Mr. Ryan Cayabyab conducting the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality City Orchestra during the SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert on 13 December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Bünyamin Çiçek)
ANKARA, 13 December 2024 – The Philippine Embassy in Ankara and Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul organized the “SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert” on 13 December 2024 at the Ankara Gençlik Parkı Büyük Sahne to celebrate the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Türkiye.
The event headliner was Philippine National Artist for Music, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab. From the Philippine side, he was joined by Dr. Abelardo Galang II, international concert pianist and Mr. Toma Cayabyab, conductor. Turkish musicians, Maestro Kemal Günüç, conductor, and the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality City Orchestra collaborated with the Filipino artists.
In his welcome message, Philippine Ambassador to Türkiye Henry S. Bensurto Jr. said that the Philippines is proud to be Türkiye’s oldest diplomatic partner in Southeast Asia with relations formally established on 13 June 1949 with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship.
On behalf of the Turkish government, Mr. Mehmet Günay, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Overseas Promotion and Cultural Affairs, remarked that cultural events such as the evening’s concert play a key role in bringing Filipino and Turkish peoples even closer.
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş also graced the event and congratulated the Ambassador on the event and the milestone between their two countries. He expressed the willingness of Ankara to continue collaborating in projects to enhance relations between the Philippines and Türkiye. The message of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality was delivered by Deputy Mayor Cağdaș Sariaslan.
The concert began with an overture from the Orchestra with Maestro Günüç, Telli Turna Süiti, composed by Nevit Kodalli. The next performance featured Mr. Toma Cayabyab and Dr. Galang, who wowed the audience with their powerful rendition of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, op. 18. The third part of the program featured the concert headliner, Philippine National Artist for Music, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, who conducted and arranged six (6) Filipino folk songs: Atin Cu Pung Singsing, Si Filemon, Usahay, Wala Angay, Ilocandia, and No Te Vayas. They continued with a Filipino Christmas song composed by Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, Kumukutikutitap. For the event finale, the artists played a Turkish folk song, Fidayda, conducted and arranged by Maestro Günüç, and piano, four-hands by Mr. Ryan Cayabyab and Dr. Galang.
After the concert, audience members were invited to a meet and greet with the artists. Over 400 people including diplomats, Turkish government officials, Filipino community members, and friends of the Philippines joined the event to celebrate this milestone year of Philippine-Turkish relations.
The SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert was made possible through the partnership of the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Consulate General with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, Turkish Airlines, and Hilton AnkaraSA. END.
(L-R) Consul General Shirlene C. Mananquil of the Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, and Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto Jr. at the opening of the SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert on 13 December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Bünyamin Çiçek)
Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto Jr. giving his welcome message at the SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert on 13 December 2024 (Embassy photo)
International concert pianist Dr. Abelardo Galang II performing Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, op. 18. with the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality City Orchestra during the SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert on 13 December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Bünyamin Çiçek)
(L-R) Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, Mr. Toma Cayabyab, Dr. Abelardo Galang II, and Maestro Kemal Günüç taking a bow after the SPARK*CONNECT*EMPOWER: A Friendship Concert on 13 December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Bünyamin Çiçek)
Mr. Ryan Cayabyab posing with members of the Filipino Community in Ankara during the post-concert meet and greet (Embassy photo)
