MANILA, Philippines - When Filipino music lovers turned on the TV sets to watch the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, they were pleasantly surprised that one of the stars of the show was not an athlete but China’s foremost classical pianist, Lang Lang.

Accompanied by the China Philharmonic along with five-year-old Li Muzi behind a white full grand, Lang Lang played a piece by Chinese musician Ye Xiaogang and was easily the stunning highlight of the Olympics pageant.

Two days before the Olympics opening, the 26-year-old Chinese pianist participated in the torch relay. As he was running along Chang’an Avenue, he delighted cheering onlookers by holding the torch in one hand and mimicking playing the piano in the other.

In Manila

Lang Lang was in Manila in 2002 as soloist of the New York Philharmonic, in the performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 under the baton of Lorin Maazel. Like the country’s celebrated pianist Cecile Licad, Lang Lang was also a star pupil at Curtis Institute where he entered at age 16.

In the Curtis entrance test, Lang Lang ranked first in the audition and a Filipino winner of the National Music Competition for Young Artists (Namcya), Makie Mizawa, placed fourth. (Mizawa was thrilled to be in the top five, since Lang Lang was her idol when the latter won the Junior Tchaikovsky in Japan).

Lang Lang’s prominent exposure in the Olympics didn’t fail to move Filipino musicians.

“The sight of two young pianists and orchestra in the Olympics opening show that China has high respect for its classical musicians,” said Filipino pianist Mary Anne Espina who was one of the Filipino artists invited by the People’s Republic of China to visit Beijing as part of RP-China cultural exchange.

“The Chinese government is fully aware that music plays a big role in the development of its citizens and they promote its artists in a grand way. I hope that the Olympics opening will be an eye-opener for the Philippine government. If the government can offer millions to Filipino athletes as incentive, the same should be offered to Filipino artists who excel,” said Espina.

Proof

Two-time Namcya first prize winner Oliver Salonga said that Lang Lang’s presence in the Olympics is one big proof that the Chinese government knows the importance of music in the development of its citizens.

“The full support of the Chinese government for its classical artists is the big statement of that Beijing Olympics. Our government should now realize that when they support artists, they end up as the country’s unbeatable ambassador of goodwill.”

In the Philippines, the teaching of music was stricken off the public school curriculum in 2002. Filipino pianist Reynaldo Reyes observed that music as it was taught before was already bad and was essentially all about organizing rondallas. “But at least it was there before. Now it’s completely gone from the school curriculum,” Reyes noted.

China recently presented Lang Lang in another Olympics attraction, “A Night for Piano in China,” at the National Center for the Performing Arts with nine other pianists: Claude Frank and Vladimir Feltsman from the United States, Philippe Entremont and Cyprien Katsaris from France, Louis Lortie from Canada, Guillermo Gonzalez from Spain, and Chen Sa, Liu Shikun and Qin Yunyi from China.

Classical survivor

Filipino pianists Reynaldo Reyes and Ingrid Sala Santamaria said that classical music will survive the fuel crisis and the world economic turmoil.

“Classical music has survived two world wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, drought and famine in some parts of the world and the Gulf War. You name all kinds of economic and social upheavals and still classical music will be there with its universal following,” said Reyes recently when he played for the officers and staff of J. Romero and Associates.

Santamaria said classical music doesn’t run on gas and people can actually enjoy it in the comfort of their homes and through free concerts like what she has been doing in the last seven years.

“Classical music will survive the fuel crisis because everyone can enjoy it for free from radio, concert at the park ,cheap CDs and DVDs and now through the YouTube. It’s something that will be with us because music makes Filipinos total persons in mind, heart and soul.”

Piano tour

Reyes and Santamaria have just finished successful concerts in Dipolog City, Pagadian City, Ozamiz City, Oroquieta, City, Bohol and Cebu. They have now logged a total of 333 concerts from Aparri to Davao, playing an average of two to six concertos per performance.

They don’t show any sign of giving up. The only places they have not played are Basilan, Tawi Tawi and Batanes.

“I love this country very much,” said Reyes, who after living and working in the United States for 50 years, has remained a Filipino citizen. “This is my way of giving back to Filipinos what I’ve learned about music. Besides, in these concerts, we are selling an idea, not a product. That music helps make us better persons, and in fact, more globally competitive. It is not just a music professor’s thought... We are like medicine merchants giving out free samples in the hope that they later realize the medicinal value of music,” he added.

“I feel most privileged to be able to reach out to millions and give them not only a measure of joy, but especially a chance to activate more neurons. On the other hand, I am awed and humbled at the good Lord for giving me the talent, strength and unconditional support from my family and friends who have made it possible to give those concerts for free,” Santamaria added.

Reyes and Santamaria’s 16th Piano Concerto Journey Tour will wind up in Naga City and Zamboanga City next month.