MANILA, Philippines—Just like his big sis Lea, musical director and conductor Gerard Salonga has gone international.

He recently worked with Taiwan’s Lee-Hom Wang, who topbilled Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” and soon, France’s Vanessa Paradis, who is, incidentally, the girlfriend of Johnny Depp.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic had tapped Salonga to conduct its yearend concert last Dec. 22, 23 and 24 at the HK Cultural Center Concert Hall.

Schoolmates

Featured performer in that show was Wang who, like Salonga, studied in Berklee.

“Lee-Hom’s a smart guy. He scored 1600 in his SATs (US college admissions exam),” said Salonga of his fellow musician. “He’s a pop star. He sings, but he [also] plays the piano, guitar and drums.”

At the concert, Wang reportedly played the violin, too.

Salonga, who conducted the entire concert, first worked with the HK Philharmonic for sister Lea’s Chinese New Year show last February.

He described the 110-piece orchestra as “one of the finest in Asia.”

The HK Philharmonic recommended Salonga to French superstar Paradis, who approved his participation as conductor and arranger in her own concert, which will coincide with the Le French May festivities this year.

“I submitted a demo, a new arrangement of her 1988 hit ‘Joe le Taxi.’ Luckily, she liked it,” Salonga recounted.

He said they instantly hit it off.

“She’s easy to talk to,” he noted. “She sounded sweet. Fortunately, we share the same tastes in music: Joni Mitchell, Bjork. She wants the arrangements for her May concert to be different from the usual.”

Seems sister Lea is also looking forward to the Paradis concert.

“My sister said, ‘Don’t do it if Johnny Depp isn’t coming to Hong Kong,’” Salonga said, in jest.

He added that Lea is scheduled to fly to Hong Kong in May.

“They’re planning to celebrate her baby Nicole’s birthday there, which falls around the same time as Le French May,” Salonga said.

On the local front, Salonga conducted the FILharmoniKa in the soundtrack of the Metro Manila Film Fest entry “Dayo,” which includes sis Lea’s song “Lipad.”

He also worked in the new albums of The CompanY (“Group Hug”), Reymond Sajor (“Coming Home”) and Eddie Mesa.

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com