Conversations with the Artist: Gerard Salonga and Lea Salonga

SSO Principal Percussionist Jon Fox switches his drumsticks for a mic in a new SSOPlayOn! series. In Conversations with the Artist Jon hosts video conversations with artists from across the music world. Jon's guests this week are musical siblings, conductor Gerard Salonga and singer and Broadway legend, Lea Salonga.

Gerard Salonga is the Music Director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra in Manila, and for two seasons served as Assistant Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. In January of 2019 he began his term as Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur. In 2016 he was named one of the assistant conductors of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked closely with distinguished conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, Yu Long, Jun Märkl, Hans Graf, John Wilson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Mark Wigglesworth, and Leonard Slatkin.

Multiple award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga is renown across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. She is best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she has won Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards, in the field of musical theatre. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Misérables on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. Many fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Fa Mulan for Mulan and Mulan II. For her portrayal of the beloved princesses, the Walt Disney Company bestowed her with the honor of “Disney Legend”.

Find out more about the SSO: https://www.sso.org.sg/

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