MAESTRO: MICHAEL DADAP

COS Artistic and Music Director

"We are looking towards a vision.” says Michael Dadap as he took his position as the
Artistic / Music Director and Conductor of the Children's Orchestra Society in 1984,
"that children playing beautiful music can change their worlds and make a difference in
our present world. Vision creates hope, and hope begets positive energy. Positive Energy
makes good things happen."
Greatly influenced by church, jazz, big bands, and folk music, Michael first received his
early musical training in solfege, theory, and composition from his older brother Jerry.
After graduating from the University of the Philippines majoring in Philosophy, Michael
Dadap came to New York in 1971 to pursue his studies in Music at the Mannes and
Juilliard Schools of music.
In collaboration with faculty and staff, Mr. Dadap has initiated and developed
orchestral teaching programs for young musicians of the Children’s Orchestra Society
(COS). He strongly believes that children, who can read music fairly well at an early age,
are more motivated, open minded, and adventurous to learn new and challenging music
materials. This pedagogic philosophy led him to introduce programs and music
curriculums that young children will have fun learning in a friendly and nurturing
environment. These programs include solfege and ear training for the very young, early
chamber music for all levels and the introduction of reading music before playing an
instrument. Thus the phrase, “Teaching Children the Language of Music”, has become
the official COS signature.
In reviewing COS Young Symphonic Ensemble [YSE] at New York's Town Hall
on May 3, 1993, music and dance critic Bert Wechsler dubbed Michael Dadap a " fine,
sensitive musician: who is obviously also a mighty orchestra builder....a teacher.
What drive Mr. Dadap's work is his faith in the children's capacity to learn and his
energy, patience, and special talent in communicating his love for music to the children”.
In 1992, Mr. Dadap founded the most advanced group within the Orchestra -
Young Symphonic Ensemble, (YSE). His goals for the YSE are to get performing
opportunities for talented young musicians and to perform together on a concert stage
with today’s concert artist legends. This gives a huge challenge to young players of the
COS including rigorous training, coaching, master classes, and often times, long
rehearsals. Maestro Dadap’s next step was to start and institute a talent search
competition within the Orchestra which is now known to many of COS followers, as the
COS Discovery Concert Series. Now on its 15th year since its inception, the Discovery
Concert Series has literally discovered and produced outstanding young talents. They
include: Olivia Martinez, Viola, Yumi Sagiuchi, Violin, Collette Salyk, Violin, Hediaki
Aomori, Clarinet, Jeremy Huang, Piano, Hans Cutiongco, Viola, Kevin Shue, Violin,
Kyra Sovronsky, Trumpet, Alice Levine, Cello, Pamela Sundelacruz, Violin, Monica Jun,
Cello, Sara Aomori, Flute, Jeremy Cushman, violin, and this year’s winner, Sheena Tsai,
Violin.
It is indeed a dream come true for the entire COS and its young soloists who
along with Maestro Dadap has worked, collaborated, and played music with some of the
world's finest concert artists. Among them includes, Violinists Cho-Liang Lin, Sarah
Chang, Chee-Yun, Soovin Kim, Violist Michael Tree, Flutist, Paula Robison,
Clarinetist, David Shifrin, pianists Cecil Licad, Emmanuel Ax, Li-Jian, Helen Huang
and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Hai Ye-Ni violinist, Jaime Laredo, and cellist, Sharon
Robinson, Orli Shaham, piano, and Eric Jacobson, cello.
Mr. Dadap’s busy schedule does not hinder his passion for the classical guitar. An
accomplished classical guitarist, he has published and recorded CD albums including
original works & arrangements of Visayan songs for soprano and guitar in Art Song
form, "Lambingan", a collection of romantic songs, "Intimate Guitar Classics" for
solo guitar, which was the featured album in February 1990 on the New York Times
classical radio station, WQXR, “Himig Ng Puso” ( Songs from your Heart) featuring
works of Filipino composers, and a collection of favorite works for guitar, “Serenades
for Guitar”. Mr. Dadap gives regular chamber music concerts with the Dadap-Ma Duo.
As an ensemble, they have performed extensively in the United States, Asia, and Europe.
As a composer, Mr. Dadap has won the Asian-American Alliance for the Arts
award for his work, "Handurawan Dance Suite," premiered in 1988. Other works include
"Song Cycle for Tenor, Flute & Guitar" and "Sonata for Violin & Piano" premiered at
Alice Tully and Weill Recital Halls. In November 1990, Mr. Dadap was honored at a
program featuring his works at Manila's Cultural Center of the Philippines. In 1998, he
wrote a suite for a symphony orchestra "Sinulog" which was premiered at Alice Tully
Hall. Among his latest works include his most recently published Serenades for Guitar in
the Visayan Style, a children’s musical play, Alamat Ng Ampalaya (Legend of the Bitter
Melon) a full-length ballet, “Legend of Tikling Bird” in the Folkloric style.
Mr. Dadap dedicates a large portion of his career to the appreciation of Filipino
folk music, pioneering the awareness of the Philippine Rondalla in the United States. He
is the founding music director of the Iskwelahang Pilipino Rondalla of Boston
Massachusetts. He travels annually to the Philippines to perform concerts, teach, and
give guitar master classes and workshops on a 14-string Philippine folk instrument, the
Bandurria. Mr. Dadap is a strong advocate to developing and building a high level
Orchestra of Plucked Instruments, (Orchestra sin Arco) also known in his country as the
Rondalla. His first published book, A Complete Method for the Virtuoso Bandurria, is
now widely used among folkloric Instrumental Ensembles in the Philippines and here in
the United States.
In December 2000, Michael Dadap became the first recipient of the "2000 Artist
of the Year Award" sponsored by the Flushing Council on the Arts in Queens.".
On December 7, 2006, Mr. Dadap received from Philippine President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, (in recognition of his remarkable achievements as a Virtuoso
musician, composer and music teacher, proponent of Philippine traditional music and
promoting Philippine culture and causes through his work), the 2006 “Pamana Ng
Lahi” Presidential Award in Malacanang Palace.
Mr. Dadap resides in Queens, New York with his wife, COS Executive Director,
Dr.Yeou-Cheng Ma. They have two children, Daniel and Laura.

Please credit
Photography by: Kathy Kmonicek