Music took center stage in celebrating seven decades of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Japan as the New Japan Philharmonic (NJP) performed in Manila for the first time during the commemorative concert “A 70 Year Opus: Celebrating Philippines-Japan Friendship” at The Theater at Solaire in Parañaque City on June 24.
Hosted as part of the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Japan Friendship, the concert gathered government officials, diplomats, business leaders, members of the academe and cultural advocates, underscoring the role of the arts in strengthening bilateral relations.
Among those in attendance were Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo and Madame Akiko Endo, New Japan Philharmonic General Manager Fumihiko Sato, Cultural Center of the Philippines President Kaye Tinga, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, and Teodoro Herbosa.
In his remarks, Ambassador Endo described the anniversary as a milestone reflecting a partnership “built on mutual trust, respect, and a shared vision for peace and prosperity.” He noted that the two countries had grown closer through decades of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, reflected in the anniversary theme, “Weaving the Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, Possibilities.”
“Of all the ties that bind us, culture has perhaps woven our most enduring threads. Music connects, endures, and transcends languages and distance,” Endo said, adding that classical music “best captures our friendship’s enduring spirit.”
The ambassador said the evening’s performances of works by composers Ludwig van Beethoven and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky gave tangible expression to the enduring relationship between the two nations.
NJP General Manager Sato welcomed guests at the start of the program, inviting them to appreciate the artistry of each musical piece while celebrating the friendship between Japan and the Philippines. Tinga, meanwhile, thanked the partners and supporters behind the event and expressed optimism that the concert would further deepen cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Led by internationally acclaimed conductor Tetsuji Honna and featuring renowned violinist Mayuko Kamio, the Tokyo-based orchestra performed Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92.”
The orchestra also delighted the audience with surprise performances of the Filipino classic “Anak,” popularized by Freddie Aguilar, and theme songs from the Japanese anime “Voltes V,” drawing enthusiastic applause from concertgoers.
The concert formed part of a yearlong series of activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, highlighting the enduring role of cultural exchange in strengthening ties between the two nations.