This Cagayan de Oro local brings music to the country’s ears.
Horst-Hans Bäcker, a German-born composer and conductor who lives in Cagayan de Oro, will represent the Philippines as one of three finalists in this year’s Worldvision Composers Contest.
Bäcker succeeded to the fourth and final round competing with contestants Rod Schejtman (Argentina) and Claudio H. Martinez Garcia (Mexico).
The three must each compose a music piece for a symphonic orchestra. An international expert panel, as well as public voting, will then determine the winner and runners-up of the competition’s finale.
Only one champion will take home a prize fund of 10,000 euros. Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd placers will receive 5,000 and 3,000 euros, respectively.
Moreover, all three finalists previously received certificates equivalent to 900 euros collectively for advancing past the first two rounds. These were the regional and national competitions in their respective countries.
The deadline for the finalists’ submission of audio or video performance is set for August 15. Results will come out on September 18.
Extensive portfolio
Bäcker in 2018 cofounded the Cagayan de Oro Symphony Orchestra, where he acts as a conductor.
He is now the Associate Dean of the Liceo de Cagayan University’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, as well as Professor of Composition and Conducting.
Additionally, he acts as the principal conductor of the Internationale Philharmonie in Germany.
Bäcker also serves as a permanent guest conductor of the Arad State Philharmonic Orchestra, the State Philharmonic Orchestra “Oltenia” in Craiova, and the State Philharmonic Orchestra “Banat” in Timisoara.
He finished his graduate studies at the Cologne College of Music. Musicians and chamber ensembles have since commissioned him to compose music that has gained traction worldwide, especially in Europe.
The composer-conductor has studied under the likes of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Jürg Baur, and Jorma Panula, to name a few.
He even won the prestigious De Profundis Composers’ Competition in Germany with his composition “From the Depth I Cry Out to You Lord.”
Banner Photo by Horst-Hans Bäcker via Facebook.
