The LuthierPrior becoming a luthier Amador Tamayo studied cello at UP (University of the Philippines). His former cello mentors were Prof. Martiniano Esguerra, who studied with a Russian cellist, and Prof. Herminia Ilano, a US trained cellist, currently teaching cello in Singapore.
1978-1982 Tamayo apprenticed in the shop of master violinmaker Hubert Schnorr in Hamburg, Germany, undergoing supplementary training at the Geigenbauschule Mittenwald.
Upon his return to Manila he established himself as a maker and repaire. He resumed playing the cello and worked with the old Manila Symphony Orchestra and the Manila Chamber Orchestra as principal cellist, also giving basic cello lessons. As the demand on his violin making skills increased, Tamayo had to lessen his cello playing and finally had to give it up totally in 2000.
Regular visits to Taipei, Taiwan and Singapore as repairer mainly working on instruments from China. It is in Taipei where he saw a lot of new instruments from Cremona as well as other old European instruments.
Over the past 25 years he has been successfully making violins and cellos in the tradition of the Mittenwald School under influence of the Stradivarius designs from Cremona.
The ShopThe InstrumentIsis Concert Group is exclusive trading partner for Tamayo violins throughout the European Union.
The ArtistsViolinist Gina Medinais a faculty member of the St. Scholastica's College of Music, UST Conservatory of Music, and the UP College of Music Graduate Studies.
She pursued her violin studies at the St. Scholastica's College of Music where she graduated Cum Laude under the tutelage of Maestro Basilio Manalo. She earned her Master's degree in music at the San Francisco State University (SFSU), where she also served as concertmaster of the orchestra and the soloist in the "Bach Concert." winning several awards including first prizes in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA).
She participated in several music festivals in France and studied under Olivier Charlier, Dong Suk-Kang, Philippe Bride and the Amadeus Quartet. In 1994, Medina became a member of the Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO, which toured Taiwan, Japan and the US, where she performed at the White House and the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.
An active chamber musician, Medina has performed with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, PREDIS Chamber Orchestra, Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra, UST Symphony Orchestra, as well as with noted artists Nena del Rosario, Chino Bolipata, Raul Sunico, Mary Anne Espina, among others.
In 2005 Medina became the chairwoman of the String Division of NAMCYA.
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Violinist Gilopez Kabayaoborn in 1929, is an exceptionally talented musician who came from a rather musically inclined family. At three, he started improvising short piano pieces in minuet style and at six he was under his father’s tutelage, learning violin, and his mother, learning piano lessons. He already had his debut at New York’s at the age of 19, then continuing his studies first in New York and later in Vienna.
In 1978 he became the musical director of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, performing worldwide in countries including Belgium, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
AWARDS:
1952: 2nd Prize, International Violin Competition, Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome.
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Cellist Renato Lucasprincipal cellist of Phillipine Philharmonic Orchestra and professor of cello UST.
His mentors were Modesto Maiquez and Herminia Atienza-Ilano. In 1978, he won 1st prize in the National Music Competition for Young Artists. Student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under Bonnie Hampton, protégée of the legendary Pablo Casals, and principal cellist of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Studied in Germany with Karine Georgian, and concerts with the Detmolder Kammerorchester. The British Council sent him as a Fellow in Cello and Conducting to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Maestro Piero Gamba invited him to perform in the United Nations’ Millenium Concert of the Nations at the Lincoln Center in New York.
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Cellist Wilfredo Pasambaborn 1978, trained by Natalia Shakhovskaya, Carter Enyeart, Einar Holm and Fred Sherry. He is currently an adjunct faculty member of Pittsburg State University. Pasamba received degrees from Moscow State Conservatory, Ithaca College and Juilliard School. He is also a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the UMKC Conservatory of Music, where he also teaches as an adjunct instructor.
New York debut at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, the Metropolitan Museum, and the Alice Tully Hall. Has attended music festivals in Tanglewood, Norfolk, Bowdoin, Ithaca Violoncello Institute and a conducting fellowship in South Carolina.
Top prize awards at Jennings Butterfield Young Artists Competition, National Music Competition for Young Artists, Reno Chamber Orchestra Competition, Juilliard Cello Concerto Competition. Semi-finalist in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
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Cellist Victor Michael Cooborn in 1982, Coo received early cello training with Amado Tamayo and Wilfredo Pasamba. Graduation with distinction at the Philippine High School for the Arts. 1999 Participation in the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan. Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No.1 with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Musical training with Johanne Perron at the Conservatory of Music at Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida. In Florida he won several competitions and awards including the National Society of Arts and Letters, the Boca Pops Competition and the Conservatory Concerto Competition.
As a former principal cellist and soloist of the New England Youth Ensemble, Coo has performed with the group in Carnegie Hall, New York, The Kennedy Centre, Washington DC, and has toured with them to Jamaica, England, Scotland, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland and Iceland.