Cecile Licad returns to the Philippine stage this September to perform her award-winning renditions of Chopin and Saint-Saëns with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO).
Music fans, rejoice! There’s reason to celebrate this September as Cecile Licad—hailed worldwide as one of the finest pianists of her generation—returns to the Manila Metropolitan Theater on September 24, 2025, for a landmark concert titled “The Pianist’s Pianist” with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.
The concert, starting at 600 PM, will showcase the celebrated pianist performing two concertos from her award-winning recordings of Chopin and Saint-Saëns—originally captured with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under André Previn. Notably, her recording of Chopin’s “Concerto No. 2” earned the Grand Prix du Disque from the Chopin Society of Warsaw.
The Pianist’s Pianist
Cecile Licad’s reputation as “The Pianist’s Pianist” was well-earned, having captivated audiences and music lovers alike since her first performance in Manila at the age of nine, under the baton of Filipino composer, conductor, and teacher Antonio Buenaventura. She went on to dazzle audiences worldwide, becoming the first Filipina to win the prestigious Leventritt Gold Medal in 1981, receiving the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1991, and the Pamana ng Lahi Award in 2016. It was The New Yorker that bestowed upon her the title “The Pianist’s Pianist” in recognition of her extraordinary artistry.
In December 2024, Licad played a recital at Carnegie Hall, receiving rave reviews. One among those impressed was George Grella of the New York Classical Review, who wrote: “This was the kind of performance that was less about pianistic display than about ideas and meaning.”
The upcoming concerto at the Metropolitan Theater, in which Licad will interpret Chopin’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21” and Camille Saint-Saëns’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22”with the PPO, promises to showcase the same unparalleled artistry in an unforgettable evening.
A Tribute In Music
“The Pianist’s Pianist” will be presented by Rustan’s not only as a tribute to Filipino global excellence in the arts but also as a continuation of the enduring vision of the late Zenaida “Nedy” Tantoco, who was a well-known champion of culture and music in the Philippines.
Building on her vision, Anton T. Huang—President and CEO of Rustan’s and SSI Group, and Chairman of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc. (PPOSI)—is spearheading the initiative as a significant fundraiser to support the PPO’s ongoing pursuit of excellence.
Other sponsors for the landmark concert include Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Megaworld Corporation, Philippine Airlines (PAL) as the Official Airline Partner, Rustan Coffee Corporation, and Sta. Elena Construction & Development Corporation.
Tickets are now available through Lulu Casas (0917 570 8301) or Nancy Sones (0994 715 6582) and at Ticketmelon.
