Montessori percussion kids to perform at Carnegie Hall on May 31

Young Filipino talent takes the world stage as the Philippine Montessori Center Instrumental Ensemble (PMCIE), a unique percussion ensemble made up of musically-inclined pre-school children, will star in a gala performance at the Carnegie Hall in New York City on May 31, 2019.

The 31-year old PMCIE continues their journey as global Filipino musical ambassadors with “Pinoys to the World: A Celebration of Filipino Musical Artistry,”a series of concerts that started in the Philippines in February this year. “Pinoys to the World” will culminate in a series of performances in New York City, including a gala concert at the world-famous Carnegie Hall, the same venue known to host music legends—from Judy Garland, to Frank Sinatra and The Beatles—since 1891.

Since its inception in 1988, the PMCIE has proudly performed on both local and international venues, such as the Philippine International Convention Center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Meralco Theater and Malacañang Palace here in the Philippines, and Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall, and Queens Theatre in the Park in New York.

With 17 members below 7 years old, the PMCIE is one of the youngest—if not the youngest—percussion ensembles in the world. Their impressive repertoire includes classical, cultural and Broadway pieces played on unconventional instruments, like the marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, timpani and angklung.

The Philippine Montessori Center, a Quezon City-based pre-school, formed the PMCIE with its belief that music plays a critical role in support of the overall development of every child.

“Not only does music give students, with both the talent and interest, an incredible opportunity to hone their artistic skills, but being part of such an orchestra instills in them an inner discipline and strengthens their character at such a young age,” said Iluminada Woellhaf, founder of PMC.

The PMCIE will be accompanied by The Nightingales, a duo of former soprano soloists of the renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers.

A send-off concert before the group flies off to the U.S. was held at the Meralco Theater on May 3. — Philippine Montessori Center Instrumental Ensemble