Four Manila-based artists will present a "Night of Classical Music," and perform popular pieces from operas and broadway musicals to Christmas carols at 8 p.m., Saturday, at the Saltimboca Bar and Restaurant, in Bacolod City, a press release from event organizers said yesterday.

Negrense artists Mary Anne Espina, pianist, and sister Nenen, soprano, will be joined by tenor Ronan Ferrer and violinist Gina Medina.

The Espinas are daughters of journalist Rolly Espina and the late Dr. Lourdes Espina.

Mary Anne is currently one of the most sought-after collaborating artists in the country. She had her first solo performance as part of the featured Filipino Artists Series of the Cultural Center of the Philippines recently, the press release said.

She earned her Masters in Arts in Music degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Sto. Tomas. She finished her undergraduate studies at the St. Scholastica's College of Music.

Mary Anne has collaborated with various international musicians including French violinist Frederick Pellasy and soprano Joan Gibbons; she was the pianist for the full-length staging of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro," and the repetiteur and keyboard player of "Miss Saigon" in Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore, the press release added.

Nenen Espina finished her Bachelor of Music, Major in Voice at St. Scholastica's College, Manila. In 1995, she obtained her Professional Diploma in Opera Course at the Hongkong Academy of Performing Arts under a full scholarship and recently finished her Masters of Arts in Music (magna cum laude) at the University of Santo Tomas, the press release said.

She is now the department head of the Voice Department at St. Scholastica's College, Manila, and a faculty member at the UST Conservatory of Music and DLSU-College of St. Benilde.

Ronan Ferrer, tenor, is one of the country's fast-rising classical singers of his generation, drawing rave revies and ovations from critics and audiences.

A product of the Dominican and the Jesuit educational systems, he obtained his Bachelor of Music in Voice degree from the UST Conservatory of Music and his Master of Music in Voice Performance degree from the Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, Japan, where he was named best recitalist for 2002 in the Master's program, besting other students from other countries.

Violinist Gina Medina finished her undergraduate studies at the St. Scholastica's College of Music and obtained her Professional Diploma at the Hongkong Academy of Performing Arts under a full scholarship, the press release added.*

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UNO-R Engineering alumni
to hold homecoming Sunday

The University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos College of Engineering Alumni Association in Bacolod City will hold its Annual General Alumni Homecoming and Christmas Party on the theme "Balik Sinadya sa Engineering," 2 p.m., Sunday, at the university main lobby, a press release from the group said yesterday.

The activities will include the election of officers for 2006, games, dances, and songs. Registration fee is P50.

The 2005 alumni officers are Christopher Rios - president, Debbie Gulmatico - vice president, Liza Escalona - secretary, Eleanor Espeja - assistant secretary, Roque Ben Ayubo - treasurer, Gilbert Noe Bocateja - assistant treasurer, Herminio Tolentino Jr. - auditor, Rosemarie Araneta - PIO, and directors Christopher Barredo, Honorato Calvo, Julius Zenon de Leon, Rolando Escalona, Nimrod Orcena, Eduardo Rufin, and Rory Villanueva, the press release said.

Interested alumni may inquire about the activities from Lani Bantugay at tel. no. 433-9823, the press release added.*

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