Pianist Cecile Licad on Love, Music, and Her Upcoming Concert

A pianist since the tender age of three, Licad debuted with the PPO when she was only seven years old. Despite her impressive career (and its accompanying longevity), the musician happily reveals that the excitement is still there. "Whenever I start working on something, I feel just like a beginner. I dislike formulas; in fact, I like to disassemble [even the] pieces [that] I know [just so] I could bring it to another level of freshness by the time I perform it. I get excited and that excitement . . . almost always gets to the listener and [they] will [experience] the same kind of [excitement that I do]." 

Licad has toured extensively around the globe; from Europe to North America, her talents have been recognised by her beloved listeners. And as glamorous as it may seem, Licad shares that the piano is plenty of hard work. "There is no doubt it’s a hard profession. Most of my daily life is [spent] at the piano," she says. "It's just like a vocation of being a nun or a priest.  There is a tremendous sacrifice, I don't have to spell it out but believe me it's plenty enough."