Marvelous Mariel
MEDIUM RARE
When a tree falls in the forest but no one hears it, did a tree fall in the forest?
Can a musician make music without touching someone? What is the use, or usefulness, of music if there is no one to hear it?
It may be a philosophical or rhetorical question, but how many pianists do we have who make enough music to be heard and felt, in ways that matter?
As far as my limited knowledge goes, Mariel Ilusorio, pianist, who has played in Europe, South Africa, and many parts of the Philippines, is one of the busiest musicians who makes it a point to be heard and to spread the language of piano music as widely as she can. As a teacher, she’s preparing young musicians to spread their wings. As a performing artist, her alternate mission is to popularize chamber music, especially in an archipelago of 7,000 islands like ours where maintaining an orchestra of 60 or more performers can be financially exhausting.
Having studied music and performed in Europe and South Africa for many years before coming home for good – her teenaged daughter Anita is a violinist – Mariel seems eager to make up for lost time, and it looks like her manager and fans can’t wait to pin her down for more concerts. At last Saturday’s event at Aliw Theater, where she played Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 3, she was a smash (and Ludwig would’ve joined in the applause!).
As one regular attendee of concerts gushed, “Mariel, you were amazing, incredible!” Coming from former Justice Santiago Ranada, those five words should be inscribed in stone.
Each time I attend a Mariel event, I notice how she’s been blooming, and keeps blooming. Last Saturday, her fingers racing up and down the keyboard, now tenderly and softly, like she’s using them to coax a lullaby, then fortissimo, furiously demanding the piano’s full cooperation, Mariel shone like a solo star, bright and all alone in a wide, wide firmament.
Aliw was perfect for her piano solo and Manila Symphony Orchestra under conductor Alexander Vikulov playing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B flat major. The theater was small enough to look as precious as a jewel, but large enough to look like a velvety jewel box.