When Cecile Licad And Tchaikovsky's Piano Concierto No. 1 Made My Christmas

In 1987, fresh from passing the CPA board examinations, I flew from Bacolod City to Manila in order to find work. Armed with my new CPA license, degrees in Economics and Accounting, and a transcript of scholastic records that was littered with very good grades, I found a job as a junior auditor in an accounting firm in Makati. It was a good place to start a career, I told myself. 

As a new employee, I did not have vacation leave credits that would have allowed me to go home for Christmas. Worse, as a new employee, my starting salary could not even afford me to buy a plane ticket home.😭

But I was realistic. As an accountant, I knew that my cash inflow was just enough for my daily transportation, meals, and occasional movies, and I understood it all. I was just happy I was working. In Makati, no less! 😎

That December, I told my parents I could not be with them during Christmas, although my mom could have found a way to send me a plane ticket. It would be the first time ever for me to be away, so I just had to accept it. I reminded myself that Christmas Day was just 24 hours, and so was New Year's Day. But I was lucky I lived at an uncle's home in Tambô, Parañaque, for free, and even luckier that he had a cook and a houseboy who watched over his house when he was away. So, I wouldn't be really alone.

A week before Christmas Day, I read in the news that Cecile Licad would be playing at the Concert at the Park, a program held at Luneta Park that featured free musical and theatrical performances. Everyone who played the piano knew who she was! The Cecile Licad! At Luneta Park! For free!😄

When I was a kid, my mother wanted me and my brother to learn how to play the piano. She was a big fan of Van Cliburn and she wanted her boys to play too. I was about 10; my brother five. She found us a piano teacher in our hometown, Mrs. Paz Certicio, and told us we were scheduled to take lessons on weekends during the school break. After his first try, my brother gave up. He told my mom he'd rather play a ukelele. I, not wanting to disappoint her, continued. My piano lessons were in the afternoons, at two and for 30 minutes. But at 2PM, a sleepy hour, those 30 minutes felt like a day! 😢

It was only when school resumed after the summer break that I appreciated the lessons! I suddenly found Music, a school subject I hated, very easy! I could read notes, tell whole notes from half notes, and even read sharps and flats effortlessly! After a few months, I was playing Beethoven's Für Elise! And after a year, I could play (with two hands) Pandango Sa Ilaw (Tempo di Valse) and Sarung Banggi without looking at the music sheet! Fascinated, I could not even explain how I was able to memorize the entire sheet and knew exactly what white key, black key, or a group of keys to press simultaneously to make it sound melodious when played in a sequence. I loved it! 😎

Unfortunately, I had to stop taking piano lessons after two years because Mrs. Certicio moved her lessons to after-class schedules. But over the years, when I watch piano concerts on TV, I would envy those virtuousos who effortlessly played those difficult pieces that were full of sharps and flats, and finger-twisting chords that I could only dream of playing, and when I read the news about our famous pianists in the Philippines like Cecile Licad and Rowena Arrieta, and their successes abroad, I was also impressed and proud! I felt I was still a pianist, but without practice!😄

Then Christmas Day came.😌

In the afternoon of December 25, 1987, a Friday, I took two jeepney rides: first, from Tambô to Baclaran; then, from Baclaran to UN Avenue. I then walked towards Luneta Park and looked for the venue. When I got there, the long benches at the front were already taken. It turned out I was not the only one excited to watch the special performance. I looked for a seat a few rows back, and waited for Ms. Nikki Coseteng, that day's emcee who was seated at the right side of the stage, to start the program. If I remember right, it was the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra that accompanied her in the concierto.

After she was introduced, we welcomed her, not only with an excited audience's applause, but more like a homecoming palakpakan. Cecile then took her seat at the grand piano. Her audience did not care about the noise around the venue, or that the music could drift away with the Manila Bay breezes. She could just play Chopsticks and I would still give her a standing ovation.😆 

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concierto No. 1 is a very familiar piece of classical music. The first bars always got your attention; very theatrical and was always used in some dramas. And Cecile had to play (pun intended!) for more than 30 minutes what Tchaikovsky had brilliantly composed in 1875! 

As I was at the back, I had to crane my neck! Her hands were jumping up and down the ivory keys, and running from left to right and back again, her audience was mesmerized! I was enthralled! 

After the first movement, it finally sank in. I told myself this was the highlight of my Christmas! Licad! Tchaikovsky! Philharmonic! What a Christmas gift! But more than a Christmas treat, it was an experience and a dream come true!😊

In between movements, my eyes wandered around and I recognized her former husband, cellist Antonio Meneses, bespectacled and sitting at the left side of the audience on an empty bench with a baby on his lap. I thought the baby must be their son, Otavio. I guessed her family spent their Christmas holidays in Manila.🌲

After the final thunderous notes of the concierto with Cecile raising both of her hands in the air, finally  releasing the grand piano from her enslavement, I could still hear the music ringing in my ears which was now mixed with an even louder applause. We were all standing!🙏 

I could no longer remember if there was an encore, but there could have been one, or even maybe two. All I could remember was a certain realization: the coming together, in one moment, of things fascinating to me. 

I would have wanted to compare this moment to a rare planetary alignment where my fortune aligned with Mars, Venus and Jupiter in the night sky. This moment, however, was more of a confluence: I, seated in front of Cecile Licad as she played Tchaikovsky's Piano Concierto No. 1, which was the concierto Van Cliburn played that won him the 1958 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, and he, being my mother's favorite pianist from whom she got an idea to send me to take piano lessons.♫🎶

And when I told my mother about it the next time I came home, she could not believe it herself!😀

Looking back, I realized I was not meant to come home for the holidays that year because there was a special gift awaiting for me on Christmas Day in Manila. We should not wonder how the universe conspires to grant our wishes, or how things happen the way they do. Maybe, when you wish and you are deserving, it will come true for you too!😍

Salamat guid, Cecile Licad, Tchaikovsky, Mrs. Certicio, and my Mother!😃

(Cecile Licad playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concierto No. 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Sir Georg Solti conducting) 

#CecileLicad #Tchaikovsky #PianoConciertoNo1 #LunetaPark #music #pianist #classicalmusic #thankyou #salamat 

Philippine History: Chapter 30 - Don Felix Montinola Memorial College of Victorias, Negros Occidental

(The bust of Don Felix Montinola that was displayed at the administration office of his school.)

In Chapter 16, I wrote about Don Felix Montinola, Sr. and his legacy in the town of Victorias, and in the same chapter (read blog here), I mentioned about his family's founding of a school two years after he died. The school was established with the encouragement and help from his nephew, Don Agustin M. Jereza, the son of Don Felix's older sister, Valentina. Don Agustin, an engineer by profession, founded his own school in Cebu City, the University of Southern Philippines (USP) that attained university status on July 8, 1949. That same year, on September 25, Don Felix died.

When he was still alive, Don Felix Montinola, Sr. already envisioned opening a school and even discussed the idea with his wife, Doña Dorotea Montinola y Magalona, and his children. In 1937, Don Felix saw firsthand the success of the University of Southern Philippines, then named The Southern College, when he visited USP in Cebu City to receive an honorary degree honoris causa. He was recognized for his contributions to the town of Victorias. Although he was the 9th mayor of Victorias, serving from 1934 to 1940, he was already an active civic leader even before he was elected mayor. In 1907, he directed stage plays to raise funds for the town's small municipio made of nipa (read Chapter 11 here). Taking after him, two of his sons, Hector and Benito, became the 12th and 14th mayors, respectively (read Chapter 21 here).

On September 24, 1951, the Don Felix Montinola Memorial Institute was set up and its location was right at the town center of Victorias, across the public plaza on a land owned by his family. The school building started with a few classrooms and gradually grew using strong timber from Mindanao and with a simple letter 'L' lay-out that would maximize the lot size over which the school would stand. The school library would be on the second floor along with the principal's  and administration offices, while most of the classrooms would be on the ground floor. There were two staircases, each with a landing, going up to the second floor, both made of sturdy wood that would produce loud thumping sounds when students ran up and down, especially when rushing late to a class. From the main entrance, one could use either the right or the left staircase going up. The school canteen, located on the ground floor, was right below the library. The canteen had big windows on its Osmeña-Highway side through which anyone at the street could buy refreshments. During recess, students and teachers could walk in to get some snacks, while other students brought their own lunch, or balon, and could in the school premises, but some students crossed over to the Victorias public plaza, sat under the shade of the big trees, and enjoyed their balon with their classmates. In those days, their balon would be wrapped in banana leaves, then wrapped again in an old newspaper. The balon was accompanied only by a spoon; no need for a fork. On rainy days, the main concrete corridor on the ground floor that connected the main entrance to the last room at the western end of the school was turned into a path where CAT officers and cadets practiced their march and drills as it was about 50 meters long. In the original design of the rooms on the ground floor, the rooms could be turned into one, big connected room as they were all separated by accordion doors that could be closed during classes and opened when there was a program or seminar. 

The entrance of the school was oriented to the southwest, facing the Osmeña Highway. The flagpole that was erected on concrete foundation in 1952 was at the eastern end of the school campus. Then, the students had a dirt playground using the adjacent lot that is now a commercial area. This dirt area used to host the sports games with the four flag poles for the colors of the freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors erected next to the concrete structure that housed the toilets.  In the later decades, more classrooms would be added on the second floor when the school included college courses to its curricula. In the afternoons after dismissal, the school's drum and bugle corps would practice its drills and march along the Jover and Miraflores Streets, filling the neighborhood with its lively music and drumbeats. On Saturdays, the Citizens' Army Training or C.A.T. sessions for juniors and seniors were held on the dirt playground. 

From the start of the first school year, the University of Southern Philippines had lent its support to the school by providing its experience, faculty, and curricula. This was why most of its earliest faculty members were from Cebu. USP's support made Don Felix Montinola Memorial Institute (later, Don Felix Montinola Memorial College) a popular private school with students even coming from nearby municipalities. Its tuition fees were affordable even to the daily wage earners, and its location was very convenient to the young students.

(The lady in a white dress and black belt is Miss Nita Castellano, a teacher, while the other lady is Miss Julieta Barrientos who worked in the administration office. Taken in the late 1950s along the Osmeña Highway in front of the Victorias public plaza. The school is on the right side of the photo. Read blog here.)

(March 8, 1955: the College Day celebration with the school's muse at the stage with her escort. The other pairs at the foreground are (from the left):

Virgilio Hollero and a lady from Escalante; Cesar Torema and Rosario (?) ; Igong Lozande and Thelma Seballos; Aniceto Carumba and Lilia Estribo.

The young lady in a white gown is the young Ms. Estela Fermin, a great granddaughter of Don Felix. Her father was former Victorias mayor, Jesus Fermin.)

When the school celebrated its 40th year in 1991, it published a souvenir program that included a list of past principals and assistants to the principal as well as its faculty that year. 

These are the past directors, principals, and assistant to the principals of DFMMI as appointed for the school year indicated, until 1991:

1951 - 1952: Mr. Arturo Filoteo was appointed as school director; he was affiliated with USP. Mr. Moises Villegas was the principal; he was also from USP.

1952 - 1953: Mr. Alberto Farol was appointed director and was also sent by USP. Mr. Felipe Garcia was the principal and was also from USP.

1953- 1954: Miss Mamerta Mendoza was appointed as principal; she was also from USP.

1954- 1955: Miss Mamerta Mendoza remained as principal.

1955- 1956: Miss Carmen Saso was appointed as principal; she was also from USP.

1956- 1957: Mr. Felipe Garcia was appointed as director; he was also from USP. Miss Leticia Villegas appointed as principal; she was the first Victoriahanon to become the school's principal.

1957 - 1958: Mrs. Luisa Campos-Montinola was appointed as directress, while Miss Leticia Villegas remained as principal. (Mrs. Luisa Campos-Montinola was the wife of Mr. Benito M. Montinola, son of Don Felix Montinola and also a former mayor of Victorias).

1958: Rev. Fr. Vicente Montinola became the director, while Miss Leticia Villegas remained as principal.

During the school year 1985-1986, when the school added college courses like junior secretarial and degrees in education, it tied up with the West Negros College and Dr. Potenciano Julom was appointed dean, while Mrs. Nelly H. Parreño became the principal and assistant to the dean.

For school years 1986-1987 and 1987-1988, Dr. Julom remained as dean, while Mrs. Lorna Garcia was appointed principal. From 1989 to 1991, Mss. Montserrat T. Villalba was the dean and principal. In 1990, more classroom were built on the second floor to accommodate the increasing number of high school students and the evening classes for college courses.  

(The photo above shows a section of the graduating class of 1955 with class officers sitting in front with the teachers. Those seated from the left are: Rolando Ancan (student class officer), Rosario Dequiña(?) (student class officer), Mr. Pajares, Mr. Hernani Fuentes, Miss Cui, Miss Jesena, Mr. Arturo Filoteo (director), Miss Mamerta Mendoza (principal), Miss Padilla (who later married Mr. Hernani Fuentes), Mr. Villegas, Miss Erlinda Ynayan (student class officer), and Ramon Delgado (student class officer). This was taken in front of the municipio of Victorias.)

(The photo above shows Section II-A of 1952-53, meaning Section A of second year students. The girls' sections were separated from the boys, and the higher sections were reserved for girls. The man seated in the center with hands on his lap is Mr. Arturo Filoteo.)

Featured in 40th anniversary souvenir published in 1991 were the following faculty members, the candidates for the Search for Miss DFMMC 1991, and the board of trustees and administrative staff that year:

                   College Department faculty:

High School Department faculty:

Candidates for Miss DFMMC 1991:

Board of Trustees and Administrative Staff:

By the way, in Chapter 18 of the History of Victorias City, a chapter devoted for some scary stories known in Victorias, the school was mentioned because of a 'kapre' that was believed to have been haunting its premises at night (read blog here). The 'kapre' who made his presence felt in the DFMMC grounds was 'captured' in a black-and-white photograph taken as students posed at the main entrance of the school. 😱

The photograph, which was in the possession of the school's treasurer, was borrowed by a former faculty member and was never returned. Taken during daytime, it showed a group of students standing and smiling at the entrance of the school, while the 'kapre' was seen leaning on the Jover-Street side of the building towering over the students as his height reached the windows of the principal's office. He wore white trousers and a white shirt tucked in with a black belt. His face, although seemingly complete with human features like eyes, a nose and a mouth, was shaped differently and did not exactly look like the face of any local. As an alumnus, did you have a scary story about the kapre in Don Felix?😱

Although the school closed in 2015, it produced thousands of alumni who continue to keep alive the spirit of a Felixian every year through their alumni homecoming.😋

#donfelixmontinola #donfelixmontinolamemorialcollege #victoriascity #victoriaslgu #history #historian #USP #universityofsouthernphilippines #victorias #negros #philippines