with Saint Saens’ Introduction et Rondo Cappicioso and a magical rendition of Abelardo’s Cavatina.
Sooner than he expected, he was a prizewinner of the Juilliard Schools’ William Schuman Competition.
He summed up his Juilliard years thus: “Studying in that school taught me how to be self-sufficient and never to be complacent. You always have to work hard on mastering your craft.”
In Manila, his homecoming concerts were always reasons for celebrations.
His Paganini D Major Concerto with the Manila Symphony at the Philamlife Auditorium was electrifying.
His key to a good performance: “Focus consistently during the concert no matter what happens. All the things that you have practiced must stay in the performance. The most difficult part of playing this concerto are the notes themselves. They require a huge amount of energy and violin technique. The thing that makes it more difficult is putting the right character on the notes. My teacher used to say that this piece should sound easy and playful even though the notes are hard. You can’t just focus on hitting the notes right because they require from the soloist the right mood and character — not to mention various shapes and color.”
His Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky concertos with the PPO were equally gratifying.
One recalled his Mendelssohn moments some years back with conductor Fukumura.
The impact was such the audience found itself cheering as one and later moved to give a standing ovation.
How could one forget his Bartok Violin concerto No. 3 also with MSO which he played shortly after his graduation from Juilliard. It sizzled from beginning to end also eliciting a standing ovation after the last movement.
For now, he has given up his role as concertmaster of the MSO and obviously focusing on soloist role and more chamber music.
Like most musicians who survived the pandemic, he has good reasons to be thankful. “The pandemic definitely made me a better person. It taught me to appreciate every opportunity and moments that we are on stage performing and doing what we love or being with people we love.”
The violinist with Pablo Tariman backstage at the CCP in 2016.
He reviews his regimen as he prepares to rehearse with the PPO. “I do the same routine as if it’s another regular day. I pray, I take a shower, practice my scales then run some passages then do the dress rehearsal if there is. I just have to make sure I don’t get too mentally and physically drained for the concert at night. Sometimes I nap in the dressing room.”
Saraza plays on a 1972 French violin made by Eugene Guinot and Rene Morel courtesy of the Standard Insurance Company.
(Ticket Prices:P3,000 (Orchestra Center), P2,000 (Orchestra Side), P2,500 (Loge Center), P1,500 (Loge Side) and P800 (Balcony 1).
Tickets still available at TicketWorld.)
Arts News Service 