The Clarion Chamber Ensemble

The Clarion Chamber Ensemble was founded in December 2001 by Flutist David Jerome Johnson and Pianist Hyun Joo Lee. They were joined by members of the former San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and members of The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra to form the core group of nine ensemble members. The united Clarion musicians pledged to dedicate themselves to the performance of chamber music in Concert Halls.

In 2002, Clarion’s first series entitled “Chamber Music for Charity” began in homes in Dasmariñas Village and Wack-Wack. Among the beneficiaries were the Project for Clean Air of Metro Manila, Classical Radio Station DZFE, and Mountain Tribal Ministries. The Macabata Children’s Foundation is the current charity of choice of the Clarion Chamber Ensemble. With help the MCO Foundation, Clarion gave its first concert at the Francisco Santiago Hall in April 2002. This concert launched Clarion’s subscription series designed to reach a new audience and to present music seldom heard by Manila audiences. In 2003 Clarion expanded its concerts to Philamlife Theatre, concentrating on larger and more ambitious chamber programs. Clarion maintains active concert series in both halls today.

Clarion is presently the only group in the Philippines solely devoted to the pursuit and sustaining of Chamber music. The Clarion musicians come from all the many musical organizations and universities in Metro Manila, and have provided a conduit where musical collaboration among musicians and singers can be pursued with the aim of public performance as its goal. Clarion concerts provide an alternative to standard classical music performances by presenting moderated concerts designed to awaken the musical curiosity of the listener with an ultimate aim to develop a concert savvy concert-goer.

Clarion concerts have been hailed and praised by music critics and Internet blog writers. It has been featured in articles in Newsbreak, Lifestyle Asia, and Air Philippines Magazines. Local papers such as Business World, Philippine Star, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin and Manila Times feature frequent and often Clarion spots. The strength of the Clarion Chamber Ensemble lies in the diversity of its instrumentations, total flexibility of combinations and repertoire that run the gamut from Baroque and Classical Masters, Romantic to the 20th Century. Collaborations with Opera Singers, Vocalists, Jazz Dancers, and Tango dancers, enliven and enrich its concerts.

Clarion Chamber Ensemble is part of the cultural arm of the Sorok Uni-Foundation Philippines and for the past 3 years has been the recipient of a sustaining grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).