The Grand Ballroom of the Marco Polo Davao was filled with wonderful music last January 23 as it featured Sonata, a concert featuring classical western and Filipino songs performed by Manila-based soprano Stefanie Quintin, and classical guitarist Anton Luis Avila.
The concert, which was staged as a fund raiser for the Davao Museum by the Davao Museum Foundation Inc., for its 40th year celebration saw the venue filling up with friends of the Davao Museum as well as students who wanted to experience the rare classical music performance.
Before the concert started, a ceremonial plaque was presented to Ms. Virginia Andersen who was instrumental in raising donations for the first major improvement and renovation of the museum. “Mrs. Andersen was a key figure who helped the Davao Museum Foundation Inc. raise the much needed funds at that time.” said Davao Museum Foundation president Patria G. Montemayor.
The concert started in earnest with Stefanie serenading the audience with songs from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic Eras for the first half of the program. Her rendition of Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria literally brought chills down my spine with her clear yet powerful voice.
Between the first and send half of the concert, Davao-based child prodigy and pianist Martina Audrey Uyboco played three classical pieces by Mozart which literally left the audience speechless.
Leaving the classic behind, Stefanie then proceeded to more livelier songs from Spain, Brazil, and lastly the Filipino compositions such as Ano Kaya Ang Kapalaran by Francisco Santiago, Mutya ng Pasig by Nicanor Abelardo, Visayan songs Usahay by Col. Greg Labja, and Pobreng Alindahaw. The young nightingale ended the evening with a powerful and lively rendition of Manuel Velez’s Sa Kabukiran which made the audience get off their seats for a thunderous standing ovation.
The evening was capped with a wonderful surprise as Anton, who happens to be Stefanie’s boyfriend, asked for her hand in marriage to which she said yes, ending the night of music and romance in a high note.
Congratulations to tita Patria Montemayor, tita Sylvia C. Lorenzana, and the rest of the Davao Museum Foundation team on a job well done!
