August 2018 – Acclaimed Filipino pianist Dr. Raul Sunico captivated Lebanese audiences during his piano concerts at the historic St. John Marc Church in Jbail-Byblos and at the Hadat Municipal Hall in Hadat on August 22 and 23, respectively.

Titled “Music and Love from the Philippines”, the piano concert series was organized by the Philippine Embassy and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), with the support of the municipalities of Jbail-Byblos and Hadat. During the respective concerts, Jbail-Byblos Municipality was represented by Mayor Wissam Zaarour and Hadat by Vice Mayor Ibrahim Berberi.

“This piano concert series is our gift to the municipalities of Jbail-Byblos and Hadat. We hope that this cultural project can pave the way for greater appreciation of Filipino culture and stronger people-to-people ties between Filipinos and Lebanese,” Philippine Ambassador Bernardita Catalla said.

“I hope this project can be the start of more cultural collaborations between our municipality and the Philippine Embassy”, said Hadat Vice Mayor Ibrahim Berberi during his closing remarks.

Before an audience composed of municipal council members, diplomatic corps, business sector leaders, Filipino community members and religious leaders, Dr. Sunico gave an impressive performance of some of the greatest works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Frederic Chopin, Maurice Ravel, Franz Lizst, Robert Schumann, and George Gershwin. He also played beloved Filipino classics such as, “Kumintang” (Filipino Love/War song) by Francisco Buencamino, “Ngayon at Kailanman” by George Canseco, and “Bato sa Buhangin” by Ernani Cuenco.