Let The Music Play: Strings of Gold at MiraNila Heritage House & Library

The 1904 Steinway & Sons Grand Piano returns to its rightful place on an elevated platform below the graceful winding staircase at MiraNila Heritage House & Library where it belonged for generations taking you on a nostalgic journey back in time. Imagine memorable afternoons and evenings filled with music from the bygone era of the Commonwealth period right here at the elegant living room of the lovingly preserved ancestral home. In a series of live performances, MiraNila Heritage House & Library becomes the setting once more for musical memories. That evening, pianist Mariel Ilusorio and cellist Damodar Das Castillo captivated special guests with their inspired renditions, bringing the music back to MiraNila Heritage House & Library adding yet another layer to the infinite possibilities of the cultural heritage site as a concert venue. Dubbed "Strings of Gold," the concert series is presented by the Benitez-Tirona MiraNila Foundation in collaboration with Erehwon Center for the Arts, Leon Gallery and Gallery MiraNila by The Blue Leaf supported by the Bizu Groupe. 

Located on a hectare of land between San Juan and Cubao, MiraNila Heritage House & Library was built in 1929 by pioneering educator and constitutionalist Conrado Francia Benitez and his wife Francisca Tirona Benitez who cofounded Philippine Women's University. The illustrious couple is said to have been inspired by the California Mission Revival architectural style for their home becoming a recurring theme with the addition of new structures on the property. Recognized as a cultural heritage site by the National Historical Commission in 2011, MiraNila Heritage House & Library was built on the highest point in the old town of San Juan del Monte for the perfect vantage point with views of Manila from the east, west, south and north long before the towering skyscrapers that now dominate the ever shifting skyline. 

Today, the property includes a massive events space, Gallery MiraNila by The Blue Leaf as well as a boutique hotel by The Henry Suites and a café by Bizu offering al fresco dining in the tranquil gardens surrounding the property. And you can now add concert venue to the list of possibilities at MiraNila Heritage House & Library... 

The name of the property can attributed to the youngest daughter of Conrado and Francisco, Helena Z. Benitez when she witnessed a raging fire in Intramuros back in the 1930s from the tower of the mansion and exclaimed "Mira a Manila" ("look at Manila"). It's stories like this that makes the property come alive with a real history and family bonds that have endured through generations. 

A guided tour led by Ms. Purissima "Petty" Benitez-Johannot takes you through even more stories against a historical backdrop made more personal as she recalls growing up at MiraNila. Like pages in a voluminous book, each room, nook and corner of MiraNila reveals the family's legacy woven deep in the country's history. 

MiraNila Heritage House & Library currently has an inventory of well over six thousand artifacts, art pieces, furniture, ceramics and books collected by the family through the years. And the collection is still growing as more objects with historical value are found linking both the family and MiraNila to Quezon City and the nation. 

Each area and each piece at MiraNila is a virtual time capsule from the past, a witness to the country's growth as a nation... 

...as you're eventually led back to the elegant wooden spiral staircase that graces the spacious living room. That evening, music once again filled the space...

...to celebrate the return of the 1904 Steinway & Sons Grand Piano at MiraNila Heritage House & Library. The unique and distinctive rococo-style feet of the instrument prompted Francisca Tirona Benitez and her architect cousin Gregorio Paredes to showcase the 1904 Steinway & Sons Grand Piano on an elevated platform below the staircase during the construction of the historic mansion. 

The space is now complete to delight and entertain the senses once more. And for one night, pianist Mariel Ilusorio and cellist Damodar Das Castillo filled the space with their music breathing new life to the enduring MiraNila Heritage House & Library. The beautifully preserved cultural heritage site now plays to a much larger audience of music lovers as MiraNila is transformed as one of the metro's newest and most exciting concert venues. 

Mariel Ilusorio returns home after living 26 years abroad in the US, Germany and South Africa while performing around the world. Currently a part of the prestigious faculty of the UST Conservatory of Music, St. Scholastica's College of Music, the Philippine High School for the Arts and the Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Manila, Mariel Ilusorio continues her performances while organizing concerts and recitals. 

Joining Mariel Ilusorio is musical prodigy Damodar Das Castillo, a two-time Ani ng Dangal Awardee in music as well as recipient of historic wins in international competitions including the coveted International Anton Rubinstein Competition Cello Junior in Dusseldorf, The Young Musician Award in Tallinn, Estonia; The Young Ludwig Youth Music Competition in Berlin and Musica Goritiensis International Music Competition Category in Gorizia, Italy. Damodar Das Castillo is currently enrolled in pre-college at Mozarteum University Salzburg and has been offered several international scholarships to further his studies abroad. Ernesto T. Echauz, chairman of Standard Insurance Co. has been a loyal supporter of Damodar Das Castillo gifting him with a cello handcrafted by Master Luthier George Gerl for his performance at MiraNila. 

And what a performance. The stars aligned that evening at MiraNila, starting with the return of the 1904 Steinway & Sons Grand Piano to its rightful place followed by virtuoso performances under the elegant spiral staircase. And this is just the beginning with many more performances scheduled in the pipeline at the beloved cultural heritage site. 

The music is back promising yet another milestone and chapter in the colorful on-going story of MiraNila Heritage House & Library. Take a step back in time and enjoy the music, now playing at MiraNila...