A notable musician once said: “The love of classical music is only partially a natural response to hearing the works performed, it also must come about by a decision to listen carefully, to pay close attention, a decision inevitably motivated by the cultural and social prestige of the art.”

In partnership with Metrobank Card Corporation, Rustan Commercial Corporation, Italian Maritime Academy, Elburg, Crewtech, and Sofitel Philippine Plaza, the time will come to make that decision as music circles and patrons of the arts anticipate the arrival of one of the greatest living violinists in the world, Uto Ughi, who will be playing a special, one-night only concert at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on June 2, 2010.

Aptly and consistently praised as having “a fine sense of form with excellent technique and perfect aplomb,” Uto Ughi set the bar in the field of classical music with his colorful career; matched only, perhaps, by the complexity of the pieces that he brings to life on the violin.

Born in Italy, the young Uto already showed remarkable talent. He played in his first public concert when he was just 7 years old, taking on the Chaconne from Bach’s Partita No. 2 and several Paganini Capriccios. Such skill earned him the privilege to receive further tutelage from the great Romanian composer and musician Georges Enescu.

In 1959, at the tender age of 15, the unstoppable Uto started touring and giving concerts not only in Italy but also around Europe; not to mention regularly playing on radio and went on to appear with almost all the major European and American orchestras including: Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Boston Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the BBC Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Filarmonici di Roma. and the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra, to name a few.

Every public appearance of his is so successful that a good number make the headlines of international press; consequently, requests for more concerts come flooding in from all over the world. Never one to rest on his laurels, he even performed at the Salzsburg and Vienna Festivals in the double role of soloist and conductor. Uto, predictably, also has a long list of albums and live recordings that span all the classical greats, utilizing his Guarnieri del Gesù of 1744 (which, with its deep, warm sound, is probably one of the most beautiful Guarneris in existence), and Stradivarius of 1701, to their fullest potentials.

Uto will be accompanied by the very talented and noted Italian pianist Alessandro Specchi who has had an important career playing in the major musical institutions in Italy and abroad both as a soloist and as a collaborator with famous musicians and singers, as well as recording solo and chamber music works. A highly respected piano teacher, he presently shares his craft at the Florence Academy and at the International Academy in Portogruaro.

The repertoire for the gala concert includes all three movements of Beethoven’s long and intensely emotional Sonata op 47 in La Maggiore, better known as the “Kreutzer” Sonata; the darkly sweet Fantasia Su Temi del Faust op 20 by Wieniawski; the brisk and technically challenging etude La Campanella from Paganini, and Introduzione e Rondò capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saens.

This very rare event is being brought to Manila and opened to all music lovers by the newly appointed Ambassador of Italy to the Philippines Luca Fornari and his wife Madame Silvana Novelli to celebrate their arrival and the Republic Day of their homeland.

Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity, and make that decision today!

Programma tour Asia Maggio-Giugno 2010 featuring Uto Ughi and Alessandro Specchi at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo CCP Main Theater is open to the public. Tickets are on a first come first served basis through the CCP office at Tel. 02 8321125 loc. 1800 (Susan Ortiz).  A Formal dress code is applied. Show starts at 8 p.m.