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THE
eager audience gave her three standing ovations until
she finally gave in to an encore. The fire and magic has
not been lost.
World-renowned conductor Helen Quach, who had just
arrived in Manila a few weeks ago, stepped onstage at
the St. Cecilia Hall in St. Scholastica’s College in
Manila last Sunday to perform with the mostly young
members of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
It had
been 16 years since she last performed with the
orchestra. With a new batch of mostly fresh-faced
musicians, Quach worked furiously with the young
musicians of MSO, Asia’s oldest orchestra. She returned
to the
Philippines
for a noteworthy cause: Despite its prestige, the MSO
survives on a month-by-month basis and needs to acquire
new instruments. Existing ones either are too old or
were bought second-hand.
The
thrill and anticipation of seeing and hearing Quach work
her baton to play the masters was evident even at the
start of the concert. After all, she was once described
by the media as the “Lady Tyrant of the Podium.” True
enough, Quach, a cancer survivor who had to painfully
stop playing music temporarily for health reasons,
didn’t disappoint her audience as she performed with the
MSO and with brilliant Juilliard School-educated pianist
Cristine Coyiuto (who’s solo recital in October is
already being anticipated this early).
STANDING ovation for
world-renowned conductor Helen Quach (right) and
brilliant pianist Cristine Coyiuto (left).
The
program for the concert included Ludwig Van Beethoven’s
“Leonora Overture No. 3 in C Major, Op. 72,” Edvard
Grieg’s “Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16” and Peter
Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op.
64.” Norwegian composer Grieg’s famous piece was in
commemoration with the 100th anniversary of Grieg.
Quach is
one of the first Asian women to conquer the
international world of classical music and at such a
young age. Born in
Saigon and to Chinese parents, she migrated to
Australia when she was 10 years-old. At 19, she
graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where
she studied piano and violin.
In 1959,
Quach won a conducting contest in Australia and a
scholarship to study advanced conducting with Nicolai
Malko. She made her conducting debut in 1960 with the
Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the first woman to be given
such an honor. In 1964, she attended master classes in
Italy under noted conductors Carlo Zecchi and Sir John
Barbirolli. Her exceptional talent prompted both
maestros to recommend her for the 1964 Dmitri
Mitropoulos Competition where she won first prize, and
from where she became the assistant of Leonard
Bernstein. Her initial foray into the international
music scene happened when she conducted the New York
Philharmonic Orchestra during its 1967-1968 season.
Quach
has conducted several orchestras, including Washington’s
Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the American
Symphony at Carnegie Hall, Germany’s Gottinger Symphony
and the country’s own MSO, to name a few.
She was
once referred to as the “Lady Tyrant of the Podium” and
“Queen of the Baton.” In person, Quach remains low-key,
with the admirable self-assurance earned only by a
seasoned madam maestra. Today, she regards the moniker
as an acknowledgement of the great discipline and focus
required from a conductor in bringing into harmony the
works of various musicians. “Or there would be chaos in
it all. Everyone would have his way.”
She
continues to live in
Sydney
and has been very active not only in music but with
causes like animal and human rights. On how she keeps at
it—her focus and dedication to her work, that is—she
discloses that nowadays she steers her life and her
music with passion and daily gratitude. “I always thank
the Divine, my surroundings, the people around me.”
If
you’ve been raring to be moved by grand classical music
interpreted excellently, go to the Main Theater of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines tonight, April 26, at
8 pm. Helen Quach, Cristine Coyiuto and the MSO will
bring your spirit to high heavens. |
