A Musical Tour of the Philippines, Finland, and Norway

Adrian Nicolas Ong, Violin and Victor Asuncion, Piano

  • Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) - Five Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 81 (1915–1918) (15’)
  • Mazurka
  • Rondino
  • Valse
  • Aubade
  • Menuetto
  • Ernesto Vallejo (1909–1945) - Habanera Filipina No. 1 (c. 1929) (3’)
  • Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) - Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13 (1867) (20’)
  • Lento doloroso – Allegro vivace
  • Allegretto tranquillo
  • Allegro animato
  • Program Notes:
  • Before becoming known for his famous compositions, Sibelius had dreams of becoming a violin virtuoso. He was quoted to have said: “My tragedy was that I wanted to be a celebrated violinist at any price. Since the age of 15 I played my violin practically from morning to night. I hated pen and ink—unfortunately I preferred an elegant violin bow. My love for the violin lasted quite long and it was a very painful awakening when I had to admit that I had begun my training for the exacting career of a virtuoso too late.” This piece was written during the First World War, and although Finland was far from the spread of the battlefield, the war did depress him as a human and also financially. The royalties he received abroad were cut off and he had to depend on surviving by writing and creating miniature set pieces like this. At the same time he was writing and revising his 5th symphony which he was inspired by swans in the last movement. The first of 5 Pieces for Violin and Piano is the Mazurka, which is filled with a lot of the virtuosic elements one could think of for the violin. The movement starts with a virtuosic cadenza with large leaps that leads to a sentimental dance in a minor key. This section dives and switches to a major key with a melody that soars and is infectiously hopeful. The Rondino starts very light and easy but is written with such beautiful melancholic and nostalgic melody that makes it very sentimental. The Valse is a charming movement but also has a languorous character. The Aubade (Morning Song) highlights the piano part with dense chromaticism with a lovely melody for the violin on top. The final movement, the Menuetto is quickwitted and uses vigorous trills throughout the movement to evoke a vibrant character.
  • Ernesto Vallejo was a Filipino violin prodigy, after being heard playing at age 13 by Michel Piastro he said: "It is a crime that this child should continue here longer. Of the 11 million Filipinos, I am sure there is only one Vallejo. What is more, I doubt that in the entire Malay race he has his equal." The famed violinist, Mischa Elman, who had also heard the boy, had an even more urgent plea: "No time should be lost in sending young Vallejo to the United States. To fail to do so would be to lose a genius who will bring honor to the Philippines.” He studied with Franz Kneisel, toured the United States, and went back home after six years. He became the concertmaster of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, taught at the University of the Philippines, and starred in the 1938 movie Bahay Kubo (Nipa Hut) with his sister Fely Vallejo. During the Japanese occupation, he continued playing and even played for the Japanese soldiers who he befriended. When American liberation forces arrived, the Japanese soldiers rounded up civilians in the small town where he lived. He raised his hand hoping to be recognized by the Japanese soldiers who were once his audience, but was gunned down and killed with his wife and three children. Habanera Filipina No. 2 is virtuosity on full display. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over three centuries, and Vallejo draws from that history through the habanera style, blending its characteristic rhythm with a distinctly Filipino folk melody. The violin writing is almost Sarasate-esque, filled with double stops, left-hand pizzicato, and harmonics. The piece is both a showcase of Vallejo’s personality as a composer and a reflection of his Filipino roots.
  • Edvard Grieg was a concert pianist who often played his own compositions in concerts. Aside from his solo pieces, he loved performing with his wife, who was a singer, and he was also proud of his violin sonatas, which he frequently included in his repertoire. Grieg was discovered by Ole Bull, a Norwegian violinist who included a lot of folk songs in his compositions. Bull was a huge influence on Grieg, and Grieg described his own Second Sonata as “national” because of his use of folk music. It was composed in three joyful weeks, a month after his wedding, perhaps during his honeymoon. The sheer joy and excitement can be heard throughout all three movements. The first movement starts rather somber, setting the scene as gloomy and almost searching. This search ends with a hopeful and glorious ending. The second movement, traditionally a slow movement, begins slowly, but Grieg soon reverts back to a dance energy throughout the movement, perhaps he couldn’t contain his excitement. In the finale, the opening also seems to search for something. After finding its way back to G major, the shadows of the piece are overwhelmed by exultation and joy, ending with high energy.

At age 17, Filipino violinist Adrian Nicolas Ong made his orchestral debut with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura. Since then, he has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall in 2023 and has appeared as a soloist with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, including performances at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. His international experience includes the Moritzburg Festival Academy Orchestra in Germany and the Asian Youth Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Ong was a prize winner of the Glenn Gould School Chamber Music Competition.

Ong has also performed at the Goldenberg Mansion Recital Series in Manila, including a 2024 performance for the First Lady of the Philippines, and was the first recipient of the FilAm Music Foundation’s NYC Recital Debut Award. He began his studies at the Philippine High School for the Arts with Gina Medina-Perez before receiving a scholarship to Interlochen Arts Academy, where he graduated with honors and received the Young Artist Award. He earned a Bachelor of Music with honors from Mannes School of Music under Stefan Jackiw and an Artist Diploma from The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School under Min-Jeong Koh and Paul Kantor. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Violin Performance at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music with Jinjoo Cho.

Hailed by The Washington Post for his “poised and imaginative playing,” Filipino-American pianist Victor Santiago Asunción has appeared in concert halls all over the world as a recitalist and concerto soloist. A chamber music enthusiast, he has performed with artists such as Lynn Harrell, Antonio Meneses, and the Dover and Emerson String Quartets. He was on the chamber music faculty of the Aspen Music Festival, and a pianist for Dorothy DeLay’s studio.

Festival appearances include the Amelia Island, Aspen, Highland-Cashiers, International Cello Institute, Music in the Vineyards, Santa Fe, Sitka, Serafin, and Texas Cello. His numerous recordings include those with John-Henry Crawford, Evan Drachman, Alexander Hersh, Lynn Harrell, and Joseph Johnson. Victor is the Artistic Director and Founder of the Evanston Chamber Music Society, and Chamber Music @Lauderdale by the Sea, and the Founder, Artistic and Board Director of FilAm Music Foundation, and the “American Recital Debut Award.” Victor was recently appointed Artistic Director of the Memphis Chamber Music Society in Tennessee. Victor Santiago Asunción is a Steinway Artist.

About the Dame Myra Hess Concerts

The concerts are generously sponsored by the Paul Angell Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council and by individual donors.

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