PROFILE
Early Training and Performances
Born in Cebu City, Philippines, in 1940, pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria (ISS) received her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano at the Battig Piano School in Cebu City under her mother, Pilar Blanco Sala. Further studies followed at the Juilliard School in New York under Josef Raieff, and in 1962, she received her Master of Music degree from the Sta. Isabel College of Music in Manila under Aida S. Gonzalez. Intensive coaching lessons continued throughout the years under eminent Filipino pianists Benjamin Tupas, Reynaldo Reyes and Jose Contreras. In 2006, De La Salle University Manila conferred on her the Doctor of Music in Music Education degree, honoris causa.
The Sala Family Residence (Battig Piano School)
Ten-year old Ingrid at her Premiere Solo Recital with her teacher-mother Pilar Sala
Ingrid, 17, during her Bachelor of Music Graduation Recital
Ingrid receiving Doctorate from De La Salle University Taft in 2006
Ingrid's graduation for her Bachelor of Music at Battig Piano School, 1957
Santamaria has had numerous performances, solo, chamber and with orchestra, both in the Philippines and abroad.
ISS at Solo Recital, 1980
Ingrid and Maestro Izumi Tateno gave several Two-piano Recitals in Cebu, Manila and Finland in 1996
Ingrid was soloist of the 1975 premiere of the Yellow River Piano Concerto at the CCP on January 18, 1975. Collaborating with her was the National Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO) with Guest Conductor Maestro Guy Taylor
Ingrid with Maestro Luis Valencia (behind her) with PROC Vice-Premier Li Hsien-Nien (left) and Madame Li-Hsien Nien (third from left) after a Yellow River performance with the CCP Orchestra at PICC state dinner, March 13, 1978
The piano soloist receives a bouquet of flowers along with conductor Mark Kadin
The year 1962 was a banner year for Santamaria.
In February, at Sta. Isabel College of Music in Manila’s Ninth Annual Gala Concert, she played the Schumann Piano Concerto with the Filipino Youth Symphony Orchestra (FYSO) conducted by Maestro Luis Valencia.
Closely after the above event, she played a full Solo Recital as a result of her having won First Prize at the Jeunesses Musicales “Search for a Talent“ Piano Competition. The recital was held at the Fleur de Lis Auditorium of St. Paul’s University.
In March, she was soloist of the National Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO) conducted by Maestro Redentor Romero at the Philamlife Auditorium. She played Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto.
On May 19 and 20, Santamaria collaborated with Prima Ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn at her Rizal Theater performances. Santamaria played Cesar Franck’s “Symphonic Variations” with the Quezon City Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by British Maestro Dudley Simpson.
At the Zhongsan Concert Hall of the Forbidden City of Beijing China performing with the 102-member Beijing Symphony Orchestra, with Maestro Redentor Romero conducting
Professor Masatsune Yamagami (left) and Ingrid, after playing the Mozart Double Piano Concerto in E Flat Major with the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Yoichiro Omachi
Ingrid in another concert in Japan, 1982
Ingrid Santamaria with Maestro Redentor Romero
ISS with Dame Margot Fonteyn (in left background) - Ingrid takes a bow after performing Frank’s Symphonic Variations
ISS in Itoh City, Japan with Itoh Symphony Orchestra
Later in the year, Santamaria was again invited to perform the “Symphonic Variations” by Cesar Franck at the Quezon City Concert with the Quezon City Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Ramon Tapales.
On May 30, 1962, Santamaria played a solo recital at the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion Auditorium in Cebu City.
In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, varied significant concerts were performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and at Paco Park. Memorably, on April 2, 1978, Santamaria was the First Soloist at the Luneta Concert at the Park. She played the Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat minor with the Metro Manila Community Orchestra conducted by Prof. Regalado Jose.
Other performances followed in and out of Manila. Outstanding among these were those at Malacañang Palace where Santamaria played for visiting heads of State as invited by then President and Mrs. Ferdinand E. Marcos. Santamaria also performed numerous times abroad during Hon. Imelda R. Marcos’ special missions.
ISS plays at Malacanang Palace for State Guests of President and Mrs. Ferdinand E. Marcos
With First Lady Madame Imelda R. Marcos in 1980, ISS played at the College of Cardinals in Rome, Italy
In later years, Madame Imelda R. Marcos attended many of the Romantic Piano Concerto Journey (RPCJ) Tour concerts
In 1975, Santamaria premiered the Chinese opus “Yellow River Piano Concerto” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) with the National Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO) guest-conducted by American Maestro Guy Taylor. The concert was broadcast live nationwide all over the country.
ISS with Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) and Conductor Prof. Luis Valencia in front of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
The year 2022 marks Santamaria’s 60th anniversary as a Professional Pianist and the re-launch of her updated website, the ingridsalasantamaria.com.
After the January 18, 1975 premiere of the Yellow River Concert at CCP, the First Lady Imelda R. Marcos poses with the Sala Family and guest conductor American Maestro Guy Taylor: l-r: Joe, Cecile and Crispy Santamaria, First Lady, parents Pilar and Salvador Sala, Ingrid Santamaria and Maestro Guy Taylor. At the front row are Joey and Cathy Santamaria.
Santamaria has also launched her fifth Coffee Table Book "My Eternal Spring" in two Volumes - Part I (2010 - 2016) and Part II (2-17 - 2022).
On May 22, 2022, Dr. Ingrid Sala Santamaria (ISS) played her last major concert performing the Tschaikovsky Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor at the SM Seaside Center Stage, Cebu City. Prof. Reynaldo Abellana organized and conducted an 83-person orchestra culled from the members of 6 Cebu orchestras and students from the music studios of SPSFI's original members - the Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), the Peace Philharmonic Philippines (PPP), the Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), the Classic Youth Orchestra (CYO), the Adventist International Symphony Orchestra (AISO) and the Cebu Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (CMSO) - a living testament to Santamaria's distinct contribution to the aesthetic enhancement of Cebu's SOUL through Music, Culture and the Arts. Sala Foundation's and ISS' pioneering efforts which started in 1991 have borne fruit for three decades now.
Orchestra Development
In 1991-2000, Santamaria took a ten-year sabbatical from performing. As chair of the Cebu-based Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation, Inc. (SPSFI), she spear-headed a ten-year Music Development Program which produced the Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) in 1995, evolving into the Peace Philharmonic Philippines (PPP) in 2000
The young and deserving scholars who have graduated from this endeavor have since reaped honors both in the Philippines and abroad, while SPSFI continues to serve the southern communities with its training and performance initiatives.
In April 2010, the CYSO/PPP Alumni, a dozen of them coming home from abroad and Manila for the occasion, conceptualized and produced a REUNION CONCERT in Cebu City at which they also paid tribute to Santamaria. (Link)
In February 2017, the CYSO/PPP organized a second Reunion Concert and Birthday tribute to Santamaria with two performances at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. The event was named “The Grand Finale.” Erstwhile CYSO conductor Prof. Rodelio Flores came from the US to conduct. Santamaria performed the Grieg Concerto with the CYSO/PPP Alumni. (link)
Finally, in May 2022, a third Grand Reunion billed as “Ingrid: Encore” was spearheaded by Sala Foundation scholars, Hazel Magdadaro Sanchez and Hannah Magdadaro Go. It was held at the SM Seaside Center Stage. CYSO Alumnus Prof. Reynaldo Abellana organized the 83-piece orchestra culled from 6
orchestral groups in Cebu. The highlight of the event was the Tschaikovsky Concerto No. 1 in B Flat minor with Santamaria as soloist and Abellana as conductor.
Among Cebu-based CYSO/PPP Alumni, Prof. Reynaldo Abellana is the most visible, establishing his own studio, “Classic Orchestra Music Studio” (COMS) and its performing orchestra, the Classic Youth Orchestra (CYO) (link). They have had dozens of concerts in Cebu, including some in Manila and Mindanao as well. Dr. Santamaria has been a frequent soloist in these concerts. (link)
Besides the CYO, Prof. Abellana has founded the Adventist International Symphony Orchestra (AISO), the Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) and he organizes combined concerts on special occasions.
Prof. Abellana’s initiatives seek to continue and enhance the Orchestra Development Program initiated by Dr. Santamaria in 1991-2000. Three generations of committed musicians have now been trained and will assure Cebu a strong identity as a center for Music, Culture and the Arts.
Classical Music Advocacy
After the launching of the PPP in 2000, together with her US-based mentor Maestro Reynaldo G. Reyes, Santamaria initiated a bi-annual outreach educational program series, "Romantic Piano Concerto Journey Tours", (RPCJT), focusing on concertos of the Romantic Period with her taking the soloist part and Prof. Reyes doing the orchestra part on a second piano. Open for a followed every concert. After RPCJ Tour 24 in 2015, Reyes and Santamaria logged 357 such concerts all over the Philippines and in some key cities in Asia and the United States.
These are described more in detail elsewhere on the website. Selections from these RPCJ Tour concerts are shown in the VIDEO Section.
Unique Genre
Desiring to showcase something unique in her field, Santamaria commissioned erstwhile PPP Music Director Prof. Jeffrey R. Solares and alumnus Prof. Reynaldo Abellana, to transcribe orchestral/second piano accompaniments to Romantic Concertos into String quartet and quintet forms, and string/wind octet chamber groups. In these new combinations, she has had many performances with the PPP, MSO and CYO String and Chamber groups since 2003 both in Manila and Cebu.
Ingrid Sala Santamaria with Manila-based Peace Philharmonic Philippine (PPP) Quartet: Brian Cimafranca, violin; Sara Gonzalez, violin; Jeffrey Solares, viola; and Gerry Gonzalez, cello, l-r
ISS with PPP Quintet at Cebu Waterfront Hotel -Sept. 2012
ISS with MSO Ensemble at Heart of Tondo CD Launch - June, 2014
Piano Teachers' Guild
Concomitant with the start of the CYSO development program in 1991, Santamaria also gathered Cebu's piano teachers and as Founding Chair, she organized them as the Piano Teachers' Guild of Cebu Foundation Inc.(PTGCFI). A Five-piano Concert by the PTGCFI members is uploaded here. (Link)
YouTube Videos
Santamaria's discovery of and entry into the YouTube arena since June 2008 has opened a whole new universe for her. She now has thousands of video segments on YouTube featuring not only recent concerts but vintage ones as well which she tried to save from old Betamax and VHS tapes. With both audio and visual aspects understandably not being of the highest quality, she treats them as DOCUMENTARY VIDEOS and shares them in that spirit.
Dr. Santamaria now has three YouTube channels:
Collections
On the lighter side, this pianist dotes on her extensive collections of Miniature Pianos, Christmas Villages, Crystal, and Concert Gowns.
Residence
Ingrid commutes between Manila, Cebu and Laguna. She is equally at home in these locales.
