Goldenberg Concert Series X : Chamber Ensemble Philippines

The Office of the Social Secretary is proud to present the tenth installment from the Goldenberg Concert Series featuring Chamber Ensemble Philippines.

Karina Gay Manlutac Balajadia – Liggayu is a soprano and a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice. She represented the Cordillera Administrative Region and won as National Champion in the 1996 National Music Competition for Young Artists.  She has performed notable roles in operas, zarzuelas and musicals, including Mikaela in Carmen, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and Josephine Bracken in Binhi ng Kalayanan.  Her recording credits include Tula ni Oryang and contributions to albums - Paghahandog by Noel Cabangon and Musica Sacra by Juan Alberto Gaerlan.  She was a featured artist in the first BGC Arts Festival in 2017 and participated in a masterclass by world-renowned soprano Nelly Miriciou-Kirk.  In addition to her music career, Kay is a member of the Philippine Bar and the Women Lawyer's Circle of UP, practicing law at the Balajadia Balajadia & Associates Law Offices.

Steven Retallick is an Australian citizen, born in Amsterdam to a family of musicians. He moved to London at an early age and was educated at the Purcell School, a specialist music institution, before attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he completed his cello studies under Professor Stefan Popov. Throughout his career, he has worked with various orchestras, including the Orquesta Sinfónica de Asturias and Orquesta Ciudad de Granada in Spain, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Wichita Symphony in the USA, the Royal Bangkok Symphony in Thailand, Opera Australia and   the Adelaide Symphony in Australia, and the Ulster Orchestra, London Symphony, and Philharmonia Orchestra in the UK. He regularly performs at the Cambodian Music Festival, most recently with violinist Dino Decena and pianist Lee Jae Phang.

Mary Ana Espina is one of the Philippines' most active and versatile musicians, known for her solo performances and collaborations with top orchestras such as the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Manila Symphony Orchestra and the Filharmonika.  She has been featured in the Filipino Artists Series at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and performs regularly with renowned local and international artists. A sought-after chamber musician, she has had a long partnership with violinist Gina Medina-Perez and has worked with various instrumentalists, including euphonium player Adam Frey and trombone player Brett Baker. She has worked in musicals such as Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, Les Miserables, Konsiyertong Tatlong Kusing and Wicked.  A dedicated educator, Mary Ana teaches at the University of Santo Tomas, St. Paul’s University Manila, and Centro Escolar University, and is a visiting instructor at the Philippine High School for the Arts.  She is also the Vice-President of the Piano Teachers' Guild of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. advocating for the advancement of piano education in the country.

Lionel Guico is a baritone renowned for his exceptional voice in Classical Performing Arts and Philippine Theater.  He was awarded the Dangal ng Batangan Para sa Sining at Kultura in December 2023 and the Gawad Gintong Duyan by the Batangas City Government in 2019.  His international performances include concerts in Spain  celebrating Philippine Independence Day in 2006, and headlining a concert in Colorado in 2019.  In 2023, he was a featured artist in the Christmas Gala Pasko Na Naman in Sydney, Australia.  Lionel has had a distinguished career as a baritone soloist, performing with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. His theater credits include roles in Cosi Fan Tutte, Tosca, Gianni Schicchi, Walang Sugat, Ana Maria, 1896, Noli Me Tangere, and Ilustrado.

An alumnus of the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus, Lionel has toured globally as both a member and soloist and is a dedicated voice teacher, mentoring the next generation of singers.

Dino Akira Decena is one of the Philippines' most accomplished and sought-after violinists, renowned for his exceptional talent as both a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed with nearly all major orchestras and chamber groups in the country. Early in his career, he became the featured soloist for the PREDIS Orchestra and won the prestigious National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) twice.  Dino has held prominent positions, including associate concertmaster for The Phantom of the Opera (2012) and Les Miserables (2016) in Manila, concertmaster for the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra, and violinist for Miss Saigon in Manila and Taiwan.  He has also performed with various notable groups, such as the Metro Pop Orchestra, the Filharmonika Orchestra and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, and in productions like Star Wars: A New Hope and Do You Hear the People Sing?  Dino continues to contribute to the arts as a violin teacher at various institutions.

The concert took place on the 10th of January 2025, at the historic Goldenberg Mansion. The show had two sets with a special audience from various educational institutions at 2pm and 5pm.

The 2pm show welcomed musically inclined students from Pasay National School  for the Blind, Pasay City West High School, Pasay City East High School and Pasay City National High School.  The students were left inspired by the highly esteemed and decorated group whose long list of individual accolades are simply world class. It was only topped by their stellar performance at the enchanting Goldenberg Mansion.