Manila Symphony Orchestra embarks on its momentous “Road to 100”

MSO embarks on a nationwide tour this April, continuing through 2025. From the hills of Batanes to the lush landscapes of Mindanao, the MSO’s mission is to breathe life into its thrust. With patron cities like Cebu and Iloilo already on board, the MSO invites more cities and provinces to join this historic musical journey.

The pinnacle arrives in 2026, the centennial year, filled with culminating concerts, projects, and the launch of the MSO's commemorative book—a testament to its exceptional journey, having played with the world’s best and earning global recognition. From esteemed guest conductors to its own musicians performing in prestigious halls worldwide, the book documents the MSO’s remarkable history and impact.

“We want to show how we have been dubbed ‘symphony for the people’, wherein people can come to our shows and love orchestra music and shy away from the stigma that the classical genre is just for the elite,” Chen shared with Tatler. “Music is for everyone,” he continued.

Chen was one of the guest conductors of MSO in 2017. Back then, he was freelancing around Europe and a principal guest conductor in China. But having a good rapport with the orchestra, he would return to the Philippines each year to have concerts with MSO.

“Fate has a funny way of connecting people,” Chen said. “I guess we just fell in love with each other.”

In 2019, Chen assumed the position of musical director, helping bring the MSO to China for the first time. Immediately, Chen entered into trial by fire with the global pandemic closing down the theatres for about two years.

Despite the world being set on pause, MSO took it as an opportunity to work together offline—restoring videos, putting together Zoom recordings of performances, recordings scheduled to be released this year, and revamping the website. In retrospect, Chen finds that chapter productive as many artistic companies worldwide have become creative in keeping themselves relevant.

The maestro candidly shared how honoured he is to be part of MSO, which is teeming with talents and hardworking artists. “I see myself as someone who could just improve it somehow so that when the next person comes, they would be in an orchestra that is in a better state—in all aspects of it—production, repertoire, the number of players, et cetera,” Chen said.

The much-anticipated celebration of MSO’s milestone had been a huge motivation for Chen and the rest of the team to improve the company continuously. And it all stems from the familial affinity felt by everyone among each other, as described by Chen.

“When we make music, we’re having fun. It’s not like a job per se, although we’re all professionals and this is our vocation. But we love our work. So, we want to bring that joy to the public and to grow the family—not just the musicians but the audience as well,” Chen said.

Despite its attention to classical music, MSO has also performed select chart-topping hits and iconic soundtracks from local and international contemporary composers.

“The idea behind bringing more popular music to the masses is so that they can experience music in the form of orchestra music. We see that as the bridge to make more people curious about this kind of music and hear their favourite songs on a higher level of expertise,” Chen said. “Music as an art is full of possibilities,” he said.

By making orchestra music less intimidating through renditions of popular songs, Chen believes that more people would be able to appreciate music, its sophistication, and the energy a live performance brings.

Elevating the taste of the Filipino people in music has been one of the missions of MSO. Through the years, MSO has hosted artists such as Montserrat Caballé, Yehudi Menuhin, Igor Oistrakh, Eugene Istomin, Fou Ts'ong, Barry Tuckwell, Paul Badura-Skoda and Rony Rogoff, as well as conductors Andre Kostelanetz, Arthur Fiedler, Mendi Rodan, Robert Feist, Gareth Nair, Helen Quach, and Eduard Strauss II. Several National Artists of the Philippines have performed with the orchestra such as Antonio Molina, Antonino Buenaventura, Lucio San Pedro, Ernani Cuenco Levi Celerio and Ryan Cayabyab.

In the 1970s, various conductors, including Oscar Yatco, Helen Quach, and Regalado Jose, led the orchestra. The MSO was reorganised in 2001 by its long-time concertmaster Basilio Manalo who appointed Arturo Molina to succeed him. Today, the Manila Symphony Orchestra is one of the country’s most active artistic institutions, providing a variety of high-quality classical performances through its annual season concerts and actively supporting the development of young Filipino talents. 

As someone who grew up with a father listening to classical orchestra music, Chen believes that inherent in great classical music compositions is the complexity of great creative genius. The maestro asserts the scientific claim that listening to one gives the brain more firing power to process things, enhancing its capabilities to function. 

“Orchestra music can give an epiphany to the listener for them to be more inspired themselves and discover new things,” Chen said.

Besides making their performances more accessible and palatable to the public, MSO also has an academy that nurtures young Filipino talents to become world-class artists. Chen believes that there is no scarcity of talent in the country and there should be more opportunities for worthy candidates to polish their craft.

Asked what his proudest achievement is with the MSO, Chen heartily answered that it’s the small things, including playing with the orchestra. “When we play together, it’s a ‘happening’. The kind of magic you get from each experience is unlike any other,” he described.

One of the most memorable for the musical director of MSO was when they played in Japan during Asia Orchestra Week in 2022. He recalled having found the audience very formal in receiving their performance but when he bumped into several outside the concert hall for the rest of the festival’s duration expressing their utmost delight of MSO’s performance.

“Any artistic company should invest in the people,” Chen emphasised. Some of the MSO’s members have been with the company for decades. And so the maestro believes in taking care of their members’ welfare and nurturing their talent.

In reaching its 100th year, the MSO has witnessed the rise of other orchestras as well as efforts in bringing opera and classical music to the Filipino audience. Chen hopes for a more symbiotic relationship with other artistic companies as he believes that there really shouldn’t be a rivalry among artistic companies but rather a community that all together elevates the country’s art and culture scene.

NOW READ

To our memories and future: In conversation with OPM icons Ryan Cayabyab and Moy Ortiz

AI and Cantonese opera: How Xiqu Centre, NGOs and arts groups are reinvigorating the sunset industry

The Odd Corner: Kean Cipriano on why backing up the ‘odd creatures’ matters in today’s OPM industry