A Symphony of Wonder
The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli comes to life in Manila.
Words & Photos courtesy of Jewel Chuaunsu
August 12, 2026
From July 31 to August 2, Film Concerts PH invited audiences to step into The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli at The Theatre at Solaire. In a purely orchestral program, music by Joe Hisaishi and original scores from Studio Ghibli films were performed by the 83-piece Filharmonika Orchestra under the baton of Gerard Salonga.
For more than 40 years, Studio Ghibli has been one of the most acclaimed names in animation. Founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, together with producer Toshio Suzuki, the Japanese studio is known for films that combine beautiful hand-drawn animation with memorable storytelling. Classics such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service have become beloved by audiences around the world. Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003.
The music of Joe Hisaishi is an essential part of many Studio Ghibli films. As Hayao Miyazaki’s longtime composer and collaborator, Hisaishi has written the scores for most of the director’s films. His compositions blend minimalist classical styles with expressive film music, creating the magical and nostalgic soundscape that has become synonymous with the studio’s animation. From gentle piano melodies to grand orchestral suites, Hisaishi’s rich symphonic arrangements capture a sense of wonder, melancholy, and childhood adventure.
During the concert’s opening ceremony, Mikhail Schemm, Founder and Managing Director of Film Concerts PH, shared, “When we started Film Concerts PH, our conviction was straightforward. Manila deserves live entertainment on par with any major city in the world. Building that vision requires more than just importing a single show. It means cultivating a genuine, lasting culture around live performance right here at home. Since our first concert in 2024, we have brought this vision to life for more than 50,000 audience members in Metro Manila, across nearly 30 performances and a dozen titles, or worlds as we like to call them, spanning anime, video games, and cinema’s most iconic scores.”
A live performance of Studio Ghibli film scores was an obvious choice for Film Concerts PH. “Few studios have matched its global reach while remaining so distinctly, unmistakably Japanese in craft and animation,” Schemm added.
Maestro Gerard Salonga, founder of the Filharmonika Orchestra and Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur, noted that they would perform the same pieces Maestro Hisaishi uses in his concerts. However, he pointed out that the Philippine performance would include special elements not found in other performances of Studio Ghibli music.
“For example, in the suite from Kiki’s Delivery Service, the score calls for a mandolin because there is this Mediterranean seaside atmosphere that the mandolin evokes. But instead of a mandolin, tonight you will hear the sound of what we call a bandurria, which is a hybrid—a cross between the European mandolin and the Filipino bandurria.”
Salonga continued, “In the suite from Spirited Away, the score calls for several differently sized hanging gongs in the percussion section, among the long list of different Western percussion instruments. When I performed nine sold-out concerts of Studio Ghibli in Malaysia a few weeks ago, we used the Malay gamelan. Tonight, we will be playing the kulintang in that place. So there will be uniquely Filipino sounds along with music that came from the mind of Maestro Hisaishi.”
The program began with the Symphonic Suite from Kiki’s Delivery Service, featuring a light, European-influenced sound that complemented the story of a young witch finding her place in a seaside town.
This was followed by “Orchestra Stories: My Neighbor Totoro.” Designed for children, as well as adults who may not be familiar with the orchestra, the first tracks are accompanied by narration that introduces the names and sounds of the instruments while recounting events from the film that the music represents. The remaining tracks are performed without narration.
The Symphonic Variation “Merry-Go-Round + Cave of Mind” is a concert version of Hisaishi’s original score for Howl’s Moving Castle. The “Merry-Go-Round” theme is a waltz that begins playfully before building in emotional intensity, while “Cave of Mind” offers a more introspective moment.
The program concluded with the Spirited Away Suite. Hisaishi had recomposed the soundtrack of Spirited Away into a symphonic suite, with the music illustrating Chihiro’s journey from the real world into the netherworld while conveying Miyazaki’s message about the importance of being alive.
Presented in partnership with The Japan Foundation, Manila and endorsed by Studio Ghibli, The Symphonic World of Studio Ghibli was an official commemorative event marking the 70th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan. It celebrated not only the artistry and imagination of Studio Ghibli, which has captivated generations around the world, but also the friendship and cultural connections that continue to bring people together in harmony.
