The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) arrive on British shores in May, making their Symphony Hall debut as part of their very first UK tour, and violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr can’t wait!

“I am very excited!” he says, “I’ve never been to the UK, and I am looking forward to performing in the beautiful halls and meeting people in different cities of the UK.”

And we’re very much looking forward to welcoming them too for what is sure to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening of well-known classical music.

Diomedes is the PPO’s newly-appointed concertmaster (or leader) but, in this concert, he’s also the solo violinist in Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending. This hugely popular piece regularly takes the No 1 slot in Classic FM’s annual Hall of Fame.

“Of course, The Lark Ascending is a classic, and I have fallen in love with it since I started working on it. The beautiful lines of melodies and folk tunes that are in the music are stunning. The piece brings a lot of hope and nostalgia.”

The PPO’s Music Director and Principal Conductor Grzegorz Nowak is well known to British audiences through his 15-year association with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and his relationship with the PPO is no less rewarding.

“Maestro Nowak is truly a gem for us in the PPO,” says Diomedes. “The degree of respect, passion and seriousness he gives in each rehearsal and performance is inspiring. So far, I've performed with him both as soloist and concertmaster. The connection I have with him in music making is unbelievable and I feel free in the moment when he's the one conducting.”

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is the country’s leading orchestra and one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific region. It made history in 2016 as the first Philippine orchestra to perform at New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall. Based in the capital, Manila, it also plays a role promoting classical music through outreach in schools and underserved communities.

“The classical music scene is quite rich in the Philippines. The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the PPO always produce valuable content in terms of repertoire, and have made classical concerts accessible for students, first timers and seasoned concert attendees.”

Their Symphony Hall concert is also perfect for first timers and regular classical attendees. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony creates a thrilling and impactful climax in a programme that’s full of exciting and popular music. Be lured by Bizet’s Carmen, in music of passion, betrayal and murder, and enjoy Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations for cello and orchestra (with cellist Wen-Sinn Yang) which harks back to the era of Mozart but with a Tchaikovskian spin. The orchestra introduces ‘Il maestro di capella’, by its resident composer Jeffrey Ching, specially commissioned for the tour. Ching describes it as ‘a dialogue across cultures which is also a playful commentary on the rituals of the concert hall’.

“We’ll also perform Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake suite, another classic in the orchestral repertoire, and I'm sure the audience will enjoy hearing familiar themes and melodies from the ballet.”

Come and join us in welcoming the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra to Symphony Hall for the first time.

Interview by Fiona Fraser