The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) continues its 100th Anniversary Season with Centennial Season Concert V, bringing together world-class musicians, Filipino National Artists, and powerful works that explore gratitude, connection, and hope. The concert will take place on October 22, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the Proscenium Theater.

Presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. and Standard Insurance, and co-presented by EastWest Bank and DENZA Alabang by ACMobility Premium Dealership Inc., the special concert will feature internationally acclaimed Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas, alongside the works of National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab and National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario. Leading the MSO is Principal Conductor Maestro Marlon Chen.

One of the highlights of the evening is the Philippine premiere of Pasasalamat, a new work for choir and orchestra commissioned by the MSO for its centennial celebration. With music by Cayabyab and text by Almario, the piece looks at gratitude as more than a personal emotion. It reflects on how people can contribute to their communities through compassion, respect, freedom, justice, culture, knowledge, and the willingness to learn and change.

The work also carries special meaning for the Manila Symphony Orchestra as it celebrates a century of involvement in Philippine musical life. The piece will be performed with the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Bagong Himig Serenata, MSO’s featured choir, adding a distinctly Filipino voice to this milestone concert.

Adding an international dimension to the program is Camille Thomas, a renowned Franco-Belgian cellist recognized for her expressive performances and technical artistry. A Deutsche Grammophon exclusive artist since 2017, Thomas has performed with major orchestras and conductors around the world. Her recording Voice of Hope, created in partnership with UNICEF, also reflects her advocacy for music as a way to build connections and inspire hope.

Thomas will join the MSO for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33, a celebrated work that combines the elegance of the Classical tradition with opportunities for expressive and virtuosic cello performance.

The evening will conclude with Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, Op. 48, performed by the MSO and the award-winning PUP Bagong Himig Serenata. Known for its gentle and lyrical character, Fauré’s Requiem offers a more peaceful reflection on remembrance, emphasizing comfort, hope, and rest.

With a program that brings together contemporary Filipino music, celebrated international artistry, and timeless classical works, MSO Centennial Season Concert V creates an evening centered on the ability of music to connect people, encourage reflection, and inspire hope. As the Manila Symphony Orchestra celebrates 100 years, the concert also looks toward the continuing role of orchestral music in bringing communities together.

MSO Centennial Season Concert V happens on October 22, 2026, Thursday, at 7:30 PM at the Proscenium Theater. Tickets are priced from ₱1,000 to ₱5,000 and are available through TicketWorld, with discount codes available for students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.

The concert is sponsored by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, Grand Hyatt Manila, National Performing Arts Grantee, and SM Hotels and Conventions, with special thanks to JTI ALL IN, The Laufey Foundation, Austrian Embassy Manila, HSTL Foundation, EON Group, 98.7 DZFE-FM | The Master’s Touch, and The Manila Times.