Take Me To Vienna: International Summa Cum Laude Youth Music Festival

The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra, composed of 36 musicians between the ages of 9 and 21, has bagged an opportunity to compete in the 11th Summa Cum laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, Austria from July 7 to 11, 2017.

I am one of the violinists of MSJO, and we have also been invited to play in concert venues in Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and Prague.

While the trip would be a great experience for us, the costs of travel are prohibitive.

Background

The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra was organized in 2014 as the youth orchestra development program of the MSO Foundation, Inc. and is aimed to gather the best of the country’s young string musicians and equip us with the knowledge and experience of orchestral literature of various styles and genres.

Today there are 35 members playing string instruments: violin, viola and the cello. We regularly rehearse at the space near the MSO Academy branch in Glorietta, Makati City. We made a debut at the Cultural Center of the Philippines – Strings Like Teen Spirit – in November 2016 and performed a series of mall shows that Christmas season. We also regularly play at Concert at the Park in Luneta.

In our performances, we delight our audience wth a mix of classical pieces, original Pilipino music and even arrangements of modern rock and pop songs.

The 2017 trip

The Summa Cum Laude Festival is one of the most prestigious youth music festivals in the world. It will be held at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. Competing groups – among them youth orchestras from Austria, Germany, China, United States, Japan, Australia, Thailand, Spain, and Italy, will be asked to play from among a list of pre-selected pieces that would show their skill and technique.

The trip will also take us to prominent concert venues, the Sound of Music tour, and tutorials and workshops by the best music teachers of the region.

Why your help is needed

As an aspiring musician, this wonderful opportunity has been one of my greatest dreams as a child. And now, as I can see the fruits of my hard work over the years, that goal is finally nearing. Through God's providence and your help, my dream will soon become a reality.

We practice and perform our music on top of our regular schoolwork. We need to prioritise and sacrifice: playtime, social lives and other aspects of being a teenager. We rehearse for a fixed time on our own every day, and with the group every weekend.

The trip's expenses are very heavy, as we have to pay for airline fees, accommodations and tours, plus the participation fee for the music festival. Your support is greatly appreciated!

This trip will inspire me to develop my passion for music. Competing with other youth orchestras from all over the world will instill in us pride and dedication to our music. Of course, I thank the Lord for giving me an opportunity to harness the talent He gave me. In the end, I am still worshipping and glorifying God through music, wherever I am, and whatever I play.

*Please donate directly to my BDO savings account, not through this website. Thank you!

Account number: 733-001-9051

Account name: Clarice Micaela Coronel