MUSIC can be a profession, a hobby, a passion, or a mix of two or all of those things. These days, there are quite a few opportunities available for orchestral musicians in the Philippines — and the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY) plays a huge role in that.
In 2012, OFY was established by nonprofit organization Ang Misyon, Inc., with the goal to nurture talented yet underprivileged young Filipino musicians. Its program includes intensive orchestral training, mentorship programs, and opportunities to perform both in the Philippines and abroad.
Mickey Muñoz, executive director of OFY, sat down backstage with BusinessWorld early in February to discuss the orchestra’s activities, right before they opened their 2026 season with ELEVATE: Triumphs of Tchaikovsky at the Proscenium Theater in Makati.
“This year, we’re having this Tchaikovsky concert, and then another major concert in August. In between those, because Proscenium has a more intimate Black Box on top of the theater, that will be for our chamber concerts,” Mr. Muñoz said. “The purpose is really to train the young musicians, to give them a better future.”
VERSATILITYTriumphs of Tchaikovsky highlighted the orchestra’s talents well, especially in the acoustic shell of the Proscenium Theater.
It was this writer’s first time to experience a live orchestra in this venue, and the acoustics did not disappoint. The solid wood panels on the ceiling and walls are designed to amplify the instruments’ natural acoustics. It’s a great use of space to bounce the sound towards the audience without the use of microphones.
Under the baton of Maestro Gerard Salonga, OFY started the night with Alexander Glazunov’s suite of piano works by Chopin, called Chopiniana. Mr. Salonga described it as “a tribute to the great pianist Lang Lang, who performed in Proscenium two nights before.”
This piece really spotlighted the young musicians’ skills, all coming together to deliver beautiful music as an orchestra. After that, the stage welcomed a soloist, violinist Diomedez Saraza, Jr.
A Juilliard-trained musician and National Music Competitions for Young Artists first prize winner, Mr. Saraza took on Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, which felt like an engaging dialogue between his breathtaking violin solos and the solid music played by the orchestra.
Mr. Muñoz told BusinessWorld that the curriculum really trains the young musicians “in classical music, first and foremost” — but they are also very versatile.
“OFY played for Rama Hari at the Metropolitan Theater. Two years ago, they played for Florante at Laura for Ballet Manila. That’s still considered classical. Beyond that, about 24 of them played for the BINI concert at Araneta Coliseum, because it was a support of youth empowerment,” he explained.
“Our priority is classical, but it doesn’t stop the musicians from playing anything. They also play for the ABS-CBN Ball, which entails a lot of pop songs.”
TRAININGSo far, Ang Misyon, Inc., has helped over a thousand scholars since 2012, all of whom have played in numerous venues with OFY and with other orchestras. At present, there are 70+ active members.
“We’re basically a training academy that prepares them to be professional musicians if they so choose,” Mr. Muñoz added. “A lot of them are being hired by professional orchestras already, alongside playing with OFY, which is why some of our musicians are absent because they’re playing for Les Misérables in Solaire for the day.”
The Lopez family, which started the foundation, initially formed OFY to train and supply musicians for the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, which no longer exists due to the double whammy of the pandemic and their TV network’s shutdown in 2020.
For Mr. Muñoz, it was essential to them that OFY would go on, to continue the advocacy of supporting less fortunate youth who are gifted in playing musical instruments. To this day, they continue to train musicians aged nine to 24 years old.
The best way to see their progress would be catching them live. For example, the second half of Triumphs of Tchaikovsky allowed the orchestra to do justice to Tchaikovsky’s dramatic Symphony No. 5.
“They get one-on-one lessons every Saturday with professional musicians, then they go into sectionals, then chamber groups, and then mostly in the afternoon they play as a full orchestra,” Mr. Muñoz explained. “We sponsor their transportation, too, because less than half are from Metro Manila.”
Notably, many are from the provinces of Quezon and Rizal, in areas like Cardona or Angono, where there is a strong culture of marching bands. Some scholars fly in from Cebu just to train.
“Some of them are taking up music in conservatories of various universities, but they say it’s still different getting training from OFY,” he added.
Though not all go on to become professional musicians, with many moving on to other careers for more stable income, every scholar retains a passion for music. For all of them, OFY has served as a cornerstone of their personal growth.
Mr. Muñoz cited this as motivation to keep supporting young musicians. “There’s a hunger for training, for the discipline and teamwork that they learn beyond the music. Some are really hard up on life, and we’re very glad to be able to give training to them,” he said.
OFY’s next concert is “Music for a Regenerative Future,” slated for Aug. 16, also at the Proscenium Theater in Makati. Information regarding their chamber concerts at the Black Box will be revealed in the coming months. — Brontë H. Lacsamana