MSO 100: Versatility from Mozart to Mahler
A century-old pursuit of excellence bridges the great divide between the structured classical style and the dramatic late romantic symphony.
Words Mariel Ann Breanna Puli
Photos courtesy of EON Group
May 05, 2026
What does a hundred years of excellence sound like?
For the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO), 100 years is a testament to a fervent passion for creating music so timeless that it is embraced by generations and interpreted in various ways, yet always retaining its core spirit.
This May 30, at the Proscenium Theater, Makati, the MSO will deliver a performance that bridges the great divide: the delicate whisper of Mozart and the expressive scream of Mahler.
“In Pursuit of Excellence”
The MSO Centennial Season is framed by the motto: “In Pursuit of Excellence.” Presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. and Standard Insurance, and co-presented by EastWest Bank in partnership with the Austrian Embassy and the University of Santo Tomas (UST), this concert explores how technical precision transforms into a living, emotional experience through intense discipline.
Conductor Joshua Dos Santos
Led by Venezuelan conductor Joshua Dos Santos, the program journeys from the structured precision of the Classical tradition to the wide-ranging emotional depth of the late Romantic symphony. With this shift, the MSO demonstrates the artistic versatility that defines its identity. It is a reflective journey through a hundred-year legacy, proving that even after a century, the institution remains the same—relevant and full of life.
Concert II: From Mozart to Mahler
The evening begins its first breath at 7:30 PM with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante in E-flat, K. 364. The true excellence of Mozart's work lies in the rigorous technical precision of the musical dialogue between violin and viola. This conversation is brought to life by rising Filipino artists Emanuel John Villarin (violin) and Christian Wrona (viola), whose performance mirrors the expressive restraint and structured beauty of the Classical era.
Violinist Emanuel John Villarin
This well-rehearsed opening sets a high bar for the journey ahead, culminating in the expansive intensity of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. A work of profound emotional contrasts, Mahler’s symphony challenges both the orchestra and the audience, transforming plain melodies into a massive, demanding soundscape.
Feels Like a Homecoming
The musical dialogue is carried by rising Filipino artists Emanuel John Villarin (violin) and Christian Wrona (viola), both currently Hanns Eisler scholars in Berlin. While their training at the Universität für Musik Hanns Eisler has refined their craft on a global stage, their performance here is a deliberate return to the roots that first nurtured them. They serve as a practical bridge between local potential and international mastery, proving that the MSO’s legacy is a continuous exchange of talent.
Violist Christian Wrona
When Villarin draws his bow across his master-crafted Gencer Cerit Eskisehir violin—carrying the prestige of a NAMCYA and New York Young Performers Prize win—and Wrona performs with the poise of an Asian Youth Orchestra alumnus mentored by legends like Tabea Zimmermann, they are bringing years of rigorous, world-class discipline back to their home stage. It feels like a homecoming and a full-circle contribution, where the skills honed in the halls of Europe are poured back into the Filipino community which was their first home.
Leading the Stage
Guided by Venezuelan guest conductor Joshua Dos Santos, the energy in the room shifts toward a global scale. Trained in the legendary El Sistema and appointed associate conductor of the Simon Bolivar Chamber Orchestra in 2023, Dos Santos brings a career’s worth of experience from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, to the podium. His leadership grounds the MSO’s centennial celebration in internationally celebrated expertise.
Manila Symphony Orchestra
Having made his debut at sixteen under the mentorship of Maestro José Antonio Abreu, Dos Santos commands the stage with a perspective that makes the ambience feel electric. Under his guidance, there is no doubt the orchestra is led by a true expert.
A Side-By-Side Legacy
To meet this immense scale, the MSO is joined by selected members of the UST Symphony Orchestra in a side-by-side performance. This collaboration not only celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the UST Conservatory of Music but also honors the deep, generational ties between the two institutions.
UST Symphony Orchestra
Under the direction of Assoc. Prof. Herminigildo Ranera, these young musicians represent a moment of culmination; since many past and present MSO members began their careers as UST students or faculty, this partnership serves as a living bridge between generations of Philippine music.
Together, they showcase the profound adaptability of the Manila Symphony Orchestra and its scholars, marking a pivotal milestone in their ongoing centennial journey. Ultimately, this concert demonstrates that versatility is the ability to inhabit different musical eras at once.
Supported by official media partners The Manila Times, 98.7 DZFE-FM | The Master's Touch, and EON Group, the evening is an invitation to witness a legacy in motion. Excellence here isn't a final destination reached after a century; it is the continuous journey from a student’s first seat to the professional stage.
It is a persistent will to keep pursuing music that is as relevant and as full of life as it was at the very beginning.
